The Ultimate Guide to Designing Freebie Stickers: 6 Trends to Check Out

Adding free stickers as a gift for customers has become a common practice for small businesses. Stickers are the most popular choice because they are cost-effective and can bring a smile during unboxing.

If you’re planning to use stickers as a token of appreciation for customers, explore this growing marketing trend.

Why Giving Free Items to Customers Works

Gifting customers with every purchase can make them feel valued. This strategy is also a subtle way of promoting your business. While this gesture is an investment, it can also bring a positive impact to your business in the long run.

One advantage of giving gifts is a stronger perceived value of your brand. Stickers are tangible, making them easier for customers to remember your brand. This can reinforce repeat business and boost brand awareness.

For a business just getting started or operating on a small scale, word-of-mouth marketing can get your name out there. With increased brand awareness, you can effectively reach your target market.

Be strategic when handing out freebies. For instance, you can create limited-time themed sticker designs. Offer these stickers exclusively to the first 50 customers or when they hit a certain number of purchases.

What Makes Stickers an Effective Marketing Tool

Stickers are versatile and suitable for any business. Whether you’re in a clothing line, handicrafts, stationery supplies, food and beverage, or jewelry, this tiny tool is a great add-on to every package you send out.

No matter how simple or small, customers appreciate receiving gifts. It’s always the thought that counts, especially when you go above and beyond to make them feel valued and remembered. Promotional stickers are a low-cost and effective marketing tool for boosting brand recognition and improving customer satisfaction.

Sticker designs are crucial and must resonate with your brand’s goals. For example, if you sell coffee products, your design should also align with coffee-related illustrations or text.

Make your stickers visually appealing. Use unique and interesting designs while incorporating humour or inspiration. Additionally, use high-quality materials to ensure they last longer. That way, customers will always be reminded of your brand.

In this blog, we feature six design trends you can easily follow to get started with designing your custom stickers.

1. AI Designs

As AI becomes more sophisticated, it allows beginners to create stunning digital artwork easily. Using an AI design tool like Google’s AutoDraw can help you create more creative, original designs for your stickers without having to hire a professional designer.

How to Use AutoDraw

Creating artwork on AutoDraw is simple with just a few tools. Just doodle the shape of what you want to create.

AutoDraw will guess what you are trying to draw and will suggest similar drawings created by different designers and artists.

Select your preferred illustration.

Use the Color Picker tool to customize and add color with the Fill tool.

Add text as well using the Type tool.

In just a few clicks, you'll have your personalized sticker design.

Check out more AI design tools you can use.

2. Holographic Design

The holographic design trend uses eye-catching prismatic effects to add a touch of glamour and excitement to designs. There are several ways to achieve this effect. One way is to print the design using holographic vinyl material to produce the perfect illusion of depth and movement that the holographic style is known for.

Holographic stickers are a great way to elevate your simple artwork from subtle and understated to bold and eye-catching. At first, the sticker will appear grayish, but when light hits its surface, rainbow colors are produced. The brilliance and colors change as you move it at different angles. The colors become more vivid under brighter lighting.

Additionally, hologram stickers have waterproof and heat-resistant features. They last long on surfaces, especially electronic devices.

3. Earthy Elements

As consumers become more conscious of how their buying habits impact the environment, many are shifting to eco-friendly products. Some brands are also adjusting their branding to adapt to customers’ interests. As a result, incorporating natural and organic elements into designs has become a trend for adding a touch of beauty and sustainability.

This design trend can be achieved by using details and images found in nature, such as plants, wood, stones, and animals. You can also use colors like green, brown, and yellow as a way to add a touch of nature to any of your designs.

To apply the same effect to your freebies, kraft paper stickers will make a great printing option. Since they have a natural light brown color and a textured surface, they give off an earthy vibe to your designs.

4. Handmade Illustrations

Another trend that is becoming increasingly popular is hand-drawn illustrations for designing packaging and branding materials. This adds a more personal touch to the design because the elements are uniquely made.

The process of creating illustrations by hand typically involves using pencils, pens, and ink to draw images on paper or other surfaces. To transform the designs into digital artwork ready for print, you can use digital editing tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to trace the drawings. Add colors and effects to make it more visually appealing.

Image source: with nini

 

You can also use digital painting apps like Procreate to create your designs using an iPad. This way, you can work quickly and efficiently. You can also make changes easily and work with several effects, such as pencil, watercolor, crayon, etc., to achieve a hand-drawn look.

Handmade illustrations are a great way to add warmth and a touch of personality to any design, which helps build human connections. Small businesses can apply this approach to their branding to establish positive and lasting relationships with their customers.

5. Modern Nostalgia

Modern nostalgia is characterized by blending vintage-inspired design elements with contemporary styles. This can be in the use of typography, imagery, and patterns, but with a modern twist. The result is a design that feels both familiar and fresh.

This nostalgic design trend can be achieved by using:

• Vintage typography – think Cooper Black or Helvetica in combination with modern fonts.

• Imagery from the past – old photographs or illustrations given a modern twist.

• Patterns and textures popular in the past – gingham or floral prints in a modern way.

• Pastels or jewel tones – color palettes that were widely used in the past.

6. Artistic Serif Fonts

Apart from illustration-based designs, motivational quotes and encouraging words are also ideal. Phrases like “keep going” or “you can do it” can create a positive emotional effect on people who receive them. But it would be better if the words were printed in vibrant and playful letters to amplify the message.

Serif fonts have been used for centuries, but have become increasingly popular for creating more expressive artworks. The small lines (or serifs) at the end of each letter’s strokes are often associated with traditional and classic designs. By playfully tweaking and stretching the letters, you can make an eye-catching sticker design with just words.

When choosing colors for your stickers, it is important to use a contrasting color scheme to make the text stand out. For example, use a dark font on a light background or vice versa. You can also use shades of the same color to create a more subtle effect.

Additionally, when creating motivational sticker designs, it is important to keep them simple and easy to understand. Too much text or too many design elements can make your stickers cluttered and hard to read. Instead, focus on a few words or phrases to convey your message.

Final Thoughts

The world of graphic design is dynamic and ever-evolving. By following these design trends, you can create stickers that are up-to-date, stylish, and effective in impressing customers.

Just remember, when deciding which design approach to employ, ensure that it is relevant to your brand. The designs must help highlight your brand identity while still appealing to your target market.

Whatever your style, pick a design trend that brings your brand to life.