A major decision in website creation is choosing between a static and dynamic website. These two don’t have to be mutually exclusive- you could have static as well as dynamic sections or pages within the same website. But on the whole, websites can usually be categorized as either ‘static’ or ‘dynamic’. What these words essentially mean for your website is that a static website is one that is developed using just html and is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get): whatever you develop in html is exactly what will appear to the end user without any functions like individual customization or interactivity.  A dynamic website, on the other hand, is one that is developed with server-side languages (such as PHP, ASP, Coldfusion etc). These scripts draw content from your website’s internal database- or content management system- and display it based on the end user’s actions. This allows for a ‘dynamic’ experience for your visitors who can interact with your website- whether it’s through forms, blog postings, message boards, an online store or personalized user accounts etc. This is a sharp contrast from content on a static website which is just displayed to the user and they can’t ‘play around with it’.

The best option for your website could be either static or dynamic- and even a mixture of both. But what it really depends on is your requirements and constraints. If your website will be used for just providing information (for instance, you just want to have pages that tell a little about yourself, display a bunch of images and provide contact information), a static website is probably the right choice for you. Static websites also usually cost less and provide you with flexibility to change up the design on every page of your website. On the down side, you’ll always need to update the website’s development code to make changes, extensions or updates. And that might require you to call upon your developer, time and time again.

If you want to enable user interaction for your site (especially if you want to have an e-commerce component) and make it a dynamic experience, you may need to pay a bit more for a dynamic website. However, a dynamic website is generally far more engaging and useful for your visitors and you can usually easily make updates and changes yourself by simply using your browser. You could add additional product categories and items without the need to changing existing code or creating more pages. You could post news and updates by just clicking the ‘post’ button. Moreover, your users could personalize your website according to their preferences. The possibilities of a dynamic website are endless.

Both static and dynamic websites serve certain purposes and either could be a complete solution for your needs. Take the time to discuss what will be the right choice for you with your designer.

1. 1. RESOLUTION

While digital printing is now reducing the problems caused by resolution, it has long been one of the key differences between designs created for the two mediums. Virtually all web graphics are created at 72 ppi (pixels per inch) – which is sufficient for optimal display across most varieties of browsers, operating systems and computers. However, the printing process require graphics to have a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) which basically means that the graphic has to be several times larger in its digital form than it is when it’s finally printed.

1. 2. FONTS AND TYPOGRAPHY

With print designs, you can go crazy with your typeface. You can use whatever font you want to and it’s completely possible for your printed result to look exactly the way you designed it on your computer. However, font choices are much more limited for website designs. Because text appearance is handled by the browser at the user’s end, you need to use a font in your website design that your user’s browser can display. This restricts your font selection to a small list of standard choices that deprive you of the creative choices you get with print design. If you absolutely must display YOUR creative font on the web, the text will need to be exported as a graphic or produced through a paid service like Typekit.

1. 3. OVERALL APPEARANCE AND SIZE

Similar to the fonts dilemma, designs for the web are highly dependent on the conditions at the end user’s end. Depending on the user’s browser, operating system, screen resolution and computer etc, you web design might end up looking nothing like you want it to. Your best bet is to test your web designs across as many popular platforms and settings as possible and hope it doesn’t get ‘lost in translation’. With print design, you can take WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) pretty much for granted. However, you have to keep certain things in mind. The kind of paper your design will be printed on, the limited range of user-friendly sizes it can utilize and the color palette it has access to are all important considerations for print design.

To ensure your designs, whether they are for print for the web, are fully optimized and effective, you should hire the services of a professional design company like HairPackaging.com.

1. 1. YOUR WEBSITE AND ONLINE STORE

The first step for most hair product companies is to develop your own website. Your website is like another office for your business except it’s located in cyber space. In creating your website, you need to come up with web design and content that complements your hair product in the best possible way. A well-designed site that provides all necessary information about your product and your company is the bare minimum these days. And because your website will also be used to sell the hair products online- and not just promote them- you will need a reliable and effective e-commerce solution. Your online store will need to have a secure payment system and be properly structured and maintained to ensure efficiency and safety. You might also want to run a blog on your website to post related articles and updates.

1. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

These days, your hair business needs to have presence on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to be able to reach out to maximum customers and remain competitive. In fact, most start-ups do away with the necessity of having their own website altogether by having prominent presence on social media websites. Your company’s Facebook and Twitter pages will help you in easily promoting your hair product (by giving out all necessary information and updates), generating interest, gathering ‘followers’ and affiliates, and receiving feedback. Clearly you don’t want to miss out on such a huge chunk of your customers when they spend so much of their time ‘tweeting’!

