If you happened to own a cardboard boxes business, then you need to step up your marketing game to stay competitive on the blossoming market.
The cardboard boxes industry is a global industry that sees revenues in the hundreds of billions; $500 billion to be precise. Everything you see in the supermarket is being transported via cardboard boxes, and this is only one usage for it.
Every person in the world consumes up to $120 worth of packaging each year. This means that cardboard packaging is very valuable to our society, as its uses are numerous.
But do you feel as if your business is falling short behind its competitors? Do you feel as if you need to refine your marketing strategies? If so, then we have the article just for you.
Marketing Strategies
1. Pricing
This industry is very sensitive in regards to pricing. To put it briefly, a small increase in pricing can lose you a loyal customer. The product that this industry offers isn’t expensive, but highly sought-after.
Cardboard boxes manufactured by large businesses have the necessary resources and infrastructure to stay competitive on all levels; regardless of the type of product they offer.
This makes it hard for your business to stay competitive if large businesses keep dictating prices. But what has pricing got to do with your marketing strategy?
Well, for example, if you feel as if your products are priced the right way, what you could do is start marketing it. Since this industry is cost-driven, customers will always be looking for products around the dollar mark.
If your potential customers, or existing ones, hear the news that someone else is offering a slightly cheaper product, they will move on from you.
This is why you need the necessary marketing to effectively shut down any noise coming from your competitors. While this might be hard to do, marketing yourself as the industry’s best option and most affordable one will payout in the long run.
2. Be Different
Marketing 101 says that the only way to succeed is to offer your customers something better than your competitors.
A superior product will attract the eyes and ears of those that need it, simple as. Being different in the way you approach the issue, and the way you market it will attract a lot of noise.
Although, you might ask yourself, what is there to be different about in the cardboard box industry? Well, there are lots of things, to put it briefly.
For example, you could offer your customers the chance to customize their packaging, offer different types of cardboard boxes, and even choose the material type, to name a few.
If you have no idea what could make you different in your own industry, then chances are you have zero knowledge of your industry.
We will even give you one example for free. Take the growing concern about the environment. What do you think can be done to mitigate the effects of global warming? Do you think that your industry impacts it? For sure it does. A lot of pollution comes in the form of cardboard, so do you think that there is a way to stop that?
Of course, there is. All you need to do is offer your customers an eco-friendly solution to cardboard packaging. It might be something entirely different than what you offer now, but it will put you in a good light.
As much as 70% of global consumers have said they’re willing to pay more for packaging if it’s sustainable in the long run and safe for the environment; this is how you’ll be different.
On another note, customizing your packaging is also a pretty good way to be different. Don’t believe us? Take a look at how experts at IMColorPrint.com make it possible for their customers to customize their packaging.
3. Brand Loyalty
There is no better way to build better relationships with your customers than with brand loyalty.
As we mentioned at the begging, the industry is vast and very competitive. Chances are, you’re being undercut at every chance your competitors can.
That’s why you need to stop thinking about money and start thinking about your image. Even the most boring business in the most boring industry can create a brand image so strong that will drive sales through the roof.
This is one marketing strategy that will guarantee success; if you do it the right way,
To create brand loyalty, on the other hand, takes lots of time, energy, and effort. But, a simple solution can be to offer customers something extra with every purchase.
The options for it are endless. It could be a simple discount on X amount of purchases, extra units after X amount of purchases, and even free products just for being loyal to you. Trust us when we say this, the options are endless.
4. Identify Other Selling Opportunities
The best way to grow your cardboard packaging business is to do your research and identify other selling opportunities. This is nothing else but expanding your businesses and offering more products to your customers.
Let’s do a case study
Let’s say that you sell cardboard boxes to a wide range of businesses. Can you think about what your customers are missing? Do your customers need to tape together the boxes so they can be used? Do your customers buy tape elsewhere?
Well, there is one selling opportunity that you can use. Instead of your customers buying your tape from another seller, you could manufacture that tape and sell it to them along with the boxes.
But this isn’t the only opportunity to expand; there are dozens if not hundreds. All you need to do is sit down along with your marketing team and start brainstorming ideas that can be paired along with your main product. You could even venture towards the world of tote bags.
The main thing to note here is that it takes time and lots of effort to come up with a brilliant selling opportunity.