Getting Started in Private Labeling.

[Walter Hay]

Provided you plan carefully you can build your own brand with a moderate investment. The steps to take before buying or producing your products are:

• If you intend importing your product, find something unique, or at least one that has never before been imported into your country.
• Make sure the product is of good quality, and deserves a stand out label. Don't try to gild the lily. Offer real value.
• Choose a product type and devise a niche where you can develop a Unique Selling Point.(USP)
• Study your potential customers. This must include getting to understand the emotions behind people wanting such a product.
• Choose a brand name that will appeal to those emotions.
• Design a logo that will attract those people you have identified as prospective customers.
• Register your brand name and logo.
• Choose a slogan that will stir them to want to “own” that brand. Make them want to belong.
• Design a label or in-built logo that can become part of the product. You don’t have to be a designer, but you should describe to a designer not only what the design should look like, but even more importantly, what message you want your logo to convey to the customers.
• Retain control of the design process. Graphic artists are often more interested in displaying their skill than following instructions to convey a message. You will rarely find one who understands the nuances of emotional appeal in a design. You know your product and your target market, so insist that they follow your instructions.
• Select the kind of labeling you want from the 26 different types of labels I describe in my book. The book also shows you where to source the different types of label.
• Arrange to have the label attached or embedded in the product. NOTE: It is often less costly to have that done in your own country rather than by an overseas manufacturer.
• If you plan on selling online, decide on which marketing platform to sell - eBay, Etsy, Amazon, or your own eCommerce site. You can sell on both Amazon and your own site. If you need to know how to do that without breaching Amazon’s TOS, just ask.
• Work out your marketing plan, including how to advertise in a targeted way.
• Carefully calculate your costs. This should include advertising.
• Once it all looks good in theory, validate the idea. A lot has been written on the forum about validation, so use the search facility.
• Don't be afraid to set a high price. If your product really is top notch, the high price will attract buyers provided your appeal to the emotions is on target. **
• Don't attempt to sell on the basis of product features. If you have carefully thought out why a customer will feel the urge to buy that particular product......
• Feed that urge.

Any questions?

Walter
** P.S. When breeding cattle I learned that some buyers would pay a massive price just to acquire bragging rights. The animal had to be very high quality, but they were happy to pay for more than the quality. This attitude is more prevalent in society than many would guess, and it works in a lot of product areas besides cattle.

 

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[Chip01]

Brilliant!

Exactly the post I was looking for right now. Great information, thank you.

Just one question:

How do you go about shipping? - If I bulk order an product that has been altered and private labeled by myself, do you recommend any way of posting them out?

I don't know if I'm keen on the idea of going to the post office every time I get an order

Thanks again!

 

[Walter Hay]

Brilliant!

Exactly the post I was looking for right now. Great information, thank you.

Just one question:

How do you go about shipping? - If I bulk order an product that has been altered and private labeled by myself, do you recommend any way of posting them out?

I don't know if I'm keen on the idea of going to the post office every time I get an order

Thanks again!

I would suggest using a fulfillment service, or if the parcels will be small enough to fit in a Royal Mail Postbox you can use their Click and Collect system, so you don't need to go to a Post Office.

Walter

 

[Leecha14]

Provided you plan carefully you can build your own brand with a moderate investment. The steps to take before buying or producing your products are:

• If you intend importing your product, find something unique, or at least one that has never before been imported into your country.
• Make sure the product is of good quality, and deserves a stand out label. Don't try to gild the lily. Offer real value.
• Choose a product type and devise a niche where you can develop a Unique Selling Point.(USP)
• Study your potential customers. This must include getting to understand the emotions behind people wanting such a product.
• Choose a brand name that will appeal to those emotions.
• Design a logo that will attract those people you have identified as prospective customers.
• Register your brand name and logo.
• Choose a slogan that will stir them to want to “own” that brand. Make them want to belong.
• Design a label or in-built logo that can become part of the product. You don’t have to be a designer, but you should describe to a designer not only what the design should look like, but even more importantly, what message you want your logo to convey to the customers.
• Retain control of the design process. Graphic artists are often more interested in displaying their skill than following instructions to convey a message. You will rarely find one who understands the nuances of emotional appeal in a design. You know your product and your target market, so insist that they follow your instructions.
• Select the kind of labeling you want from the 26 different types of labels I describe in my book. The book also shows you where to source the different types of label.
• Arrange to have the label attached or embedded in the product. NOTE: It is often less costly to have that done in your own country rather than by an overseas manufacturer.
• If you plan on selling online, decide on which marketing platform to sell - eBay, Etsy, Amazon, or your own eCommerce site. You can sell on both Amazon and your own site. If you need to know how to do that without breaching Amazon’s TOS, just ask.
• Work out your marketing plan, including how to advertise in a targeted way.
• Carefully calculate your costs. This should include advertising.
• Once it all looks good in theory, validate the idea. A lot has been written on the forum about validation, so use the search facility.
• Don't be afraid to set a high price. If your product really is top notch, the high price will attract buyers provided your appeal to the emotions is on target. **
• Don't attempt to sell on the basis of product features. If you have carefully thought out why a customer will feel the urge to buy that particular product......
• Feed that urge.

