Let’s face it, when it comes to addressing packaging needs, most businesses tend to stay with what they know. However, more and more consumer demands are causing companies to re-think their packaging in search of practical ways to maximize yield, reduce waste and deliver consistent quality. Extending shelf life and improving safety are also considerations, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Once you’ve conceived, designed, prototyped, and manufactured your product you’ve got to come up with the right packaging to seal the deal and make sure the consumer picks your widget up off the shelf.

Here are five reasons why you should consider a new approach to packaging.

1. Practicallity. At it’s core, packaging’s first job is to physically protect your product. Depending on what your product is, it’s also a security aid for your retailers to protect against theft.

As you’re developing your packaging, think about the retail distribution. Does your packaging require a special kind of display? If possible, visit a handful of retailers first and ask for advice on the nuts and bolts of how they would display your product to make things as easy as possible for them.”

Keep these packaging considerations in mind. Does it require multiple parts? Custom molds? Can you scale it up or down? And don’t forget the packaging you’ll need to get your products from factory to market—the packaging for your packaging.

2. Visual Appeal. Don’t underestimate the importance of “shelf impact.” Your packaging design is what will first attract buyers to your product on the shelf, and it’s what they’ll remember when they walk away.

Attractive, high-quality packaging communicates high-quality product. Sometimes $0.30 packaging can add a $3 perception to the retail possibilities.

3. Required Information. Packaging is an information-delivery system: it tells your customer, “This is what I am, and this is what I do.” This might seem obvious, but it bears repeating. Don’t leave people guessing as to what your product does and how it works.

The copy on your packaging should be both informative and brief. On most packaging you won’t have a lot of real estate to work with, and even if you do, in our 140-character culture, people want information delivered quickly and simply.

4. Control the Narrative. Your packaging applies meaning to your product beyond just what it does, and it also offers the opportunity to be an extension of your values. For example, if what you’re selling is eco-friendly, bring that into your packaging by using recycled or post-consumer-waste material—and by calling attention to that fact in your copy.

5. Connect with Emotion. Shopping is an decision making process that’s driven by emotion. Packaging can provide the connection that compels shoppers to choose your product over one that’s more familiar.

Critical elements in your packaging design—colors, visual metaphors, textures, materials, and word choice—all help to create a mood. They evoke feelings. Be strategic and use that to your advantage.