1. 3. SEO AND OTHER PROMOTIONS

It is not enough to just create your website and Facebook page and start waiting for the customers to come in. You must now promote your product online. You can do so by employing SEO techniques (email/article marketing etc) as well as by being an active participant in your industry’s latest happenings. Stay connected with other players in the hair industry, keep with the latest news pertaining to your product category (such as ‘hair shows’) and be on the alert for the latest internet opportunities you can exploit to your benefit. You can also promote your hair product in popular message boards (especially the ones that are about hair and beauty products), product and business directories and sponsor ads on websites and search engines frequented by your target customers.

The Internet is a great platform to sell your hair products on. With the right amount of work, your hair business will soon have a successful e-presence!

To understand SEO on a basic level, imagine a scenario where you’ve got a great hair product- whether its wigs, headbands or extensions etc- that people would be willing to pay for but you’re unable to sell it. Why? Because of the simple fact that no one’s aware of your product. You could make a great website for your hair product and if it does not get ‘traffic’ (internet marketing lingo for visitors), your hair product, regardless of how good it is, will fail to bring in the sales.

SEO helps you avoid the aforementioned fate by making your hair product website more visible to search engines and, consequently, to your target customers. SEO experts do this by creating and tailoring the written and technical content on your site in a way that best relates to your targeted keywords. This could include a range of services that include everything from keyword optimization to article and email marketing. The objective is to make your website a top result for your product category. So, for instance, if what you are selling is wigs and extensions, the  ‘search engine optimization’ process will be one that makes sure your website pops up in Google results when users search for ‘wigs’, ‘extensions’ and ‘hair products’ etc.

A common misconception about SEO is that it’s just ‘keyword stuffing’- which is actually a bad SEO practice that merely entails saturating your website’s content with as many of your targeted keywords, and as many times, as possible. In fact, such practices are now more detrimental than they are beneficial as search engines these days are smart enough to distinguish actual quality content from stuffed rubbish. And if your website uses bad SEO practices, it might get blacklisted by search engines and user directories even if the hair product you’re selling is actually high quality.

Good SEO practices are more about creating and presenting content that is relevant, interesting, useful and persuasive to your targeted customers. With the right SEO techniques, your website will go up in search engine rankings, develop its own following through the ‘domino’ effect and generate good word of mouth- all the while raising sales and creating new customers.

In summation, SEO can do wonders for your website and your product’s profitability. Just make sure you go about it in the right and effective way. As always, when in doubt, hire a professional!

Above all, your logo should be a good representation of your company. Additionally, it’s always good to have a design that relates to your industry- whether it’s subliminally or explicitly. A big factor in the decision making process for your logo is your company name. You’ll need a logo that complements your company name especially if the name is going to be a part of the logo itself.  For instance, consider the following two logos we designed for two hair companies:

Logo for Julians Hair Salon

Logo for HairWeavon.com

As a company name, Julian’s isn’t too revealing as to what line of products the company makes.

But notice how we incorporated a wavy line that cuts across the entire typeface. That wavy stroke strongly resembles a lock of hair and in this way our logo for Julian’s connects the business name with the nature of products the company produces.

For HairWeavon, the approach was much more ‘in your face’. Not only does ‘Hair Weavon’ have a very revealing name but the logo incorporates a beautiful face illustration of an African American woman with gorgeously stylized lustrous hair. The logo not only makes a strong and clear statement about the company’s product line but also embodies the company’s target customers- African American women.

Of course, a design that works for one company/product might not work for another. Therefore it’s important that you choose a logo that’s the right choice for YOU. With all the options and approaches available, there are a lot of ways to make a logo for your hair business but keep in mind that all good logos have a couple of things in common: they’re unique, good looking and easily recognizable. Optionally, but highly recommended, they bear a relation (however slight) to the company’s nature of business. If you’re unsure about what would be the right logo design for your company, just contact a professional logo designing service like ours. We have a vast experience of designing logos for hair companies and assisting them in building strong and highly individual brand identities- and we can do the same for you!

