Designing a Customer Experience: Squeezing the Most out of Design

By Mona Eisman

If you are reading this magazine, you know that a package is more than a container. You also know that it contains more than a product. The package is the visual communicator of your brand and its promise to customers. In a perfect world, the packaging, the container or wrapping of your product, receives the same careful consideration as product development and advertising campaigns.

But sometimes, when it gets to the packaging conversation, the topic switches to cost. A talented packaging designer can create a great design on a limited budget (think Paul Mitchell), but the customer experience must remain the central concern. Today, an investment must be made in the design, the functionality, the quality, and the consistent execution of the container of every product.

The Tazo brand understands the different opportunities that different packaging forms offer, creating a premium graphic and tactile experience.

Investment in packaging is necessary because the package has the toughest job. It is the first thing that a customer sees on the shelf and it has to get their attention, pique their interest, and motivate them to make a purchase. How a potential customer experiences the package sets the stage for: 1) getting their attention; 2) giving them the desire to try it, touch it, and pick it up; and 3) inviting them to experience the product inside.

The package is often what gets the customer to make the first purchase. It is a critical step in creating a satisfying customer product experience, which leads to brand loyalty and recommendations, which in turn build strong, successful businesses.

Getting their attention

When a consumer picks up a product for the first time, it is for any number of reasons, but often it is because the package caught their attention. The color, the shape, the texture, the smell, or the graphics can be critical. These elements all contribute to how a package FEELS to a consumer. Or, maybe the package solves a common problem, like with an innovative dispensing system, or simply looks friendly, delicious, luxurious, or convenient.

When contemplating a purchase, most people ask questions like: "What will this product do for me?" or "What will this product say about me to my friends, family, coworkers, and strangers?" The items a consumer buys make a powerful statement about who they are, how they see themselves, and how they want others to see them.

For instance, consumers may favor a shampoo because the lavender scent gives an aromatherapy experience in the shower. Chanel lipstick may be preferred because it provides "purse appeal" even if the customer uses a drugstore brand at home. The green seal on household products shows concern for the environment, which may be appealing, and economy brands from big box stores can be both value-conscious and premium purchases.

Today, the perceived quality of a product is dependent on the package. Consider your target customer and what is important to them, and then communicate that with every element of your design and function of your package.

Bringing it home

Remember, the package is what the consumer brings home. Not the advertising campaign. Not the product development team. Just the package.

So, what are some non-verbal messages that your packaging can communicate?

• A Purity Seal might say "safe, protected, pure"
• A pump with a pre-measured dose might say "precious, expensive, a little goes a long way"
• A large bottle might say "value, use lots"
• Image of a rain forest might say "natural, exotic, sensual"
• Minimal text and graphics might say "you know who I am"

Of course, the text is important too, and it needs to tell why your product is unique and can do things for consumers that no other product can. Words on a package must convince them that they are making the right choice.

Consumers purchase products to solve a problem or satisfy a perceived need, and the package is paramount in this experience. With limited real estate for text, words must be chosen wisely. Ask yourself: Is the message is clear and does it uniquely tell your story? Use words that create excitement. Is the most important text legible and visible for everyone?

Remember, less is more, and often there is a graphic that evokes emotions and speaks a thousand words. For instance, a simple plant leaf, an orange, or snow-covered mountain all say fresh, organic, and natural, and a devil usually says spicy. The words and graphics must inform and inspire trust while creating expectations. Product claims, ingredients, and endorsements provide the reason to believe.

Turning purchase into loyalty

The package needs to keep doing its job after the product is purchased. The package design must facilitate successful use of the product inside, the directions on how to use the product must be user-friendly and clear, and the legal text must follow established standards.

The package must speak to the customer—from the first time they see it on a shelf until they have used the last drop at home. How will it look after half the product has been used? ...after it has been handled daily? ...after it has gotten wet? ...after it has been dropped a few times? Is it designed so that the contents are protected from unexpected wasteful spills?

How your package looks, holds up, functions and ages are all key to the customer experience with your product. The package is the opportunity to engage consumers' senses, so give them a reason to believe that your product is the only one that will do.

Mona Eisman is founder of Eisman Marketing Group, which offers expertise in marketing and business strategy for the cosmetics and entertainment industries. Mona also teaches at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, which offers courses in package design and brand imaging. Reach Mona at eismanmktg@aol.com.