This post is a light-hearted free-for-all which shows, no… even allows you to take these CSS snippets for free for personal or professional use. Free inline CSS Snippets, here is why it is useful:
You don’t know what you are doing with certain CSS
Are in a mad hurry to get a project completed for a deadline
Can’t be bothered trying to work out your own code
Are so stuck you just don’t know what to do next, don’t worry, I feel your pain.
Also, in this post it covers a little bit about what is going on, if you have time to read it.
In-line CSS snippets
It is time to get some Free Inline CSS snippets into your work! This article has been written with responsive mailshots in mind, although there’s no reason why you couldn’t adapt the code for you CSS on your website it is mostly inline CSS. So casting my CSS magic wand I have created some snappy grabby inline CSS for you to copy and paste and do with as you please. Are you In a hurry? Just need to whack it together because the boss or client has given you a tight deadline? Well, this article is for you! As I have have already mentioned!
( Inline ) CSS Naughty Top Div Spacer
Need to add space at the top of the div to move text down or fake padding from the top? This crude but effective hack should do the trick! You barbarian!
// Place this inside the parent div, or span you are trying to force down.
<div style="height:5px;"> </div>
Add this spacer div. change px height for your purpose, ideal for mailshots and serve!
Naught Div Spacer with Inline CSS
(another horrific way of doing it would be to a clear .png and change its height) To use the div place the snippet inside the master div. <div> <spacer> </div>
CSS inline – Waist Size for Mailshots
For
the purpose of responsive mailshots, this can set the bounding div
width. This will help make the width elasticated so when you come
to viewing your email campaign on mobile it will constrain to the
screen width… providing all the other elements are not forcing the
mailshot outside the screen etc
<div style="max-width:640px;"></div>
Max width CSS – Belt sizes!
Elastic Imagery | control image width with inline CSS
Like a magic trick, make your images adjust to the size of the mobile device or tablet. This can also be applied to desktop computers. Notice how the code needs to placed inside the image.
That’s all for now – 4 handy Inline CSS snippets for you to grab and run off with!
Thank you for reading this post. If you have a moment please feel free to share on social media, your blog or even your website. Free inline CSS Snippets
Your agenda and measure for success may vary, but I am sure there are email design and marketing tips ideas here that will help steer you towards your own success. This post is a list of 32 ideas and tips to help either help you if have run out of steam or set you on the path if you are new to email marketing. Your goal could be to inform your readers of your latest product, get a sale, receive a bulk order or to push contact form enquiries, I will leave that part for you and offer up tips!
This post covers tips and techniques which have been tried and tested.
My credentials
I have designed, created and launched email campaigns for over 10 years for various projects, products, and newsletters. I am going to share some important techniques and trade secrets that will hopefully move you in the right direction and avoid disappointment. I’m also pleased to mention whilst working at the previous position, that I managed to get into the TOP 500 for email design, according to Vertical Response.
32 awesome tips for creating a successful email campaign
32 email tips!
1 ) Have a good list
I would like to put
this as number 1 as having a non-responsive, dodgy or an uninterested
email list (readership) will undermine all of your best efforts. It
is pointless to create an email campaign where the user won’t open or
react to your message because they are bored or didn’t sign up in the
first place.
I can’t emphasise how
important it is to have a receptive list of readers. A clean database
will help tremendously in the success of your email campaign.
2 ) Be GDPR compliant
GDPR is a ambiguous topic. Web marketeers were left in a turmoil in 2018 when they had to bring all their data collection practices inline with the new legislation – I found myself in the same situation. In essence, GDPR is about protecting your client or customer data and making their privacy a priority.
Practices such as scraping, harvesting – generally taking data without consent, is a big no-no! If you are taking an email address off somebodies website and adding it to your bulk mailing list ready for spamming, this is strictly against GDPR. If you are doing this, please stop now. Besides, there is little point in plugging your services or wares to somebody that really couldn’t care less about what you have to say.
GDPR, in a nutshell (please note I am not a GDPR consultant, but have taken the time to learn best practices)
It is important to
create a clean and responsive email database, it is also important to
know who you are talking to. If you can identify who you are sending
your marketing emails to, you will stand a much better chance at
creating a message that will resonate with the reader.