If you’re not already attending the show, we would definitely recommend copping tickets for yourself and your family and friends. The upcoming mid-summer Hair Show looks very promising and is set to start off with a bang thanks to an opening concert featuring none other than American Idol winner Fantasia, followed by over 300 exciting exhibitions and stalls, and over a 100 free seminars and classes conducted by experienced industry professionals- all of which, needless to say, provide you with immense information on the hair industry as well as hair products, the latest know-how on styling techniques and an entertaining experience you won’t forget. And, of course, the Bronner Bros Hair Show is an excellent opportunity and platform for meeting peers, clients and suppliers in the hair industry, trading information and goods and entering into new business relationships.

If you’re planning on attending the show, be sure to give us a call at 404-884-6880. We would love to set up an appointment with you to help you get the most out of your time in Atlanta. During your appointment, you will be able to discuss your hair packaging needs in detail with our representatives. You’ll be able to find out why and how hair packaging plays such an important role in the success of this billion dollar industry. You will also receive professional consultancy on what would constitute the most effective packaging for your particular hair products. 8 Consulting & HairPackaging.com have a vast experience working with makers of hair products so you can rest assured that you will be dealing with consummate professionals.

Packaging is not the only design aspect you can expect to discuss with our representatives. 8 Consulting & HairPackaging.com also offers top-of-the-range design facilities for logos, stationary, websites, flyers, brochures, postcards and, of course, hang tags.  No matter what design service you require for your hair products, we are sure to have a solution! So wait no more- get your tickets for the Bronner Bros Hair Show today and gear up for a great time in Atlanta. We will be waiting eagerly to meet you there!

Packaging plays a key role in attracting customers and generating long-term profits.  When your potential customers visit a store, your product packaging is going to be their first encounter with your product- and that’s why it needs to create the right first impression straight away. Because so many purchase decisions are made at the spot, an attractive packaging can encourage customers to find out more about your product and even try it out. Your product packaging is fundamental in how your customers perceive your company and your product. So much so that the modern customer is able to form a very solid idea about what they can expect from the product by just looking at the packaging. Here are just some of the things your packaging says about you:

THE LEVEL OF QUALITY

If your packaging is well-designed, impressive looking and made from high quality material, the customer will automatically assume the same attributes for the product contained within. Poorly designed and low quality packaging will, of course, carry the opposite connotation.

DEDICATION TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Customers always appreciate convenient packaging that ably protects the product during transportation. Such packaging gives the impression that your company truly has the customer’s best interests at heart. So while you should always try to make your packaging as good looking as possible, you also need to consider practical issues related to product safety and handling. Is the packaging a secure container for your products-especially fragile ones? Is it easy to handle, store and transport? Does it easily unpack and re-pack if needed? Can it serve any other useful purposes for the customer related or unrelated to your core product? These are some important questions you should consider when designing your packaging and if you’re able to answer with ‘yes’ to any- or all- of them, you’re definitely going to make your customers very happy.

COMPANY ETHICS

The modern consumer is increasingly knowledgeable about environment-friendly choices. If your packaging is made from ‘green’ and recyclable materials, avoids excessive usage of resources and still manages to look good, you’re definitely going to get some cool points with the consumers who only support environment-friendly companies. If you have a ‘green’ product and/or packaging, don’t be shy in boasting about it on the wrapping. Your packaging can say a lot of things about you and if one of them is that you’re a socially responsible organization, then that’s an asset you deserve getting noted for.

WWW.HAIRWEAVON.COM

HairWeavon proclaims itself as a provider of quality hair extensions for black women. As our client, they wanted us to build a website that could complement this claim through a compelling design, prominent placement of their products and strengths and a customer-centric focus. To accomplish that objective, we included a blog on the website. Now the HairWeavon staff is easily able to post updates about new hair products, offerings and other information with a few simple clicks. We also included a nifty currency and language converter for the HairWeavon store to assist international customers. Thanks to such features, customers are not only instantly notified of the newest HairWeavon products but are able to browse through the products with the convenience of their own language and currency. The result? Sales at HairWeavon have reached a new high!

WWW.UNIQUEHAIREXTENSIONS.COM

For Unique Hair Extensions, we truly went beyond basic web design. Like with HairWeavon, we created an online store for Unique Hair Extensions but, keeping in mind our particular client’s customer base, we also included options for wholesale/distributor and retail sales.  Our client at Unique Hair Extensions also appreciated the built-in article manager we incorporated in to the website. And to top it off, we created an impressive flash animation, featuring Unique Hair Extensions’ top products, and displayed it prominently on the website.  It was a lot of hard work but it was totally worth it when we experienced the final result and secured ourselves yet another satisfied client.

