Whether you’re a small microbrewer only making alcohol for fun, or you’re a serious brewer selling thousands of bottles a week, you need a great bottle label. For microbrewers it can be a great bit of fun, add some extra pride to your hobby and be a great talking point amongst friends. For a serious brewer a brand is going to be a driving force behind sales, it affects the decision making of consumers and gives you an identity in the marketplace.
Jump off the shelf and catch the eye
Are you thinking about taking your bottle to a retail environment and selling your product? The supermarket shelf is one of the most competitive sales platforms out there so your product label is going to play a big part of convincing the consumer to buy your drink.
There are also a number of other factors to consider, for example where your product is compared to eye level, what other options are available and the price. In the main, your label is going to be what really captures the eyes and imagination of your target consumer, it’s going to be a factor in making them want your product.
Shelf impact starts with a great bottle label design. Decide on what makes your product great, can you characterise that in a colour, a font or a logo?
Align your label design with the quality of your product, if it’s a good product then the label needs to reflect that, if not you may be pushing away sales. Consumers need to be spoken to by a product label, it needs to stand out, represent the product inside the bottle and help justify the price you want them to pay for it.
Deliver the right message
If you’re selling a homemade alcohol it may be a good idea to promote the local aspects of your product; consumers are increasingly becoming more conscious of buying local and like to know what’s in the things they buy and where the ingredients were sourced.
If you are a more serious brewer and are hoping to sell a larger number of bottles, you may look at straying away from delivering a local message and promoting the key features/benefits your product has to offer, develop your brand voice and determine what tone of voice you want to take.
The key is to deliver the message that truly represents your product, don’t attempt to mis-sell it because you will always get found out. If your consumers don’t believe the message on your label your brand will suffer and down the line your sales will suffer.
Consumers justify purchasing decisions
When you’re designing your brand consider the consumer buying decision process. When they see your bottle what stage of the buying process are they going to be at? Also consider who your target audience are:
- Friends and family – If you’re a microbrewer and giving your produce to friends and family you may want to focus on creating a smart logo and a clever tagline, make sure your bottle is well received and becomes a great talking point.
- Local brewer – Your customers may want to purchase your drink at the pub, the local market or shops. Some will know about your product, some won’t so look to create a simple brand, looking local and appropriate for the target audience.
- Brewer selling to supermarkets – With the wide range of beers/wines/spirits available in supermarkets your target audience are likely to be presented with too many options, your label needs to tell them why you’re different and better to what they’re used to.
Finally, create a brand that you’re proud of. Your drink will likely be your pride and joy and your brand should reflect that. Be as proud of your label as you are of your product. Want to learn a little more about bottle labels? Visit our dedicated page on it or get in touch with one of our label experts today.
