How can you create the best product labels and signs?

1 Know your purpose

Before you start designing your labels and signs, you need to define your purpose and goal. What do you want to achieve with your labels and signs? Do you want to inform, persuade, or entertain your customers? Do you want to highlight a specific feature, benefit, or offer? Do you want to create a mood, a theme, or a brand identity? Your purpose will guide your choice of words, colors, fonts, images, and shapes. For example, if you want to inform your customers about a product's ingredients, you might use a simple and clear label with a neutral color and a readable font. If you want to persuade your customers to buy a product on sale, you might use a bright and bold sign with a catchy phrase and a large font.

2 Follow the AIDA model

The AIDA model is a useful framework for creating effective labels and signs. It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. The idea is to capture your customers' attention with a striking design, arouse their interest with relevant and engaging content, create a desire for your product with compelling benefits and offers, and prompt them to take action with a clear and easy call to action. For example, if you are selling a new shampoo, you might use a label that shows a before-and-after picture of a person's hair, a sign that says "Say goodbye to frizzy hair with our new shampoo", a label that lists the natural ingredients and the benefits for your hair, and a sign that says "Buy now and get 20% off".

3 Use the right size and location

The size and location of your labels and signs depend on several factors, such as the type of product, the size of the shelf or display, the distance from the customer, and the visibility from different angles. You want to make sure that your labels and signs are large enough to be seen and read easily, but not so large that they overwhelm or clutter your space. You also want to make sure that your labels and signs are placed at the right height and position to catch your customers' eye and match their browsing behavior. For example, if you are selling books, you might use small labels on the spine or front cover of each book, and large signs on the top or side of the bookshelf. If you are selling clothes, you might use medium-sized labels on the hangers or tags of each item, and large signs on the walls or windows of your store.

4 Test and tweak

Finally, you need to test and tweak your labels and signs to see how they perform in real life. You can use various methods, such as surveys, feedback, observation, or sales data, to measure the impact of your labels and signs on your customers' behavior and satisfaction. You can also experiment with different designs, layouts, content, and placements, and compare the results. You want to find out what works and what doesn't, and make adjustments accordingly. For example, if you notice that your customers are confused by your labels or signs, you might need to simplify or clarify your message. If you notice that your customers are ignoring your labels or signs, you might need to make them more eye-catching or appealing.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?