Somebody who is into
fly fishing probably wont be interested being sold air vents, or
train wheels (I have actually received an email with a company trying
to sell me train wheels!) but, an avid fisherman may want to buy
fishing rod or read tips on how to catch a certain fish with rod you
have just promoted – especially if it is about Fly Fishing.
Another example worth considering is a Gamer. Who is your Gamer? Do they like Chess, Warhammer of video games? These are all Gamers, but they all different gaming groups and demographics. Narrow down on who it is you are talking to. You would be better to send a relevant message to: a ) The chess player b ) The Warhammer collector c ) A video games enthusiast.
One size fits all, or maybe none at all!
4 ) Establish what you want the email to achieve
Establish what you want
the email to achieve and make that your primary goal! If you want
your reader to send an enquiry as to the main action, make that a
number 1 objective. Avoid the urge to bombard the reader with too
many calls to action and too much noise, keep it focused.
5 ) The subject line is very important (but you may already know that)
I wanted to avoid
mentioning this tip but could be wrong in assuming that this is your
first post and only post you have read for finding tips on creating a
successful email campaign. The subject title is important – very
important. Having a subject title that works with your target
audience could make the difference between your email being opened or
deleted.
6 ) Adapt, record and improve
Adapt, record and
improve – repeat. When you send an email marketing campaign make sure
to observe how it is being opened, when it is being opened and what
your readers like! Based on your results over time you can make more
calculated decisions be it the design, format, time of day and so on.
7 ) Time and Geography can play a part
Where and when your
email campaign goes can be important to its success. If you send an
email campaign when your audience is at their busiest can have a
negative impact on your open rates. Also, if you have database that
covers the whole world it could be worth translating your email so
other nationalities can actually read your email!
8 ) Strike whilst it is hot
If you have just
returned from a trade-show or a networking event, I have always found
some of the best responses were within a week of sending a ‘thank
you’ email.
You are still fresh in
the other person’s mind when you send the email. If you leave it 3
months before saying “thank you” they will have forgotten who you
are… more than likely.
(sometimes people can
forget who you are the minute you walk away!)
Tips on important design elements for your email campaign
How you structure your
campaign can be very important to get that click, button press of
response. You shouldn’t overlook the graphic design of your email
campaign which goes hand in glove with the marketing.
9 ) Announce who you
are early on
I would advise putting
key pieces of information such as your brand, name or title at the
very top of your campaign so the reader knows who you are before
pressing the ‘junk’ button.
10 ) Don’t do an image only email-shot
If you do an image only
campaign you will seriously reduce your chances of your campaign
being opened correctly. Your campaign should have visible text which
is part of the HTML and not embedded into the jpg.
11 ) Have a clear call to action
Are you trying to get
someone to email you, send an enquiry, order a product? Make your
call to actions easy to find. *certain audiences respond better to
bold and brash, others to subtle and clear. Like a little text link
or polite encouraging Call to Action – read more.
12 ) Make sure it works on a Smartphone + Tablet
In 2019 (and last
decade) your snazzy mail-shot should display on a smartphone! this is
called a ‘Responsive” design as it will adapt to the size of the
reader’s screen. The images will be elasticated. In essence, stretch
and scale according to the width and dimensions of the viewers’
screen. Before launching, test your email campaign on all devices.
13 ) Check, debug, then
check again
Great, you have
designed a killer email campaign with a witty headline that is
certain to get a price request or order!
Whoo-hoo!
Wait why haven’t they
clicked anything… oh, you forgot to link the graphic to the contact
page! Check the email campaign before sending, ideally with another
team member on a different device. They may see something that you
have missed! e.g spleling or a tech…
… nic
……al … issue.
14 ) Fresh and interesting design will make a difference
In a previous position, I remember sending email after email after email to the same bored and tired list. It was a case of selling the exact same product worded in a different way to the same 2000 or so prospective subscribers, they must have been tired of seeing those emails coming into their inbox twice a week!
I recall taking a step
back and coming up with an imaginative marketing email with distinct
image: it was a vector image of a fist grabbing cash “Taking back
power”. cash talk was also topical back in the time of the last
recession and this design caught attention. I remember getting extra
conversions and enquires from this.
