10 Creative Packaging Ideas for Small Business | ECB

Small businesses are notoriously friendly—which is why it’s so important to know about small business packaging ideas. So as to create a unique packaging style for your small business.

Are you a small business owner who needs a little help in the packaging department? I bet you are. It’s hard to find good ideas when you need them and sometimes it’s just easier to ask for help.

This article should offer some fresh and cute packaging ideas to spruce up your packaging. And take it from bland and boring to exciting, new, fun, and vibrant.

10 Creative Small Business Packaging Ideas

Packaging can be a true game changer for small businesses. It’s an opportunity to stand out, convey professionalism and clearly present your brand. But knowing what packaging is right for your business can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put this guide together on the best product packaging ideas.

1. Use Cardboard Packaging

Cardboard boxes can make all the difference in competing with larger brands and businesses. These boxes can be defined as boxes that are specifically designed for one particular company and its product range.

They help in creating a distinct identity for your brand, allowing your customers to easily recognize your products on store shelves. These custom boxes also offer you an opportunity to showcase your creative skills along with effectively advertising your company.

2. Use Vinyl Stickers

Do you want to come up with ways to boost your sales?

It doesn’t matter what product you are selling, you need to get it into the customer’s hands.

Custom sticker for packaging boxes is what you need to improve the impression of your product and increase the chances of making a sale.

It will highlight your products and increase its visibility to new customers. And at the same time create customer loyalty by promoting your brand image.

Businesses create a lot of packaging boxes for their products. But that doesn’t mean all of them are necessarily good and appealing. Some of them are probably plain, some even boring and ugly.

Therefore, small businesses should use custom sticker printing service to make the boxes they use more attractive and appealing. As that would help increase their sales. It’s because people may be more likely to buy a product if it is packaged attractively.

In addition, these adhesive labels can be used to give information about the product like its ingredients, nutritional value and other relevant information.

3. Mailer Box (Best for Shipping)

Customers are the heart of a business and it is important to make them happy. But unfortunately, packing up your products in generic boxes is likely to cause damage or breakage of items.

Not only will this cost you time and money, but it limits the presentation of your products – not an acceptable option for small businesses.

The solution?

Use custom mailer boxes and make a splash with your product packaging. There are many businesses that can benefit from saving money on postage while having better control over their inventory by using mailer boxes. And at the same time making their products more appealing and fun to unbox.

Tightly packed mailer boxes can be perfect for shipping fragile items like glassware, electronics and other small parts.

In addition, mailer boxes are a good packaging idea for small businesses because they can be customized with a number of protective features.

For example, you can have them lined with bubble wrap or foam sheets that further protect the contents from damage.

Doing so contributes to better shipping methods from beginning to end because it prevents the mailer box from being overpacked and eliminates unnecessary movement during transit.

4. Ribbons & Bows

Small business owners that sell products can wrap their packaging in a way that makes it seem like they’re giving the customer something special.

The wrapping will make the recipient feel as though they are receiving a present, and this will boost the chance of them ordering more products in the future.

You can do this by putting some thought into the design of your packaging, or having it printed in a different way to make it more memorable.

You could also use ribbons or bows to make it look like a gift so that when your customers receive your product they’ll see that you’ve invested time, effort and money into ensuring they’re getting a high quality item.

5. Add Business Cards

Create a business card that will be given to customers when they come into your store, and include some details about yourself. This will make your business seem more personal and will allow you to give customers an insight as to why you chose that particular name.

This can also be done by enclosing a card inside the packages of your goods that are sent out to customers. This way, you can include information about the business or yourself in a discreet manner so that it does not get thrown away or taken for granted.

Customers can learn about how you came up with your business’s name and what makes it unique. This allows them to feel more connected to the business and makes them want to do business with you because they want to support a local business.

If a customer buys something from you that comes in an interesting package, they are also more likely to remember your product and/or service.

Therefore, it’s a nice idea to include a card that explains why you chose the business’s name and any other details about its history. This allows customers to see what went into starting the business and makes them feel more connected with it.

6. Branded Packaging

You can create memorable branding with your packaging in many ways, even if you only have a small budget and no design skills. Here are five ways to get started:

Packaging and design are the most effective ways to create an identity and personality for your business. Whether your product packaging or color choice, you can use design to communicate what makes you unique to customers. 

Always try to make an impactful and memorable brand impression through your packaging style and design. The very first step for branding is the logo on your packaging box. An iconic logo is always essential, but it’s not enough when trying to stand out from the competition. Here are some points that you shall keep in mind for that purpose:

• Create a unique and out-of-the-box logo.
• Have fun with shapes; try geometric designs to give an elegant touch. 
• Play with textures, especially those that are a part of your company color theme.
• Never copycat your competitors or any successful brand; it will have a cheap impact on your target audience.

7. Stylish and Decorative Vintage Style

Vintage style packaging and branding go hand in hand. If your brand is memorable, you’ll be able to keep customers returning even when they are not actively looking for your product or service. Use old-style yet new packaging ideas to make your products or services stand out from the competition. You can use any of the following embellishments for that purpose:

• Labels and Tags with a vintage appearance
• Odd-shaped boxes like hexagonal or even octagonal shapes
• Custom-designed stickers with product name

8. Minimalistic with Small Packaging

Rather than sending out big bulky boxes, try looking into the possibility of utilizing small packaging. This could be as simple as switching to an envelope or making your packages smaller with more parts. With more features, companies can give away smaller gifts related to the product they sell in the box. 

Going minimalist with your packaging can save money and still have a memorable brand. The number one way people package their products is through plastic, but there is an alternate option: paper. There are multiple benefits to using the form over plastic, including being biodegradable, recycled and better for animals (mainly marine life).

9. Color Gradients

Color gradients are an excellent way to set your packaging apart from the competition. With our color gradient generator, you can create stunning gradients with a button, and you don’t need to be a graphic designer to get the look you want. Just check a few of the designs that are already hit in the market and see what sort of colors are liked by the consumers. 

Plus, with your manufacturers’ full selection of materials, you’re sure to find the perfect stock for your business. Check out all of their materials and then decide. The choice of excellent and appropriate material is directly related to the color output. Not all colors show the same result on all types of stock.

10. Unconventional Modern Design

Unconventional modern design is both sleek and eye-catching. With the proper packaging, you can turn your product into a work of art with just a few tweaks. This style is also perfect for those looking to make their product stand out in a crowded marketplace.

This style uses unconventional materials like wood and leather to create an attractive package that will draw people in from afar. And if you’re worried about the price, don’t be! This new trend is affordable and doesn’t require complicated machinery or expensive materials!

Final Words

There are so many small business packaging ideas. Ultimately, choosing the right packaging for your business is about knowing your business, and knowing what your consumer wants.

Of course, there are no standard guidelines or templates to go on—there is no one-size-fits all. However, with so many creative packaging options out there, it shouldn’t be too hard to find one that works exactly for you.

The packaging & printing industries have been focus of my research as a senior editor at ECB. “Packaging Notes” is the book I use to gain knowledge in packaging.