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4 Tips for Creating the Perfect Unboxing Experience

The unboxing experience is an invaluable branding and marketing opportunity. If you are not doing anything to enhance your customer’s experience, this is exciting news for you. You’ve just found a whole new way to strengthen that relationship and increase your customer lifetime value (which translates into profit). We are living in the age of the “experience economy,” and consumers are justifying spending more money to improve the experience they receive from purchasing your product. Here are four things to implement in order to wow them. 

Unique Packing Material

Consider what you are using for packing material. Take into account that the “circular economy” is on the rise, and this could be a great branding opportunity for your company, getting your brand recognized for ethics and social responsibility by using sustainable packaging. People want to know what you stand for as a company, you might as well make it something they care about. 

Whether you use sustainable packaging or not, design it to stand out and demand to be remembered. (For all the right reasons.) If you cannot afford to create a customized design for the packaging itself, there are companies like Tape Jungle, Uline, and Sticker Mule that produce custom-designed tape to cover your packaging with. Another option is to have stickers made, or printed tissue paper to wrap the items with (like these from noissue). This way you can create an experience for your customers with something as practical as packaging. It will contribute to the “value-added” perception that you are trying to cultivate. 

Product Presentation

Would the picture of your product still inside the packaging make a worthy Instagram picture? Better yet, would it make an outstanding one? Because you don’t want to settle for anything less than a great photo to splash across social media. Really consider the worth of a picture-worthy unboxing moment when you are looking at packaging options. 

Also, scrutinize the product placement within the packaging and how it will look when you first open the box. Can you get the product or products to have labels facing the same way? Make a clever pattern? Create an optical illusion? There really is no “too much” with this part of the equation, it all depends on what you can afford while still making it practical to store and ship. While making your decision, research #packagingdesign, #flatlay, and #unboxing on Instagram. Ensure that whatever you choose, your product will be secure and not easily damaged during distribution. 

Gary Vaynerchuck’s company, Empathy Wines, has an excellent example of a gorgeous display in a practical way. (Include picture)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1wlPYYppw4/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1tSzrXHs1R/

Surprise Them with Samples

Your ultimate goal is repeat business, and if you have other product lines or items that relate to your customer’s purchase, you should take advantage of sending free samples to these people who have already spent money on your products. It is much cheaper to retain an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. If you reserve free samples solely for new customers, you are not targeting your market correctly. 

By sending out samples, you are taking an interest in the people who have shown an interest in you already, and sealing the deal by treating them like royalty. This is how you increase your customer lifetime value (CLV) and get a chunk of recurring revenue from return customers. You now also have an excellent opportunity to test new products in the market. You can easily create a variation of your product and market it to existing customers with samples. The size of your customer base will also give you an indication of how heavily to invest in a new idea.  

Personalize It

Don’t overlook the effect of personalization. A handwritten note can go a long way. Initially, it was only small businesses that engaged in this tactic, since it is a time-consuming endeavor. But big businesses have seen a lot of value from doing the same with their brands. As consumers, we like to feel special and spoiled. We value being spoiled so much that we would happily spend the extra few cents per unit it cost the business owner to change the font or color on the insert or the packaging itself. 

Take this opportunity to maximize the impact of your inserts. You want your customers to take an interest in your brand. Be it by way of a business card insert, a link to a newsletter or ebook, a coupon code, or a clever message to enhance their experience. The best time to get them to explore what you have to offer further is to pique their interest when they receive their order. Sending them an email with a discount coupon after their purchase is good, but what if you can get that coupon in front of them while they’re engaging with your brand? It would make a much larger impact.