The takeaway, create punchy visuals, make them look, don’t just talk at them. And of course, keep trying to come up with new stuff.
15 ) Use a style that appeals to the target reader
When you create an
email campaign make sure it resonates with the reader, it is about
getting their interest, not yours. If you are trying to sell
skateboards, look at themes that may appeal to skateboarders, look at
urban art, graffiti, sports, etc. If your target demographic are wine
lovers, create a look at feel that may suit them.
16 ) Keep it visible for all devices (Photo Fitting)
Odd point? Not as
strange as you might think. Make sure your photo’s or core imagery is
easy to see if viewed on a Smartphone or Tablet. If you stick a large
group shot of products together and place them in your email, it can
be tricky to see the details of what you have to offer, possibly due
to scale or width. For example, if you take a photo with 20 products
side by side and then scale this down you are more likely to lose the
detail due to how much of the picture you need to fit sheer amount
going on in the picture.
It may be worth your
while if you must have a group photo to ‘pull’ out core products and
place them underneath or on their own so they can see what is being
sold more easily
Also remember that your
text / copy needs to be read on computer and smartphone’s too.
17 ) Mix up the design
format
Rearranging the design
and format may be just enough to freshen up the email campaign so
that it engages the reader or gets them to click on a link and delve
a little bit deeper. People get bored, try to keep them interested if
you want to have a successful email campaign!
18) Don’t obsess by how pretty it is
Surprised to hear this? That is because the design isn’t all about the aesthetic, and this also applies to email marketing. You should consider how the reader will experience your campaign when it is opened and how they will engage with it. Your campaign needs to offer good information, strong calls to action, accessibility and then… last but not least, the aesthetic. Put content and messaging first, theming second.
19 ) Time efficiency – Re-purpose and recycle a previously created email campaign
If you have just
designed an email in the graphics program, there is nothing wrong
with considering how you can repurpose it for the future. There isn’t
always a need for you to redesign your campaign every time you want
to launch – just a thought!
20 ) Oh, it moves!
Animations in email
campaigns can be very catchy! If you create an email with an
animation embedded into the body this can be a great way of getting
people to look but do take a couple of things into consideration. It
takes time to create an animation. Not all animations will be seen or
downloaded. Is it worth the time when a simple static would do the
job?
21 )The type of subject heading matters
How you write an email
campaign subject heading can influence its success. You could
consider asking your audience a question about them or their
business, keep it open-ended allow the reader to say “yes… that’s
me go on” if they were to read the copy aloud.
22 ) Heal a pain
If you are in tune with
your target audience and hear common complaints and questions
consider how you may be able to address their problems. Are they
strapped for time? Would they like more activity on social media but
are pre-occupied with other aspects of the business.
In other words, can you help to solve their problems?
23 ) Design functionality according to your readership
If you study your
analytics and record what you see, you may notice patterns: What your
audience likes to read, what they dislike and what they press when
they open your campaigns. Study your results and tag your images to
see what they have pressed. This could provide valuable information
for future email campaigns.
Place things like these at the end of your URL : #imgbtn1 #txtlnk1
You may also notice
that your audience may favour text links over images. I have
previously found that images were always a surefire way of getting
people to ‘look’ in larger businesses but my smaller business lists
tend to react more to text links – strange! But something I have
acknowledged.
24) What an ‘Open’ really means
You may confuse an
‘Open-rate’ with delivery. When a bulk email is sent to a customer
they will more often than not receive an email with a prompt in the
top of the Outlook preview panel (or any like) saying whether it is
safe or not top open. The images may be blocked out unless the reader
permits them to be shown.
Once these images have
been shown or displayed, that is in truth is what an ‘Open’ is in
email marketing terms. Once the tracking pixel has been shown
(because the reader has allowed it, and downloaded it with the
images) this is when the email campaign is logged as an ‘Open’.
The good news is, more
people than you realise may have seen your email but not reacted to
it. There is no saying that they haven’t read the information. So
back to an earlier point, don’t make it image only!
Your skimmers, if like
me or the general busy web user, they may only skim your campaign to
see if it is of any use to them. From there, they will either: read
it later, continue reading then and now, or quickly click a button.
Or, if they are no longer interested – unsubscribe. Make it easy to
skim – make it easy for them to find out what it is about.