Any questions?

Walter
** P.S. When breeding cattle I learned that some buyers would pay a massive price just to acquire bragging rights. The animal had to be very high quality, but they were happy to pay for more than the quality. This attitude is more prevalent in society than many would guess, and it works in a lot of product areas besides cattle.

Hi Walter, great tips. I’m interested in learning more about sourcing label companies and also Amazons TOS as I want to sell via my site and FBA. Appreciate any and all advice thanks.

 

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[Walter Hay]

Leecha14 wrote: "Hi Walter, great tips. I’m interested in learning more about sourcing label companies and also Amazons TOS as I want to sell via my site and FBA. Appreciate any and all advice thanks."

@Leecha14 You will appreciate that a full answer to your questions would be way too much. My book has between 10 and 20 links to suppliers for each of the 26 different types of labels that I describe in the book and explain how they can be used. This would involve listing hundreds of links.

The book also explains the real marketing psychology that should be an integral part of your label designs and the choice of label types. Don't forget what I wrote in my original post: "Retain control of the design process. Graphic artists are often more interested in displaying their skill than following instructions to convey a message. You will rarely find one who understands the nuances of emotional appeal in a design. You know your product and your target market, so insist that they follow your instructions."

Regarding Amazon TOS, it is a simple matter to avoid their rules about not contacting customers direct. All you need to do is incorporate your URL in your label or attached to or embedded in your product.

You then need to make your website attractive to your customers so that they will keep going back to it. Offering a price lower than your price on Amazon should be effective.

Walter

 

[Leecha14]

Leecha14 wrote: "Hi Walter, great tips. I’m interested in learning more about sourcing label companies and also Amazons TOS as I want to sell via my site and FBA. Appreciate any and all advice thanks."

@Leecha14 You will appreciate that a full answer to your questions would be way too much. My book has between 10 and 20 links to suppliers for each of the 26 different types of labels that I describe in the book and explain how they can be used. This would involve listing hundreds of links.

The book also explains the real marketing psychology that should be an integral part of your label designs and the choice of label types. Don't forget what I wrote in my original post: "Retain control of the design process. Graphic artists are often more interested in displaying their skill than following instructions to convey a message. You will rarely find one who understands the nuances of emotional appeal in a design. You know your product and your target market, so insist that they follow your instructions."

Regarding Amazon TOS, it is a simple matter to avoid their rules about not contacting customers direct. All you need to do is incorporate your URL in your label or attached to or embedded in your product.

You then need to make your website attractive to your customers so that they will keep going back to it. Offering a price lower than your price on Amazon should be effective.

Walter

Thanks Walter, how do I purchase your book?

 

[Leecha14]

Thanks Walter, how do I purchase your book?

Hi Walter, I found your site and ordered the book, thank you.

I'm creating a pet product, similar to a dog collar, I'm looking for my company label or patch to be sewn onto the collar, finding it very difficult to find a company, is this in your book? Thanks.

 

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[Walter Hay]

Hi Walter, I found your site and ordered the book, thank you.

I'm creating a pet product, similar to a dog collar, I'm looking for my company label or patch to be sewn onto the collar, finding it very difficult to find a company, is this in your book? Thanks.

Hi Leecha14. The book is in your inbox.

Suppliers of all the different label types are listed in the book.

For a dog collar I suggest you look first at the labels shown and described in Chapter 12.13, 12.14, 12.16 and 12.17. There are other possibilities listed that you might prefer, but the ones I have identified would be some of the most durable.

If you care to tell me more via PM, I could let you know what other types of labels could be suitable.

If you are aiming to appeal to people who want to display their wealth by dressing their dogs in high class wear and trims, the label 12.17 should impress them.

Walter