Why And How To Brand Your Shipping Materials

For most startups, establishing a brand identity increases recognition, familiarity and retention. Businesses of all sizes use shipping service providers to get their documents, products and other order essentials to consumers. They are well-served by integrating their brand identity into their shipping practices. This initiative can enhance product appeal while increasing customer awareness and opening up new business opportunities.

While advertising budgets usually pave ways to increase brand identity and raise awareness, astute companies embed brand awareness into the shipping aspect of the business as a reasonably priced and effective extension to their overall goals.

Also, this strategy is a great option for engaging in multi-channel branding, which translates to augmenting all different faces your startup takes as a brand, regardless of whether you operate under different names, sub-brands, or simply selling different product categories for different types of customers, such as mothers and young students.

Apart from the aspect of establishing a company identity, here are a few additional reasons why branding your shipping materials may turn out to be a fruitful endeavor:

i. Inform customers.

Branded shipping materials are not only a great way to increase brand awareness and market your product, but custom packages and boxes are also a great tool for informing customers on how to reach your company.

Think about how shipping items are reused? A box could be recycled or used several times once the product is out, so this is all the more reason why a branded shipping box with your contact information can help you connect with existing customers as well as new ones.

ii. Effective marketing tactic.

You may be thinking it’s expensive to add branding to shipping materials, but the truth is it’s not. Branding and printing has a minimal impact on the price of shipping materials. Additionally, it is inexpensive when you look at it from the aspect of marketing and advertising (as both of them are expensive traditionally).

Sure there will be an added cost to get your shipping materials branded initially, but you can utilize them indefinitely and, the brand remains your property even after customers receive the product. The initial investment is quite small compared to other types of marketing which will never get half of the attention as your branded shipping boxes and other items will.

Getting started

1. Think of the box.

One sure shot way to create brand awareness is to use exterior your shipping box as a way to achieve recognition. Used effectively, custom printed boxes can speak volumes to customers, and serve as mobile billboards, improving the overall perception of your startup and its service reputation. The exterior can include your company’s brand name, logo and other details in a variety of corrugated styles with high-end printing, two-color direct printing, or one-color direct printing.

2. Incorporate sustainability.

What can you do to green up your shipping practices and communicate them with customers? As a part of your sustainability goals, include your corporate message on packaging materials that meet green and sustainable standards. GfK Roper’s poll reveals that 30% of consumers consider themselves environmental leaders who want things they buy to embody their beliefs towards sustainability.

3. Avoid identity crisis.

Don’t let your corporate brand get lost in the crowd; take advantage of your shipping materials to back up customer perceptions, and align them with sustainability processes.