Well, you may be
interested in knowing about what I had for lunch. But what you want
is help. Not just any old help, maybe tips to earn money more money.
Or balance a spoon on your nose… I find important information blah
blah blah. I had a cheese sandwich.
26 ) Doesn’t need to be
the whole article
Believe it or not, you don’t have to bore your readership to death by droning on in their inbox. If you are promoting a post or a blog, give them a quick overview of what it is about and why it may interest them. Give your reader a choice and let them delve a little deeper if they want to.
27 ) Create a HTML template
Doing this saved a tremendous amount of time when launching a campaign after campaign after email campaign. I would advise that you do the same as this is an invaluable time-saving measure. Create an HTML template which is easy to change and update.
Tips & ideas that provoke responses in email marketing (Messaging)
Tried and tested
methods for provoking a reaction and getting a response from your
email campaign.
28) Urgency!
On a personal level, I
hate this method of marketise, but I have to admit on a professional
level, that this approach has been very effective in the past. It’s
also effective on me.
If I know I need to do
something in a certain time frame to save money I will try harder to
work to that deadline otherwise I will lose out on money and a
potential discount. Moo does this quite a bit, as I write this
article Moo has sent me an email offering me a 25% discount which has
to be used by a certain time. Is it effective? I have placed that
order twice in the past. I have also seen this work in 2 places of
work.
29 )Having something ‘new’ to talk about
Announcing in your
headline that you have some ‘new’ would often catch the interest of a
potential customer. This may be part and parcel to do with the nature
of the readership as they were concerned with beating the competition
and getting their hands on the latest trend first, regardless the
freshness of content cannot be ignored.
If you launch a
project, a product, a website, a post, an article, the word “new”
in the subject heading has attracted attention, and increased
activity in email campaigns.
30 ) Giveaways
Giveaways can be a very
interesting carrot if you are really eager to get a response from
your list. This can work well if you are offering one of you own
products as freebie or part of service. Note, if you give something
away that isn’t part of your business, you could be kidding yourself!
The customer who takes the offer may only be interested in the
freebie and not your actual business, product or service. it could
act as a distraction.
31) Catchy discounts exclusive to this email campaign!
Discounts can be a very
strong incentive but remember only do this if you can afford to. It
is also a good idea to make the offers exclusive to certain audiences
for a limited time (combined with a timer).
Just so you know, I have seen discounts often bump enquiries, but don’t get carried away.
32) End of stock (EOL – idea for the retailer)
This falls inside
discount territory which can potentially be taken in two ways if you
are selling an End of line or end or stock product: 1, the product
didn’t do very well the stock is being dumped. 2) The product line is
being sold off as something new is about to come out. Either way,
looking at selling off a stock that is a dead-weight, old, outdated
could be an idea. It could be worth combing this with the sale of a
middle-range product that you are also actively looking to sell.
End email design and marketing tips!
Thank you for reading these tips and ideas for your email marketing. If you have any question, queries feel free to get in touch! Or in the meantime feel free to read another post that may help with your business.
If this article was helpful please share on social media!
Hello, this post covers the steps, thoughts, and processes that went into creating a novelty flash drive. These flash drives have graced the shelves of Boots, Tesco’s and other international high-street retailers and to think, it all started as a happy accident (almost).
Stage 1 – The product concept
The initial drawings
and images weren’t created to be flash drives – they were going to
be characters as part of a marketing theme that would feature on
email signatures, brochures, trade stands, and other collateral –
not flash drives.
Hello!
These darker characters
were created to be the opposite of the Satzuma Man which was a
glowing orange character which looks like a happy marshmallow. He was
the ‘goody’ so to speak.
Rufus 1,2,3!
As time evolved, so did
the roles and priorities of the characters. It was discussed that
these characters should be turned into something else, why not a
product?
Not the first attempt at creating a product
This wasn’t the first
time at making a novelty product – I should be ashamed to say that
the first ever character to be created was the Satzuma Man… as
Elvis. He looked more like Carlton Banks from the Fresh Prince and he
was a pretty terrible version at that. I’m happy to say that this
design is lost to eternity, never to grace your screens.
