How Do I Brand My Own Products?

When it comes to starting your own business, whether in the cosmetics and skincare industries or any other industry, you want people to be able to recognise your products. You want people to tell from your branding exactly who you are and what you stand for and what kind of products they’re going to get from you.

Branding your products is an important part of marketing and can make a huge difference to your sales. Whether we like it or not, looks matter, and so, too, does your branding. But how can you go about branding your own products, what does that mean and how does it work?

We’re going to be taking a look at these questions and more on the subject of branding your own products. Take a look below to find out more.

How do I brand my own product?

When it comes to the products you want to sell, having your brand name on there is essential to build customer loyalty and repeat sales.

With a number of different routes for the production of your merchandise, from private and white label products to products created in-house, it can feel confusing how you should go about branding.

With private label products, customers receive their goods straight from the supplier and branding is automated. This means you will not have to repackage and ship the product yourself and it essentially cuts out the middle man.

White label products are labelless until your add yours. You will need to brand these yourself after buying them in bulk from a white label supplier. Similarly, products created in-house will need to be branded in-house too.

Along with labels and product packaging, there are other considerations to make when it comes to packaging, including ‘thank you’ notes, stickers, and wrapping. All of these little packaging details can help to improve the customer experience and build repeat sales.

Can I repackage a product and sell it as my own?

No. You cannot take someone else's product and pass it off as your own without legal permission unless the product falls under a few exceptions.

The few exceptions to this rule are private label and white label products. Both of these product types are created by a third-party company but are created with the intention of them being rebranded and sold under another company's name.

For private label products, a company approaches the company to work with them in creating unique formulations for their brand. This unique product is controlled by the brand and will be packaged in their branding, even though someone else made it. 

For white label products, companies usually buy these in bulk and they cannot make changes to the product itself. When a brand purchases white label products, they will then add their own branding and labels in a completely legal way.

How do you rebrand a product?

Rebranding a product may be necessary for a number of reasons. Perhaps, it is not selling well or you wish to cater it to a new market. Whatever the reason, there are a few steps you can take to successfully rebrand your product.

1. Begin by going back to the basics of your brand. Who are you? What do you stand for? Remember your brand identity and how this informs your physical branding of products.
2. Research your audience, find out who is buying your product, what their values are and why they like your brand. Knowing who you are selling to is essential to continue to please your customers.
3. Think about what makes you different as a brand. What is your unique selling point (USP)? Why are you the best choice of all of the other brands in your industry?
4. Now it’s time to redesign. With all the knowledge you have built in the last three steps, think about how your design can be shaped by it. How can your new product branding reflect everything you have found out about your brand through the previous step’s research.
5. And finally, launch your rebranded product. You can go about this in a few ways, with sneak peeks or one big announcement. You should consider how the re-launch will be seen and understood by your core market too and make sure it is appealing to them.

What are brand identities?

Brand identity relates to the visible elements of a brand. It can be linked to the colours used in branding, the typography, the logo and other elements of a product or brand’s branding that mark it as that brand’s own.

The brand identity is distinct from but related to the brand image. The brand image is how the brand is thought of as a result of the brand identity. Brand identity has a huge impact on how customers see and respond to your brand so each detail needs to be considered when it comes to designing.

What do I need to know before branding?

Before you design your branding, you need to know who you are as a brand. If your brand identity is integral to your brand image, then each part of it needs to be considered carefully.

Your brand is the first experience a customer has of your product and so ensuring that you communicate your brand values through it is essential to creating the brand image you desire.

How do I start my own business?

When it comes to starting your own business, you first need an idea. You may already have one in mind or you may be looking to start a business based on the needs of society. If so, you should spend some time researching markets that are in need and what your business could do to meet that need.

Once you have a business idea, you need to come up with a business plan. This will include products, marketing strategy, and other elements of your business to be presented to prospective investors. The next step would be to secure funding for your business so that you can start to manufacture and sell your products.

Other things to consider include where you will be selling, price points and profit margins, and the location of your business.

Starting your own business means lots of hard work but there are tonnes of resources as well as funding opportunities available for people who are starting their own business for the first time. Take some time to research these too so that you know where your options are.

Conclusion: How do I brand my own products?

Branding your own products depends on the kind of product you are selling. With in-house products and white label products, branding would be done in-house too. For private label products, branding may be automated and products shipped directly to clients.

Branding is incredibly important for businesses and requires lots of consideration. As the first experience of your brand for your customer, you should consider how all aspects of your branding inform your brand image.