Top 7 Labeling Concerns for Small Business Owners (& How to Solve Them)

Implementing labels into your business can be scary, especially if you're just beginning. The sudden fear of not knowing where to find labels, how to apply them, or even which materials to order can be an overwhelming thought for small business owners. In this article, we provide a guide on 7 common fears new entrepreneurs face with label application and design as well as tips that can help your business.

1. Poor Brand Perception

Brand perception is the sum of all the interactions and experiences an individual goes through when they perceive a brand, including first impressions, quality of its products, and the reviews from previous clients. To ensure a professional brand image, and decrease the fear of poor branding, companies must focus on the importance of the quality and design of their products.

Label application plays a key role in building positive brand perception. It provides a clear visual message of the product or service of a company, by focusing on two main characteristics:

• Design consistency: maintaining uniformity in design elements such as colors, fonts, and imagery across all labels reinforces brand identity and recognition. OnlineLabels provides a significant variety of blank and pre-designed templates for easier customization and ordering.
• Minimize homogeneity: label design can bring the opportunity to differentiate your brand from competitors. It can be useful for highlighting unique selling points or benefits that are only available in a designated business. To ensure a positive differentiation from the start, small business owners must utilize the right design software to showcase graphics and fonts that make their company stand out.

OnlineLabels provides free access to Maestro Label Designer, which helps users easily design labels. Users can customize labels by choosing from an assortment of fonts, images, or by uploading their own artwork.

2. Legal Compliance Issues

One of the worst fears for small business owners just starting out is ensuring their packaging follows the relevant regulations and laws of their industry. This includes requirements related to product information, labeling standards, health and safety warnings, and any specific regulations for the product type.

Two types of warning labels all business owners should consider using in their process are:

• Shipping warning labels: they are labels placed on packages or products to alert handlers, carriers, and consumers about potential hazards associated with the contents. Having the right labels serves to communicate important safety information and regulatory compliance requirements. OnlineLabels provides a variety of shipping warning labels for several circumstances including transportation, perishable materials, and cargo aircraft, among others that fulfill packaging law requirements.
• Compliance labels: they are adhesive labels affixed to packages to indicate that the product complies with legal regulations and standards set forth by government agencies. OnlineLabels has a large range of these labels for different products including candle warning labels, alcohol warning labels, and vape juice labels.

Following legal compliance with norms would not only ensure the safe transportation of your products but would also improve your company’s reputation among customers, which is crucial when a business is small or just starting.

3. Ineffective Communication

Small business owners often fear unclear or incomplete communication because it can cause mistakes, delays, or conflicts that could harm their business from the start. When it comes to labels, placing them in the wrong position or providing a label with low-quality ink can lead to reputation damage. However, inefficient communication with labels can be easily addressed by taking several steps to enhance clarity and effectiveness:

• Simple label design: entrepreneurs must ensure that their labels are visually clear and uncluttered. Use concise language and easy-to-read fonts to convey essential information without overwhelming the reader. OnlineLabels offers a manual on how to design perfect product labels, with six easy steps on how to improve your logo design.
• Standardize label format: establish a consistent format for your labels across all products to maintain brand coherence and facilitate customer understanding. Consistency in layout, color scheme, and design elements helps for a clear readability and clear branding. OnlineLabels provides an Alignment Wizard tool in Maestro Label Designer that can help with adjusting formatting for margins before printing.

4. Lack of Differentiation

Lack of differentiation is a common fear because if not addressed correctly, it can cause market saturation and audiences to ignore your brand. Without distinct labeling, consumers may struggle to differentiate with competition, leading to commoditization, and struggle to compete with established brands.

• Tell your brand story: use label design as a platform to tell the story behind your brand, its values, mission, and journey. This can create an emotional connection with consumers and differentiate your products as better options. OnlineLabels includes an article, which explains why transmitting your brand story is important and tips on how to do it.
• Highlight unique selling points: communicate the unique features or benefits of your products on the label design. Use persuasive language and eye-catching visuals to emphasize what sets your products apart from others in the market. OnlineLabels created a guide on how to make impactful labels using color psychology.

5. Difficulty in Application

Choosing the correct label size or material can help product labels better adhere to containers. Improper application can lead to waste and this unexpected cost can add up quickly for small businesses.

• OnlineLabels offers a guide for label applicators, which are machines that help apply labels onto various products or packages automatically. It’s commonly used in industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and manufacturing, where it labels large volumes of products quickly and accurately.

6. Quality Concerns

Another very popular fear is creating labels with low-quality printing or materials. In a competitive market, high-quality labels can help convey professionalism and trustworthiness, giving small businesses a competitive advantage. However, new entrepreneurs often operate with limited resources, including budget, time, and expertise.

• OnlineLabels has a large variety of label materials that are recycled, weatherproof, laser printable, and waterproof. Additionally, we offer a variety of different color options and a customer service team that can help with any inquiries.

7. Limited Affordable Resources

Another fear that small business owners experience is whether or not they can create professional labels with a small budget. Small businesses often operate with limited budgets, which may produce the uncertainty of investing in label design and application that could strain their finances, especially for design software and machines.

• Utilize free online design tools: take advantage of online design tools and software platforms that offer user-friendly interfaces and templates for creating labels. OnlineLabels offers a free and user-friendly platform in Maestro Label Designer, which helps with design and printing labels online. This program gives you access to multiple templates as well as different tools such as nutrition label generators, barcode generators, and mail merge tools all for free.
• Getting blank labels: buying blank labels to print yourself is an affordable way to get quality labels for a cheaper price. This can be an economical option for those printing small amounts of labels at a time.

Face the Entrepreneurial Fears With Success

In the current competitive market, facing fears in entrepreneurship is crucial for growth and success. By acknowledging and confronting the fears listed above, small business owners can unlock doors to innovation, and good opportunities for their businesses to grow. With these tips on how to overcome some of the biggest fears of entrepreneurs, your business will navigate the unpredictable terrain of business and succeed.