The Original Character Art – Pre-Production
The Flash drive models
were based on my designs and illustrations. Although, if I was to be
brutally honest… I was never keen on the stuck-on googly-eyes. It
added a bit of humour but made the product feel a cheap-looking in my
opinion.
Notice the early
“Rufus” was a bit more moronic looking and mean? This was because
he was supposed to be a villain to the Satzuma Man, you weren’t
supposed to like the gormless rodent that meddled with the products
and machines in the gadget factory! As time went on, more love was
given to Rufus both commercially and conceptually and he became the
“goody” with this, his features softened and he became cute –
for a factory rodent.
Early Rufus Rat Design
Hello Melvin – Product Concept
Stage 2) 3D Modelling
Once I created the 2d
designs of the characters, the brief and reference images were sent
to a factory to start creating the prototype. The rat and the dog was
made up in a 3D program which was then sent back to us for approval.
After this, the factory got down to creating the tooling.
Stage 3 ) The Product
It’s alive! Once the
factory had made and completed the prototypes based on my
specifications. The product was then produced in bulk, packaged and
shipped out to the large high-street retailers. Melvin, Rufus and the
flash housing are all copyright Satzuma LTD.
Developing a product for your business isn’t a small undertaking… but it can be very rewarding if you do it right! This post has been written to share useful experiences for creating a product. In order to create a product, you should consider certain key aspects of its design.
So, how to make a product for your business :
Who is the product for?
Is there a market for your product?
Does the market need your product?
Would the market want your product? can you find out?
How much will it cost to create the product?
How will you market the product?
Where will you make your product?
Timeframe for product design
The questions above cover a couple strong questions when creating or launching a product.
Tips for creating or designing a product
Also, this post will cover what you shouldn’t do when developing a awesome new product. Enjoy!
My experience in creating physical products
In the early stages of my career I would never have imagined that I would have been involved in designing and launching physical products, it has been a journey that has both been challenging and exciting!
Speaking creatively, designing a product opens up a whole new road for innovative exploration – you just need to remember to put the breaks on every once in a while and assess why and what you are making.
My experience mostly covers designing products that are made from card and PET. I have also been involved in creating physical card/board games, developing learning products (STEM) and Flash Memory (injection moulding) and last but not least, the retail packaging that houses products.
Who is the product for? (It’s not you)
When you create a product, it shouldn’t be a product for you. This may sound counter intuitive but you need go beyond a gut-feeling if you really want to push the success of a product. One mistake I have often found is assuming that everybody else is a bit like me to a lesser and greater extent – this couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Not everyone is like you.
Do you represent a
demographic that would buy your product?
It can be a good start if this is the case but try to get some idea who would buy your product through looking at information online with trends, forums, statistics and if you have the money and resources, surveys and product testing. These early stages will help to decipher whether there is viability in your product.
Don’t leave it to chance.
Make your product about your customer, make it something they would love, solve a problem, entertain. It will be them that buys the product in the end – not you. ( you may find this interesting, making a board game prototype )
How to make a product for your business | Product Validation
A very good way for a business to get a product validation is by testing the waters on a crowdfunding platform such as Kickstarter or IndieGogo. If you are going to do a Kickstarter, make sure you have a crowd and an audience ready on the launch day.
This is not a mandatory way to validate a product, but it does show if there could be a demand for your product.
Assuming that you may or may not have gone down the crowdfunding root for your trailblazing new gadget or product do you have any evidence that the world ‘needs’ or would like your gadget or product?
A
good way to check is to see whether other companies are selling
something similar – I know, I know – you want to create something
SO unique that you would have made Tesla shed a solitary tear but
creating something without knowing if there will be demand can be a
huge financial risk, and you could end up selling something that the
world does not want or need.
It is a crushing feeling
if your product can’t get off the starter blocks when you have invested so much time and money into your passion. Make sure you do your homework first and maybe consider the – paragraph above “Product validation”.
Who knows, perhaps after creating your first few products you will be in place to show the world what you offer is better than what they want.
If
you are a creative or a student reading this post, you are probably
going to hate this point. For your product to be commercially
successful, somebody will need to be able to buy it! I know, who
would have imagined!
Unless you are creating a product for wealthy people with large disposable incomes you will need to consider if the man or the woman on the street can afford what you are trying to sell them.
