Label-making has come a long way over the past few years, and printing color custom labels is easier and more affordable than ever. Whether you’re selling homemade food items, handcrafted clothing, or any other type of custom-made product, specialty product labels set your products apart from the competition and save you money.
Here are the types of labels you typically see on the shelf for custom-made products:
Prime labels
Primary, or prime, labels are the visual hook that help make sure your products get the attention they deserve. This the main label you are probably familiar with when you see most packaged goods. Your prime labels should convey the essence of your product and reinforce your overall brand image and message. Also, studies have shown that color labels will increase brand recognition by as much as 80 percent — and up to 90 percent if customers base their judgments on color alone.*
Secondary labels
Once customers have taken your product off the shelf, the next step is to reassure them that they’re making a wise purchase. This is where secondary labels take over. Secondary labels provide specifics such as ingredients, nutritional facts, disclaimers and compliance text, and selling points/deeper descriptions of products.
For example, for a food product, your secondary labels should list ingredients and nutritional facts to address customer concerns about what they will be consuming and to comply with regulatory requirements. For clothing, secondary labels could provide size and materials.
Bar codes
On most secondary labels, the bar code can be a very important element. Many stores require bar codes on all items they sell. Plus, a clearly printed bar code makes sure every store identifies your product correctly and charges the right price for it.
A bar code that doesn’t scan may frustrate retailers or make customers want to return your product back to the shelf. Every bar code must be printed clearly so there’s zero chance of a bad scan.
Shipping and overbox labels
All labels can make an impact and help your brand – even if they aren’t on the product itself. Consider adding an advertisement or offer to your shipping and overbox labels. The addressee will be look at the label and notice your message right away – allowing you to make an impact long before your actual product is in-hand.
Read on about this topic by downloading “Labeling for Specialized, Niche, and Local Customer Marketing”. This paper explains how to transform your label printing to in-house on-demand color labeling for high-mix, low volume specialized goods, and how to customize messages to specific markets for a noticeable impact.
* Singh, Satyendra (2006). Impact of Color on Marketing. Management Decision, Vol. 44, Issue 6, 783-789.
