There is a lot of information available about designing a great label to sell your product. Far too many of these articles rely on the basic knowledge that the label should be colorful, readable, and "attract attention." What does all this really mean? Are there certain colors that are better than others? Are some words proven to be more effective? Do lots of pictures attract the most attention?

The concept of designing a label is a far more complex than outlining a few basic benefits and hoping your product stands out. Everyday a new product is born, and for every product that emerges, a new label finds its way to a store shelf. In fact, over 122,000 new products were released in 2008 and only 3.5% (4,270) of those products reached over $1 million in sales.

Part of the reason it is difficult for new products to be noticed is because over-crowded shelves lead to confusion, and when consumers are confused, they tend to opt for the "default" brand instead of trying a new product. This is the struggle. This is the fear for creators of new ideas who invest so much in their product, only to find that it was left on the shelf.

A good label design may depend on colors or descriptive text, but a great design relies much more on consumer behavior and in-depth product knowledge. For example, did you know that text placed in the top right or left hand corner of a label is only seen by 1/3 of consumers? Did you know that you only have 5 - 7 seconds to get the average consumer's attention? That's right. If you can't get someone's attention within the first few seconds, it may be lost forever.

So, what does make a great label design? In order to first understand this, we have to understand how consumers think. By nature, humans are visual beings. We are drawn to things that are visually appealing. While not every person has the same reaction to a certain color, we can generalize about how we interpret colors.

When determining a basic color for a label, it is important to know your product and your competition. One effective sales tactic is called "color blocking". Color blocking occurs when one product is so different in color from everyone else that it almost jumps off the shelf. If you stand at the end of the shampoo isle, see what stands out first...I bet it is a bright color that is different from all the other bottles. When opting for your own color identity, research what would be different. What would stand out? After you have a few different "stand out" colors, think about the colors in terms of your product and what will work best with your brand. Now you have a unique color that fits your style. (Also remember - white is a color! If you notice a rainbow of colors from your competition, a simple white label might stand out better than anything.)

Color alone won't sell any product. Consumers want shopping to be easy. Even the most lackadaisical shopper doesn't want to spend all day reading every product benefit on each item they are considering. Many studies support a theory we like to call the "one liner". Essentially, this means that shoppers are more likely to consider a product that uses just one line to talk about the product's benefits instead of multiple claims. Conventional wisdom may have you believe consumers make decisions based on research and facts, but in actuality, when deciding to buy a new product, they want the decision to be clear and simple. Using one-line forces you to outline the product's best feature, while letting go of the extra benefits that lead to overcrowding and confusion.

The hard part of label design is that your product is often featured next to your direct competition. The very nature of label design is competitive. You want your product to look better, feel better and ultimately sell better. Graphics can easily give your label a competitive edge. Consumer's eyes are almost always drawn to the center of a label. A descriptive graphic can be just as, if not more effective, than a great one-liner. Whether it is your company's logo or a product photo, the image should convey the product's key benefits without the need of any copy. The graphic should relate to the one-liner, giving a conclusive and concise message.

When putting the design together, there are some obvious concepts that should be relayed. Any and all text must be readable, meaning the font can't be too small or too decorative to easily understand. The graphics or images you choose for your label should relate to your product. The graphic can still be unique, fun or futuristic, as long as it makes sense. These are just a few simple concepts, but they are the most important part of the label. Focusing on these two key elements will help to navigate your way to a great label design.

Here are a few things we now know. First, consumers are immediately drawn in by color. Different colors will stand out better and help aide the consumer's eye toward your product. Once the eye has been attracted to the label, the consumer focuses in on the main front display. A descriptive graphic or logo, along with one simple product benefit has the highest likelihood of success.

Not everyone is an expert at label design, so don't feel like you have to get it right the first time. There are many resources available to help design your labels. If possible, find a designer that has experience with product labels. This can certainly help to take your ideas and turn them into a successful design. Just remember, don't be afraid to take a chance and risk being different. Sometimes being different is just what the consumer wants.

For more information about product label design, visit InTouch Labels