Branding Your Product In The Market

Branding is how you package your product in such a way that your target market will see your product as the only available solution to their problem. 

A great marketing person would always think of the sum total experience of the customer with the product.  That is why every stage in the product cycle is very important.  From the creation of the idea to the manufacturing of the actual product down to the packaging using a taping machine to shipping and to delivery.  Every process is essential and will contribute to the whole experience of the targeted market.

So how does branding works?  What are the key factors that influences branding?  Listed below are some essentials for an effective product branding:

1.     Clarifying The Win – what is the “winnability” of your product?  Your product should have a defined and a clear goal.  What do you want your customers to feel when they are holding or using the product?  Ask the question “what is the most important thing that you want to achieve when your product is already out in the market?” 

2.     Focus on One Thing – you can clarify the win by also being focused.  Who is your target market?  What is your unique message?  Focusing will also help you in engaging your target market.  As you define your focus, as you own that one significant thing, your target market would understand your product even more.

3.     Be Consistent – focusing is not enough to engage the market.  You need to be consistent with how you brand your product.  If it’s for female today, don’t say that it can be for men tomorrow.  Consistency is essential.  Be consistent with your message.  Use the same taglines, logos, images, fonts, tone and other visual components that will make the customer remember your product.  Do this for a long time and you will win the market.  Imagine McDonalds, they have been around the industry for decades and one can still remember that yellow letter “m” that is visually present in almost all corners of the world.  Consistency is indeed essential.  This is also where you apply the technicalities of packaging the product.  To be consistent would mean that you employ automation let say in packaging.  Uniformity in packaging can be achieved by using high quality and dependable taping machine or case erectors.

4.     Call to Action – it is very important that you stimulate your target market not to just remember your product but most importantly to consistently buy you for a longer period of time.  Give them a good offer to buy your product.  Be intentional and be obvious with the offer.  This is where your pricing comes in.  Study the market for competitive pricing.  Quality and scarcity is also a factor for people to buy your product.

Branding a product is very practical but you have to be intentional and should be timely.  It is very important that you invest time in researching and building your product.  Every stage is a part of a bigger objective and that is to deliver the end product to the consumer.

New Marketing Trend Through Packaging

Packaging plays a crucial role in positioning your product in the market.  If you are serious with your product you have to develop and continuously look for new ways on how to engage your target market to patronize your product.  Companies involved in manufacturing are now paying closer attention to how their packaging systems can get those new packages into the market faster and do it more cost effectively.  Having a high quality taping machine is a good start in ensuring and securing the product’s quality from the factory down to the consumer.  These case erectors and sealers are just part of a bigger and automated packaging system that a company has to invest in.

Going back to new marketing trends, interactive packaging is now gaining popularity especially in the food and beverage industry.   When it comes to promotion and selling of a product, packaging connects the product and the consumer beyond what media and advertisers can do; today packaging bridges the product and consumer through virtual encounter using technology.  Advertisers and Marketing people are now using augmented reality as a new way of engaging their market to buy their products.  Due to the popularity of Androids and smart phones in today’s generation, augmented reality is now transforming the way companies market their products.  Thought it has been around for more than 2 decades already, augmented reality is just being utilized today.  In essence if you create a packaging that has augmented reality, your view of the product that you are looking at through your smart phone is enhanced.  The packaging is augmented by a computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.  TicTac’s Shake Thing Up promo is one good example of a product, which used this kind of advertising through on-pack augmented reality.

Have you heard of QR codes or what they call “quick response code”?  This QR code is attached with a mobile application that will lead the consumer to a website, a game or a short video.  This kind of interactive packaging integrated with mobile applications is now seen in the marketing world.  These two-dimensional codes were originally used for the auto industry.  It was invented to track vehicles during the manufacturing process.  But due to its fast readability and larger storage capacity compared to the conventional barcodes, it is now used for interactive consumer advertising and packaging.  One successful story of QR code promotion is Verizon’s promotion.  Upon using the QR code, their customers are redirected to an online competition, which will allow them to win a smart phone.  This promotion increased the sales of that particular store by 200% for that week alone.

While sales and profits are the bottom-line of many companies, a business owner should not neglect that through packaging, a product is connected to the consumer in ways far beyond what you can imagine. 

Investing a little on an automated packaging system such as a taping machine and innovating on how you design and utilize your packaging like using QR codes and Augmented Reality will definitely help you achieve your objective, repeat sales and loyal customers.  Then profit will just follow.  

Export Packaging Options

When shipping a product overseas, the exporter must be aware of packing, labeling, documentation, and insurance requirements. It is important that exporters ensure that the merchandise is:

1.     Packed correctly so that it arrives in good condition; using a good standard taping machine greatly helps with this requirement;

2.     Labeled correctly to ensure that the goods are handled properly and arrive on time at the right place;

3.     Documented correctly to meet U.S. and foreign government requirements, as well as proper collection standards; and

4.     Insured against damage, loss, pilferage and delay.

There are a variety of options on packaging goods for export. Such materials include but are not limited to: wood, paper, metal, plastic, glass and commonly used textiles.