WWW.KOBOHAIREXTENSIONS.COM

Our web design for Kobo Hair Extensions features an elegant understated look and a streamlined structure. The content on the Kobo website is neatly organized in several visible categories and visitors can easily click through to the section that interests them the most.  Since Kobo Hair Extensions deals in a variety of hair products, we wanted to make sure we covered all of its offerings and created a website that could truly be the one stop shop for customers of hair products.

Be sure to visit our clients’ websites discussed above and let us know what you think. And if you want us to design your own hair product site, feel free to contact us at any time.

About Hang tags

Boxes and plastic enclosures are two of the most common methods for hair packaging but before you make your final choice, you should definitely consider a great alternative: hang tags! Here are the 5 benefits you get when you use hang tags for your hair packaging:

1. GREAT FOR NEW START-UPS

If you are just starting out in the business or you have a small enterprise, making the significant investment that’s required for box and plastic enclosure packaging can be a huge risk. You don’t want to pour so much of your budget into packaging when you’re just trying to break into the market. And that’s when you’ll really appreciate the convenience and affordability of hang tags. Hang tags can be produced at just a fraction of the cost you have to bear if you choose boxes or plastic enclosures.

Maya Hang Tag for Hair Packaging

2. EASY TO CUSTOMIZE

Because printing and cutting out hang tags is so easy, you can go crazy with creativity. Your choice of colors, shapes and sizes is endless. You also have sufficient space on the hangtags to insert product information. For instance, your hangtags could carry details like the texture, color and length of the hair. Tip: For a more professional look, use a label maker to print the information.

3. CONVENIENTLY PRODUCED

Not only are hang tags cheap to produce, they also have a faster turnaround. In fact, even a bulk order takes no longer than a couple of weeks. You get to save money, effort and time all at once!

4. FLEXIBLE AND COMPATIBLE

One of the best things about hang tags is that they can be used in so many ways. For the simplest packaging, you can just attach them at the end of a basic plastic bag. But you can also use hang tags to add flair to more sophisticated packaging like boxes.  Other popular hangtag-compatible choices include zip-lock and organza bags. No matter what your packaging type is, there’s always room for a hang tag!

5. GOOD LOOKINGLast, but certainly not the least, well designed hang tags enhance the entire look of your packaging. The right choice of hang tags helps your products stand out from the competition and give an elegant impression. In a world obsessed with appearance, your products can definitely benefit from great looking hang tags!

Sample Hang tag for Rochana, Australia.

The Final Products - Wig Box packaging and Headbands packaging for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

If you deal in hair packaging- with products ranging from wigs and afros to headbands and extensions- you often have to make a choice between the two most popular packaging options: Boxes and plastic enclosures. While we’re all for creativity and thinking ‘outside the box’, for this decision we have to highly recommend using box packaging. Here are our reasons!

1. LOOK AND FEEL

To ensure the success of your business, you need to give your customers the impression that you’re a professional and successful enterprise. When you use Plastic packaging for your hair accessories, some of the connotations you’re spreading are that your product was cheaply produced and that you didn’t put in a lot of effort towards its packaging. Whereas with box packaging you give the impression of a high-end product that your company has carefully created and packaged.

2. ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLINESS

Customers these days are very knowledgeable and conscious about their choices and how they affect the world. We’re all highly aware of the ecological dangers of plastic as a packaging medium. With an increasing interest in ‘living GREEN’, the smart consumer nowadays supports products that use green packaging and avoids the ones that contain materials hazardous to the environment. With box packaging, you come across as a company that is conscientious about its role in the society and that supports environmental causes. Such a decision will definitely win you cool points with the ‘green’ customer.

3. COST BENEFITS

Most business managers don’t realize this but box packaging is cheaper to produce than plastic enclosures. Box packaging helps you save time and money because you can get it made quickly and the minimum order quantity is quite less compared to plastic packaging. As a successful enterprise, you can definitely utilize your time and finances savings from box packaging towards other business activities.

Hair Extension Packaging Box

4. CUSTOMIZATION

Box packaging offers a great canvas for high quality designs and other customizations. Your packaging design looks much better printed on paper/cardboard boxes and you can add other attractive features like windows, embossing and foil stamping (in any color of your choice!)

5. SAFETY

Lastly, box packaging is much better at protecting your product from external damage than plastic enclosures. Because boxes are much more resistant to effects of heat, wear and tear and careless handling, your product is less likely to get damaged before it’s purchased. This helps you reduce spoilage costs.