That will generally come back to keeping that initial manufacturing cost down.
Creating a Product As a business owner or Start-Up
This may sound like familiar territory to you. The lower the setup cost, the better the margin or the cheaper you can sell your product and it have a wider market appeal. A lower RRP will make your product more accessible to a larger buying market with shallower pockets.
The type of product, brand or business you want to be is down to you. It will come down to you how much you believe the customer is willing to pay for your product and be brutally honest with the prices.
This may influence whether you do mass production, batch or stay with smaller scale cottage industry production. The choice is yours – based on your research and expertise.
How much does it cost to make a product?
It can cost anything from 10p a unit to £1000’s of pounds for a large mass produced run, it comes down to the materials, where you have your product made, speed and many other smaller factors.
Costing and pricing is a crucial stage for the success of your product. Below are a few factors which you should take into consideration when pricing the development of your product:-
How many units will you make
Generally, the more units you manufacture, the lower the unit cost is in larger quantities.
Where it is manufactured
It is common to find products that are manufactured overseas. This is a common practice in manufacturing as it is generally cheaper to manufacture products in place such as China.
Packaging
Depending on the level and complexity of packaging this can affect the cost of your product per unit. Having too much packaging could be costly and frowned upon by a modern and more eco conscious market. – You can read more on packaging here >
Transport and unit weight and size
The weight and size of your product will affect the unit cost of your product.
Other languages
If you are intending on creating a product that will be sold globally, you may wish to consider having translations added to the retail box. It can be inexpensive for translations to be created and worth considering as it will open up a much larger audience to your product.
Barcodes
If you are intending to sell your product to high-street retailers you will need a product Barcode. I wasn’t involved in the process of creating product barcodes in the past, but as far as I am aware it is relatively cheap.
Instructions
Large retailers will expect instructions as a basic requirement for your product if it something like a piece of electrical equipment, a gadget, a game, a tool and items with moving parts. Instructions can be made cheaply, but they need to be made ‘properly’.
Other Admin and legal areas
Your product may need testing for chemicals and toxic substances to meet with trading standards. These requirements differ from country to country and isn’t something I can advise on. I can only mention that you should be aware of it is best to seek professional advise.
* it should also be noted that Brexit ‘may’ have an effect on goods being imported and exported in and out the EU.
Marketing Your Product – A very important step
This step should not be scrimped on but is often is. It is a waste of time and money putting all of your efforts into creating a product that the world cannot see. Don’t rely on blind faith and hope that consumers looking to buy a product will stumble of yours. You will need to be proactive and there are actions you can take with a short or non-existent budget.
Invest your time, energy and planning into some good marketing and if you cant invest money, research low-cost or free marketing ideas.
But
remember, free is rarely free. Time is still a cost also and if you
can avoid doing it all yourself I would advise looking for help.
The marketing of your product can cover a large area; from the branding to the packaging to the website. 1 idea for marketing your product could be to consider crowdfunding – if this fits your business model.
A method for getting your product out there
a) Make a good product b) Create awesome packaging c) Present the whole package.
Show
your cool packaging to a buyer and let the large retailer do the
heavy promotional lifting and display your product. I have seen this
method work time and time again but you need to master your pitch.
Other Notes on creating your product
There isn’t a guarantee your product will succeed the first time.
I feel this should be added, not every single product you develop or make will rip it into success. Although, I hope that this article may guide you and help you steer clear of any pitfalls in the early stages.
I think many inventors make many products and prototypes before they blow it out of the water. Eventually, they find that eureka! And so will you if you if you have the right skills, knowledge, and attitude. I have written about the success of this party game >
IF you found this article helpful free to link to, share or show friend.
‘Do Not’ for developing a product.
– Don’t rely solely on your gut when creating a product. Try to do some research and understand your target demographic
– Developing products for the tech market can be volatile – especially if you are making products which are accessories for a model of (whichever product) Creating something for the latest release lasts as long as that model does. You either have to move quickly or end up with a warehouse full of products you cant sell.
– Don t assume that customers only look at pictures on the packaging, they do read the details on the back of the packaging, and if something is a little bit off – they will email you to let you know.
* Minimum Viable Product Quick Answer : What does it mean?
