The dietary and supplement market is highly competitive. The average consumer spends less than 14-seconds looking at a product before they move on to the next. That short amount of time is all about labeling, brand, and marketing. When you design your dietary supplement packaging , focus on that 14-second window. Below are some of the most costly labeling mistakes in your supplement label design .  

1. FDA and GMP Compliance

The FDA and GMP have very rigid guidelines for how dietary products and health supplement labeling occurs and the type of information that must appear on the label. Also, there are requirements about which information cannot appear on the label. In short, the process of meeting governmental requirements for dietary supplement packaging and labeling are strict. 

At ABH Pharma,  we make it our business to understand every nuance of the regulations that apply to the nutraceutical industry. We also work with each customer to help guide them regarding labeling laws. It is important to us that your packaging succeed. 

We also understand the expense that occurs when a label is not accurate and must re replaced. That is not always just a simple process, and in some cases, the cost might also include fines and penalties from government agencies. As expensive as that sounds, the monetary penalties are not the worst of it. Damage to your brand by an FDA warning letter can mean closing your doors. It is hard to regain lost ground when your brand suffers from consumer misgivings. 

Reach out to us about our complete labeling program which includes a comprehensive label compliance process. 

2. Graphic and Marketing Designers Without Industry Experience

Part of benefit you gain when you utilize the services of a graphic designer or marketer that has industry experience  with nutraceuticals familiar with FDA and GMP compliance. There is more besides compliance that an experienced professional from the industry can offer. 

Graphic design and marketing take time so the process must be efficient and accurate. Delays in label design mean that your product takes longer to hit the market and for seasonal products that can be disastrous. Time is money and the longer that your product is unsalable, the more you lose. 

The benefits of working with an industry professional include label designs that work with container size and shape. Access to technology that allows you to render the product as it would appear on a shelf. You also gain the experience of a professional who has their finger on the pulse of marketing and label design for this industry. That means you enter the market with a product label that makes it appear modern and professional and those traits increase consumer confidence. 

In short, it is a total loss to produce a label that does not comply with federal guidelines, and that is not market ready. An experienced label and marketing professional helps you understand your options. Those range from container shape and size to labeling requirements, design, and marketing. 

At ABH Pharma, we offer a complete line of marketing services that include comprehensive label design, current trends, product rendering for an "on-the-shelf" look, and 100 percent compliance editing. We work with each client to help them develop their brand, marketing materials, and we make the process easy. Want more information about our services? Just reach out to us with questions or for a customized look at what we can do for your product and brand. 

3. Rushing the Process and Buffering

One of the most common errors that private label supplement brands make is failing to understand how much time goes into creating a label that is market ready. 

There is a lot that goes through the consumer's mind before they actually pick up a product on the shelf and dialing in those requirements for your market takes time. 

Buffering is a term that describes the time it takes before your product reaches you. It includes the entire process from start to shipment. It is important to understand how much time your product needs and that is not always a straightforward process can lead to errors or labels that do not fit into the expectations of your market. Leave plenty of time for label design, label proofing, and for the printing process. What you gain when you do is a label that helps your brand succeed. 

4. Not Drawing the Customer’s Eye

Remember that you have only about 14-seconds before a customer zones out in an aisle. Creating a label that does not stand out costs your brand customers. When you blend into the status quo you camouflage your product. Stand out and be noticed. 

5. Being too Extravagant and Complicated

Labels that are too extravagant and complicated drive customers away. It is important to respect people's willingness to invest in reading a label and when they are faced with 500 labels they will move past anything that is not simple and clear. Too much text, text that is hard to read, or text that is too complicated are negatives. Keep it simple and informative without adding chaos. 

6. Not Passing the 5-YO Test

Label information should be easy to understand. The idea is that a child can find your label if you describe it to them. People don't want complicated labels they want to find the information they need quickly and without fuss. 

7. Not Engaging the Emotions

People are emotional shoppers. They are buying supplements for a reason and many times that reason is personal. Touch their feelings. Expect to design a label for each of the emotions that impact this product. Start with a list. Make one label for each of your ideas. Then lay them out on the table and collect the ones that make the most impact. It might be that you combine ideas but in the end, you will have a label that touches your consumers. 

8. Not Creating Iconic Assets

Your brand is far reaching and people tend to buy from brands that they know. When you fail to create iconic assets your brand becomes unrecognizable and overshadowed by competing brands. Consistency is a key virtue of an iconic brand. When people can easily recognize your brand on a shelf full of similar products, they tend to buy your product. Be consistent in colors, text, and graphics. 

9. Not Reducing Secondary Packaging

Many consumers are mindful of environmental concerns such as using plastics. Also, for a large segment of the market, opening plastic is difficult. Be considerate of your consumers and your target market by reducing secondary packaging which also benefits you. Packaging is a major cost and by keeping packaging at a minimum you drop the overhead and gain more profit. 

10. Unreliable Packaging

Consumers are very fussy and they are concerned about product safety. Unreliable packaging can appear to be tempered with or even opened. Consumers do not buy products that are "iffy." Focus on using a quality packaging partner who can help you design your labels and packaging so that it stands up to the journey from manufacturing to the store shelf, and to the consumers home. 

Label errors are disastrous events that go beyond actual cost and can involve damage to your brand. At ABH Pharma, we offer a complete label service that covers everything from start to finish. We are industry experts with the experience you need to create a quality, proofed and market-ready label for each of your brands and products. Learn more about this process by reaching out to our team for a free quote or to find quality answers to your questions.