10 Dos and Don'ts of Using Packaging Templates

When you’re starting to build your product business, digging into every creative task is like embarking on a new adventure. It starts with excitement and anticipation, but you might hit a few bumps in the road as you dive in and move through the task.

And designing your own packaging is no exception. Pre-built templates are a great way to save time and money while avoiding those design pitfalls. Yes, you can create custom-looking packaging starting with a design template. Here are 10 dos and don’ts that can make a huge difference in designing packaging to grow your business.

Do start with a plan

Packaging’s purpose is to protect, present, and sell your products. Before hopping on the computer to start designing, you’ll need to decide what kind of package the product needs and how you’ll market the product to customers. A plan will make the design process go a lot smoother and faster. If you need help creating a plan, download my Ultimate Packaging Checklist — it’ll walk you through the process.

Don’t use the template as is

A design template is a great starting point — emphasis on starting point. You’re likely not the only one using the same template, so you’ll want to adjust the design to look unique to your brand. Just changing the colors and fonts to match your brand will make the package look more custom and the design more distinctive.

Do pick a template that aligns with your brand vibe

When you are looking for a packaging template, try to find something that fits your brand aesthetic. For instance, if you would describe your brand as modern and clean, pick a template that has a clean layout and uses modern fonts. But if your brand has more of a boho casual vibe, that modern template won’t be the more efficient starting point as you’ll have to make many changes to reflect your brand vibe.

Don’t mix and match different templates across your product line

Have you ever seen an Instagram grid that looks busy and disorganized because the account used a bunch of different Canva templates? The same thing can happen to your brand’s shelf presence if you use a different package template for each product category. Instead, consider your total line of products will sit together on the shelf or in your Amazon storefront. Aim to keep the look cohesive, incorporating thoughtful changes like color coding and messaging placement to make it easier for the customer to shop.

If a design template you like is available for some of your products but not others, don’t fret. Ask the designer if they have the other templates or might make them for a fee.

Do show & tell with visuals

Our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. This is why adding visuals to your package design is so powerful. Hit the shoppers with a one-two punch and turn key messages into visuals, especially for the front of package. The most successful visuals are simple and easy to understand. This is why you see a lot of photos with the background removed on packaging.

Choosing which things to show and how to show them is an opportunity to show off your brand personality and values. Depending on the message and your brand design style, you might choose photos, illustrations, shapes, icons, or a combination to tell the product story.

Don’t overload the layout with features and benefits

The amount of information we take in on the average day is overwhelming. And considering that people read only 10 words while shopping on average, a lot of copywriting on packaging is going to waste. Keep it concise on your packaging and only include the information that someone needs when deciding to buy your product.

For the front of package, we recommend including the key benefit in the product name and main visual, then supporting it with up to 3 features. If you have more details that would be helpful to a customer, use the back and side panels to expand on the features and benefits. This approach gets your message across without overwhelming shoppers.

Do speak directly to one ideal customer with your packaging

Seth Godin once said, “When you speak to everyone, you’re speaking to no one.” Trying to expand your audience by talking to more than one ideal customer with your packaging might be tempting. More is better, right? Not in this case. Unfortunately, broadening your message loses impact, increasing the possibility that your product gets lost on the shelf. When planning your product messaging for packaging, focus on the one ideal customer you had in mind when creating your product. Once you’ve won them over as a brand loyalist, you can consider expanding your market.

Don’t use tiny or complicated fonts

Minimalism has had a stronghold on the brand design community for the last few years. With this trend, we’ve seen lots of small sans-serif fonts all over layouts. It’s trendy and aesthetically pleasing, but the tiny type is difficult for many people to read. And no one likes to squint or put on their reading glasses just to learn about your product. (Besides, if people are only reading 10 words on their shopping trip, they aren’t putting in the effort to read the small print) Instead, think of the front of package like a billboard, and choose fonts to ensure legibility for headlines from 15 feet away.

Do print a sample before printing all your packaging

Ordering a full print run of your packaging is an investment, regardless of the quantity you have printed. One of the most common mistakes is opting not to make or order a sample. And if you don’t order a sample and something doesn’t fit or look right, you are stuck with it.

When you get a sample, you can ensure the product fits in the packaging and that packaging will protect the product. You also get to see the design at its actual size, ensure it will be effective as a billboard on the shelf, and that all the text is legible. This is also your chance to make any changes before ordering hundreds or thousands of boxes, labels, or bags. So, protect your investment and order a package sample.

Don’t fall into the fancy materials trap

Foils, magnets, and soft-touch finish, oh my! They’re definitely cool and even eye-catching when used appropriately, but investing in these production upsells doesn’t usually result in more product sales. If you’re starting out, are ordering a small quantity, or have a low price point product you’re better off investing your money in a premium packaging template or even custom design to ensure you have a distinctive package that sells your product.

There you have it!

If you stick to these packaging template dos and don’ts, your packaging will look a lot more professional and you’ll have an easier time converting browsers into buyers.

Did you find these tips helpful? Share your top tip to stay motivated as you design your packaging in the comments below!

If you still need help designing (or redesigning your packaging, get in touch here. There are no silly questions, and I am always happy to hear from you, friend.

And finally, I created a checklist to help you get started with planning your packaging.

Download the Ultimate Packaging Checklist here.