If your manager or boss
has just mentioned the term MVP this stands for ‘minimum viable
product’. A minimum viable product is just that, a product that is
still worthy of being sold but is stripped back to the bare
essentials.
E.g a car with 5 wheels, bike rack, a rearview camera, fine leather interior, sky television etc
MVP version = 4 wheels, plastic interior, simple functional car (Save money in other words) That is the end of the post for How to make a product for your business. I have tried to share some of my past experiences and how they can be useful for you.
I hope this post was useful to you and give you insights on how to make a product for your business. This is all based on past experience which I have shared. if you feel that this was helpful please share!
Thank you for reading “How to make a product for your business”
How to get your packaging printed in China in simple steps. This topic covers how to get your packaging printed in China from the concept to sending your design to a Chinese factory and getting printed proofs!
This post has been written based on past experience, in working with factories from overseas. My packaging design and artwork has featured on boxes in the UK and across the globe. If you would like to see some more samples of my packaging feel free to have a look!
Getting your idea made!
General information about this post :
– The pitfalls – What to expect when working with the factories. – The typical stages – Other details experiences
This article discusses my professional experience in getting packaging artwork printed with Chinese suppliers – all experience told from a design perspective.
I hope that this post will help you make an informed decision and how to go about getting the results you want from your suppliers.
You can get your artwork printed in China from a reputable factory or supplier. The challenge is finding a reputable factory and supplier and when you can’t speak the language, it can be difficult.
1 ) How to get your packaging made for your product (Chinese Factory)
If you are a business, an entrepreneur or someone looking to get a product manufactured for the retail market you will need packaging for your product, unless you are intending to sell only online using brown boxes. If you would like to read or see some of my eCommerce design you can view it here.
To be taken seriously, you will need to have professional packaging made.
Working with Chinese suppliers can be a great cost saving measure but you will need make sure you select the right one.
Mass production packaging
2 ) Why do companies get packaging for their products manufactured in China?
There are many reasons
for a why a company may want to get a product or a piece of the
packaging made in China if you are from a western country such as the
USA or United Kingdom.
By far most common reason for getting products manufactured in China is to save money on production, printing or manufacturing fees. From a business perspective, this is great news – but it isn’t always as ideal or as cheap as it actually sounds. If you pick the wrong supplier it can cost you time and money and can even lead to trouble further down the line.
3 ) How to supply your packaging design to a Chinese factory
This isn’t as tricky as it sounds from the designers’ perspective but be prepared to teach the factory how to suck eggs. DO NOT Assume they will understand what you want. And DO NOT assume that things will be created ‘as is’, on occasions factories may ‘help’ and tinker with your work without your consent.
When you create a design you will need to annotate and make it as clear to follow as possible, be it using spot UV or any extra features this will need to be told in FULL.
I would also strongly advise on sending rough mock ups or drawings to help communicate what it is you are setting out to achieve. Visuals often make one of the best lines of communication when having your sample made with a Chinese supplier or factory.
Getting angry at the factory won’t accomplish anything.
It won’t fix the problem.
And it wont make you wealthier and it wont speed up the process. The ball is in your court in the end and it just needs to be right.
Send them visuals and explain EVERYTHING.
4 ) How to find a Chinese packaging a supplier
There are hundreds, possibly 1000’s of businesses online that are looking to print your packaging in China alone. You could go onto a website such as Alibaba to find a supplier or through Linkedin.
I still hear from suppliers coming through my Linkedin account.
By the far, the most effective (not cheapest) way is by hiring or contracting someone to work as a middleman or woman to work between you and the suppliers.
Communication is key in getting your design correct otherwise you will get something you didn’t want from the factories.
I would argue that getting a good supplier from one of the factories should be a top priority. A bad supplier will result in bad results – funnily enough!
Here are some key points when finding a factory or supplier to work with:
– *Find someone you can trust* – Work with a factory that offers a quality service – Get as much written down in the beginning as possible – *Try to get prototypes or samples from factory supplier before mass production.
5 ) What to expect when having your packaging or product made in China
It all comes down to your supplier, communication and how you supply the artwork. It’s best to have everything ‘exactly’ as is when supplying artwork to factory and also be prepared for a bit of randomness when it comes to how they may produce the work.
