Designing for Relative: One Year In

Relative is turning one years old and when I first launched the brand back in August of 2023 there was a blog written about  Designing for Relative. This blog was my experience of selecting our brand name, purchasing web domains, and selecting an overall aesthetic for the brand.

I want to continue sharing information about how we are constantly improving the experience with design, packaging, and the e-commerce experience we are working with. Before we dive in, I need to say that none of this could have been possible without your continued support in what we do, who we are, and where we are going. 

EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES

After one year of operations I am starting to think, what's next? Where do I want to level up our brand?  Do I upgrade the website or leave it for now? What about merch like mugs, pennants, hats. Oh wait, maybe we should get printed bags! There are so many options. 

Some of these improvements I am working on constantly from continued experience, feedback, and exposure to business operations. These require no capital and are really meant to improve the quality of your interaction with our brand on the web.

• Social media content
• Building up a library of content to post
• Establishing click through links from bio for easier navigation
• Website messaging and experience
• Is there a natural flow to the website
• What is the tone
• What information we are sharing
• What content are we offering for engagement with customers
• Font style, size, and color choices.
• Organized menus that make sense bringing you from one sections to the next.
• Collaborations
• finding opportunities to work with other businesses to do fun one off offerings

Other improvements require capital from the last year of operation. Time and a base layer of customers purchasing the product with continued interest is a must (this is not a ranked list of importance):

• Packaging
• Fully printed bags for a clean retail look
• Printed packing tape instead of generic kraft or clear.
• Professional run of labels like holographic, die cut, or other materials.
• Switching to packaging that is recyclable or compostable.
• Merchandise
• Apparel: shirts, hoodies, hats, bandanas,
• Goods: mugs, posters, pennants, pins, frisbee for dogs
• Freebies: stickers, post cards, other small printed item
• Marketing
• Industry magazine ads
• Become a sponsor of a local event
• Social media advertising

It feels like a lot of options, but we managed to narrow down the list to what we felt was more impactful for our operation. 

ELEVATED SHIPPING

Working in e-commerce first impressions are a high priority. How do I make a package arriving at your door an exciting experience to unbox?

Right away we did not want to use USPS mailers. Our experience is that 9/10 times those packages arrive at your door looking like it was used to kick a field goal. It's a major bummer. Instead, we opted for kraft boxes that were more durable and had a higher success rate of holding shape. Durability was great, but honestly our boxes were not that pretty right away. 

When we first started there was a month or two of clear packing tape with our monogram sticker. We quickly upgraded to kraft packing tape for a smoother cleaner look and kept playing around with our sticker for a pop of color. Finally, we ended up where we are today with fully printed packaging tape to look like a present on arrival. 

Anyone exploring printed packing tape in smaller order should checkout websites like Uprinting or Packola. This is a must for any small business looking to elevate their package experience.

IMPROVED BAGS

We shop with our eyes. We can't help it. Think of comparing products on a shelf and which ones you skipped based on graphics, colors, or material. 

At the time of writing this our bag is plain white with a full color sticker that matches the size of the bag. It is eye catching and an efficient use of space within the resources available at the time. 

Our second bag that is being released in August of 2024 is fully printed and recyclable with a small label for details about the coffee for a cleaner and sharper experience. We are getting bags printed by our friends at Roastar who operate out of the neighboring state of Wisconsin. They are an incredible resource for smaller businesses looking for quality packaging with low order minimums. 

Other bag options considered are below.

• Dutch Coffee Pak 
• This company offered CO2 compensated packaging and have a unique stock of bag sizes and material not commonly seen in the U.S. The operate out of the Netherlands.
• Tricorbraun 
• This company offers a wide range of blank bags and have a compostable or a mix of compostable/recyclable lineup called Biotre. 
• PBFY 
• This is where we first started with our bags. It is very popular to start with these blank bags and stickers as an entry point into retail packaging until you can invest more in bags.

GIFTS BEYOND PACKAGING

The best packages I have ever come across have had layers. Open the box and take out the packing material to find a poster. Take out more material and you find a sticker. Finally, you the last layer you end at is the product you purchased. That is an awesome experience! 

With my personal love of photography and documenting travel, we chose to include post cards in our packages this year of images taken at coffee origins. It is my gift to you. Add it to the fridge, share it with someone that you think will love our coffee, recycle it, or send someone a message spontaneously. Bring back the art of a hand written message!

After we run through this batch of cards, I will look to revamp what images are in rotation to keep the visual fresh and exciting. Other small items considered have been enamel pins, and holographic die cut stickers in replacement of our current circle stickers. 

All this information is meant to be an update on how we are doing and where we are. But I also want this to be a resource for others that are starting or are currently operating their own small coffee business.

From my full cup of coffee to yours, thank you so much for your continued support and I look forward to continuing to elevate our brand experience for you in our second year! 

Stay colorful friends,

Bryant + Team Relative