​Get A Professional Label Designer, Please

"I just feel like the people involved in this design were not even trying." My friend, Temwa

It occurred to me recently that one of the top things, if not the top thing, people bring to me is product labels and logos – they want my opinion…
 
Now, I’ll warn you: since I was in high school I got a reputation for only being asked for an opinion if and only if the truth was required. If you just want a compliment and some praise, I am definitely not your girl!
 
I don’t lie. I don’t pretend. I just tell it as I see it.
 
I’m not a designer myself but it usually takes me a split second to see if a design is good or not, whether or not it’s to my taste.
 
There are some common errors everyone makes the biggest of which is not using a package designer.
 
The worst culprits don’t use a designer at all and attempt the work themselves although they have no design skills whatsoever.

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Why should you spend money on a designer? 
 
Because the design is the face of the product and people will always judge a book by its cover.
 
If the colours look all crazy – no one will want that product seen in their house, remember, everyone has a reputation to maintain.
 
Ask yourself a few questions before you accept a design: 
 
Would your prospective customer be proud to show it off?
 
If your prospective customer was carrying the product around or had it on display in their house, would people ask about it?
 
Would your product stand out (for the right reasons) in a top supermarket or would it stick out as not being up to their standard?
 
Typos and Grammar
 
If writing isn’t your thing, get someone to help you with the copy for your packaging.
 
I write rather well but I know someone who writes a lot better than I do so you best believe I asked for help with my Queen of Kinks bottle text.
 
Luckily my friend didn’t charge me but if you have to pay, so be it. You want the product you take to market to be the best work you could have possibly done.
 
I speak extensively about branding in The Money Spot Program because without an amazing looking product all marketing will fail even if you have easy access to distribution networks.

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Finally, don’t hire a designer before seeing examples of their packaging work. If they’re a book cover designer or design business card graphics or logos or anything else other than packaging, DO NOT HIRE THEM.
 
Packaging design is an art in its own right. It comes with specialist knowledge that you couldn’t even imagine.
 
My designer knew everything I didn’t know.
 
He asked about what material the design would be printed on, that is plastic or metal, when I said plastic he asked for the specific type. He asked me about the printing methodology that would be used and so on.
 
This is the sort of knowledge that only a packaging designer would know to ask. The reason it’s necessary is that the colour scheme and design work have to be compatible with the material they will be printed on. A book designer won’t know any of that stuff.
 
Now, where can you find an outstanding packaging designer?
 
I have traditionally used elance.com now called upwork.com. If you want to save yourself the effort of finding and vetting a designer, I’m happy to give you the details of my designer if you are a member of The Money Spot Program. 

Have a business or life question you want me to answer? Please email it to me with the subject “Question”. Note that all such questions will be answered as a blog post and will be sent to my full email list. 

Want to start a business? Check out The Money Spot Program.

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