Packaging is the ability to present your company, products, brands and communication in a more advantageous way. It is the number one secret sales agent any business should put in place whether as a manufacturing outfit or service outfit.
There are three (3) dimensions of packaging that are very important to any organization.
The first one is product packaging.
Product could be services (intangible product) or physical items (tangible product). One of the benefits of good products packaging apart from product protection is that it attract customers’ attention.
As an entrepreneur who is already into business or who is just starting, you have to first consider packaging your products and services to meet the marketing objective.
The second dimension is company’s packaging. Register and incorporate your company’s name as a limited liability company or as an enterprise though this will depend on the target market. Some multinational companies do not transact business with a company not registered as limited liability company, so your target market will largely decide your packaging. When you have decided on the kind of registration to go for, then build a responsive user friendly website for your business and do your SEO and SMM so as to be visible on Google by your target market.
Marketing materials such as proposal, flyers, banners, and files for prospecting purposes should be of good quality. However, one must be very careful not to spend his initial scarce resources in printing materials, from my little experience it is better to buy small printer that can print quality coloured or white and black prints.
Learn how to professionally answer or make phone calls (customers) and in order not to lose your customers as a result poor communication, train your staff on effective customer service. This is very paramount to ensure long term customers’ relationship.
Learn how to do sales demonstration and presentation, understand your products inside out so as to answer any form of questions from your customers.
The third dimension is personal and personnel packaging. This is all about you and your staff. Learn how to dress when meeting your customers, avoid over dressing or under-dressing, and remember, you will be addressed the way you dressed. One thing you will know is that customers have the habit of sizing you up, if your company is doing well it should reflect on you… this is one of the reasons some companies prefer branded T-shirt for their staff.
Don’t dress to impress but dress to express your professionalism, doctors dress in their white overall, traders dress casually, sport me and women dress in their sport wears, so it is important you know how to package yourself and finally don’t wear harsh perfumes, this can put your customers off.
None of the above points should be a barricade for your startup rather they should be an encouragement and eye opener, start with the experience not the money.
