Lightning Labels Blog

The possibilities available to small-business marketers and advertisers have expanded in recent years, aided by technological advances in digital printing. Variable labels are one such exciting option, enabling print runs where every single product is different. This lets companies personalize items, or embrace a strategy that puts distinctive pieces of artwork on each bottle, can or box that comes off the assembly line.

Variable Label Printing - A New Era of Product Packaging

Traditional flexographic printing, involving the use of plates, was relatively restrictive in terms of print run size, responsiveness to change and variability between items.

Change is in the wind at Facebook, with the company facing a wave of bad press following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The social media giant has long acted as a data gateway, connecting advertisers with their target markets. That relationship is coming under scrutiny, however, and the way Facebook gathers and uses data is changing.

What's Changing?

Near the end of March, TechCrunch reported that Facebook is stopping its use of third-party data warehouses as part of the ad targeting algorithms it offers. The company is facing backlash from the way Cambridge Analytica misused data, as well as the impending General Data Protection Regulation, which will impose tighter rules on the way firms can use European Union residents' personal information.

Creating a visual identity for your business's packaged goods means balancing unique flair with industry-approved trends. Following in footsteps of your fellow brands can give you great ideas, while adding your own branding will make your items stand out on the shelves. Studying 2018 packaging trends is a great idea if you've gone too long between redesigns.

Using that inspiration to shake up your own labeling strategy may point you toward success.

Defining Strategies

The following are a few concepts that have been making waves in the labeling world, and which you may find helpful to adopt:

• Becoming Eco-Friendly: Daymon Creative Services Director Steven Cox told Packaging Europe brands are becoming greener in their approach to product packaging.

Medical cannabis use is becoming increasingly common, and recreational legalization efforts are spreading to multiple states and all of Canada. In this climate of growth, the cannabis industry has never been more vibrant or exciting to participate in as a business owner.

Gatherings such as the upcoming CannaCon Detroit, scheduled for June 1 and 2, unite professionals from across the sector to align their visions moving forward.

These industry-wide conferences are great settings to learn about important trends, and to meet with potential partners - such as Lightning Labels. We'll be exhibiting at booth 417, promoting the potential value of high-quality custom stickers and labels.

There's a limited number of potential customers for your small business. While appealing to new shoppers is a key marketing consideration, consolidating and encouraging repeat buyers is the way to truly turn your company into a success. There are important actions that, when carried out well and timed correctly, can increase customers' desire to return time and again to shop with you. The amount of focus you place on these loyalty-building moves may determine your business's long-term fate.

Try These Tactics

The shoppers who make up your clientele are looking for a few comforts that will elevate your offerings beyond what national brands can offer.

Recreational cannabis legalization is underway, albeit in a piecemeal manner, in the U.S. and Canada. Rather than being limited to just one product, recreational dispensaries have a host of new options to sell, often including cannabis-infused food. Creating cannabis edible product labels is a complex art, balancing the need for legal disclosures with interesting branding to attract customers' eyes.

It's rare for a fresh, new industry to spring up. The entrepreneurial opportunities in these spaces are numerous, with a burgeoning audience ready to form brand loyalty. If your company wants to make waves in recreational cannabis, a focused strategy for your cannabis edible labels can help you on your way

When you're labeling products, every bit of originality and brand identity that shines through can be a selling point. Picking a great material to work with and settling on compelling imagery are important steps in the design process, but there's another possibility you may be overlooking: shape. Custom shape labels made through die cutting create a bold and interesting look for your goods, with the natural color of the packaging underneath giving the items a wholly unique kind of appearance.

Use Custom Shape Labels as a Differentiator

Custom shape labels and stickers allow your brand's logo to seemingly pop out from whatever it's applied to.

Another Earth Day has come and gone, but if your company counts responsible, green practices among its core values, this focus never really ends. Finding ways to protect the planet year-round may involve selecting environmentally friendly materials for your products. When you're engaging in this process of targeted improvement, you shouldn't ignore items' packaging. A totally recycled item covered in labels made of petrochemicals sends mixed messages about your organization's commitment to sustainability.

Going the green route with your packaging doesn't mean getting locked into one aesthetic.

This May 9-11, in New Orleans, leaders in the medical and recreational cannabis industries will share knowledge and insights at the MJ Business Conference and Expo 2018. Serving to unite hundreds of companies from across the United States and Canada, this gathering is designed to offer an inside view of cannabis firms' prospects in next few years and beyond. With legalization on the march on a state-by-state basis, it's an exciting time to be involved in cannabis, whether your company specializes in production, distribution or any other corner of the trade.

Hearing from the Experts

The MJ Business Conference and Expo in New Orleans has its gaze fixed on the future.

Launching a business is an exciting moment, and the choices made in the early going can set the tone for success or failure. When you set out to put a fresh product on the market, there are a few elements that should be in place to ensure customers get on board.

Despite the ease of seeking out and trying new items in today's customer-first marketplace, you still need to give people a compelling reason to try your new items. While you may think your organization is set for big returns due to your commitment to quality, there may be an element missing. Branding might be the essential piece that makes people try your business for the first time.