Be vigilant and make sure to get ‘proofs’ from the factory.
I have written a couple of quick steps for you to follow when producing your packing:
– Find a reputable supplier, if you have somebody that is fluent in Chinese this can help tremendously
– See if you can get proofs or past evidence of packaging and material samples. What they sometimes say you will get and what you actuallyget is not uncommon in my experience.
– Getting digital proofs of your artwork through photos, and flat-screen image is a must.
– Delays can happen due to miscommunication from either or both parties.
– Don’t let the factories take the initiative.
– The factories are generally better at giving you want you want if you send a 3D mock up or illustration.
– They are often very good at the cardboard engineering stage but not so much on the creative side.
– The factories can improve as with any working relationship with the more work you send them.
– Weather can affect how and when your packaging may arrive.
– The Chinese factories can damage the packaging during ‘packing’ if they are rushed. Try not to rush them if you can help it.
– When supplying artwork, leave nothing to the imagination.
6 ) How long will it take to see your design once it is printed and shipped from a Chinese factory?
When having packaging printed In China, I have often seen a sample come back within one month, they can be very quick! Occasionally 3 months, depending on the weather, suppliers workload and method of transportation.
Shipping from China!
7 ) How to get packaging printed in China | The realities
When it is good it’s great and you will generally save money. When it isn’t great, as with some things in life, it can be a complete nightmare!
Working with new suppliers can be the most problematic as neither of you are familiar with working with each other, you don’t know each others strengths, habits, communication etc.
One of my mistakes when working with a new Chinese supplier is ‘assuming’ – assume NOTHING. Below are some assumptions to avoid based on past experience.
– Point 1 – Don’t assume that they know what is in your head. – Neither should you assume that a single colour should go all the way around the packaging eg – if you leave white bits on the fold … they will print it as is. – Don’t assume that they will offer the same level of service twice, they may be busy or rushed – or just – won’t offer it for some unknown reason. – And don’t assume that the factory understands what is to be made when you supply the artwork. You need to make sure what you want is as clear and as transparent as possible – in the end, if you are the designer, or manufacturer, the buck ends with you.
Make it easy and clear, and talk about everything you can. Don’t assume their knowledge.
Get it right you will
have a great piece of packaging. Get the communications wrong and you
will be in for a whole load of pain.
8) Great reasons for having your work made In China
I feel that I have covered many of the perks scattered through the post but it may be easier to bullet point why it is a good idea to have your packaging and product created in China in a quick to scan list.
– Getting work printed In China or overseas is often cheaper than getting work printed in western countries such as the UK or United States – There is an abundance of suppliers of products and packaging manufactures on websites such as Alibaba – It’s easy and quick to get wholesale and bulk quotes for your product – Using a factory in China will help you save money if you are looking to reduce overheads.
9 ) The ‘challenges’ with getting things printed in China
For its many perks and plus points for getting packaging and products printed in China it also comes with its shortcomings and challenges. I have listed a couple of points below based on first-hand experience and industry observations.
Copyright theft: the factories are notorious for stealing and selling your product ideas as their own. Not every factory is like this, but it is not uncommon. I have witnessed Chinese factories use my previous employer’s artwork and pass onto a competitor. There are other random knock off’s I have stumbled upon ranging from copies of renown books, bad copies of Hollywood films etc.
Stealing Kickstarter’s: I have seen factories steal Kickstarter campaigns and undercut the creators. Worse, the factories release their copy to the retail market before true creators have made it themselves. Sad stories really.
The decrease in quality: This isn’t something that always happens but on occasions, the suppliers I have worked with would do little things like: use less glue, ship scuffed or damaged work, rush on the packaging if you have blisters inside your box etc.
I also think this was a case of reducing expenses and overheads, but that is only my opinion.
As with anything, there are always challenges that can come when producing products. I have also worked with printers in the UK which have ignored specifics such as bleed and just printed it as is. Although one bonus as with most things online, is that you can check reviews
Getting packaging and artwork printed in China
Thank you for reading this post on how to get packaging and artwork printed in China. If you would like to know more about getting your work printed feel free to get in touch or view this post about packaging design
I have over 10 years commercial design experience and over 8.4/5 years working with retail design and producing packing through the Chinese factories.
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