The main types of export packaging are:

Loose or unpacked – is only normally only applied to transport of such goods as heavy vehicles. Making sure they are stowed securely is more important than adding a layer of protective packaging.

Boxes or crates – that are securely sealed by carton sealers are the commonly utilized option. They are often stacked on pallets and shrink-wrapped for stability. Less durability is required if goods are also containerized.

Drums - usually made of metal or plastic are what are regularly used for transporting liquids and powders or goods that need to be kept dry.

Wrapping - often used with goods stacked on pallets, wrapping - such as shrinkwrap or foil - both adds to stability and protects goods.

Pallets - allow smaller packing units such as boxes and cartons to be grouped together. They allow easy mechanical transporting, which eases the process of loading, unloading and warehousing.

These options are not mutually exclusive, so you may want or need to use more than one.

Many markets abroad have waste regulations that favor packaging which can be easily recycled or has a minimal impact on the environment when disposed of.  Exporters must comply with The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations that aim to minimize the amount of waste packaging businesses generate and ensure that packaging can be reused, recovered or recycled. If a business handles more than 50 tons of packaging in a year, they must also comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations

Basic Guidelines for Export Packing

When packaging a product for export you need to keep in mind the four major factors: protection, security, mode of transport, and cost. There are also considerations when it comes to waste legislation and special requirements when it comes to packing wood, dangerous goods, and food and other perishable goods.

Generally, items packed for export should be packed by a good standard taping machine, instead of being packed manually using human effort. The taping machine packaging adds to the endurance needed for the package to handle stress factors such as repeated loading and unloading, being unloaded in the rain and stored in the open, stacked, pushed, shoved, dragged, dropped, and processed on a conveyer belt or even sent down a chute.

Protection

One of the main purposes of exporting your goods is to avoid damage. Containers and pallets are primarily standard so that they combine efficiency with excellent cargo protection.

Security

Necessary steps need to be taken to prevent goods being stolen or tampered with. There are now available taping machines and packaging equipment with special anti-pilferage engineering that can help increase the security of your packaged goods. Shrink-wrapping and secure straps also act as deterrents. Export packaging should be kept as plain as possible - providing details of the contents, like brand names, encourages theft. Containerization helps with this, and using container seals makes tampering even less likely.

Mode of transport

How a product is packaged also depends on the destination and the method of transportation. For example, bulk ocean shipments of liquids, grain and ores don't need any packaging. And goods transported by air generally need less protective packaging than those sent by ship.

Cost

It is a false economy to try to cut costs by using sub-standard packaging. The standard options (like buying a good taping machines, cartons grouped on pallets and then loaded into containers) have become the standard because they are reliable. However, unless your goods require special care, you are unlikely to gain much by opting for above-standard packaging. You can buy, lease, or hire most types of packaging so it makes sense to shop around.

Buying Used Taping Machines For Business Expansion

If you want to save money for future investments, using a second hand taping machine can be an option. 

Taping machines are built to help a business in terms of efficiency in production.  It is also designed to make sure that products are sealed properly with consistency to maintain the product’s original state from the factory down to the end consumer.  Another benefit of using a taping machine is its cost effectiveness.  Business owners should feel the reduced costs not only in terms of manpower but also in terms of errors, which are commonly caused by the workers themselves.  Hence this will boost customer satisfaction and in the end increase the sales of the company.  It has become a staple of automated packaging lines.

Taping machines, also known as case sealers, are indeed beneficial to the company therefore requiring higher maintenance.  Buying used or second-hand taping machines is not a bad idea.  If you are just starting to expand your business, this is actually a great idea.  Here are some tips when buying a used case sealer to avoid getting into a bad investment:

1.     Plan before buying.  Knowing what you really need is your first consideration.  There are different varieties of this machine and you need to know what your production line would require.

2.     Know the machine’s specifications.  Checking the features and utilities will prevent you from buying the wrong machine.  Browsing the web would definitely help a lot.  There are a lot of companies selling different types of these machines online.  Get as many options as possible and get to know their selling point.  You can also browse online for bargains.

3.     Bring along professionals.  If you know anyone with who has operated such machine, bringing them with you during the selection process is a great idea.  They can actually check the machine for any defect since it is second hand.

4.     Ask around.  Getting information from both sides will help you decide what to buy.  Get to know some of the company’s technicians who are well versed with the machine.  They would often tell you the machine’s condition.  Do this discreetly.

5.     Check for any leaks.  This is also a good sign if machine is still ok.  Check if the machine is clean and oil free.  Again discreetly check the floor for any oil drippings; just make sure that you don’t slip.

Buying a used taping machine is not a bad idea.  Although it may come with a few headaches, you might want to treat those as good expenses.  But if you have the money to buy a new one, don’t hesitate to purchase a good one.

Taping machines indeed play a vital role in the expansion of a company’s production line.