Nate Crawford, Food Photographer: His Own Collection of Backdrops.

Back in April of this year, Nate Crawford of "Captures By TK" was working on a shoot for a client and he needed custom colored backdrops -- and it was urgent. I was able to get the backdrops to him in time for his project and they turned out incredible. Check them out if you’re curious!

I love Nate’s work and when we met by chance one day at a trade show, I asked him if he wanted to create his own custom backdrop collection? And his response? “Umm….YES!”

We had a call and I asked him what he would like his collection to look like? How would he like to convey his brand identity? We talked about his goals and aspirations for his collection. What did he want it to say? What feelings and vibes should they convey?

He thought about it and then, he put together a mood board of the visuals that would embody his vision… And he came upon something that was perfect: bright and colorful, that exuded a sense of joy. Pure Nate. And in about a week, his collection was born. You can see his collection here.

One of the most important things to consider when creating a product -- any product, is to make sure it does two things:

1. Represents your brand.

2. It will resonate with your followers and customers.

Let's take for example, a travel expert. They offer advice about the best destinations. But, there are many types of travel experts and they all have different followers and clients. I would ask this business owner a variety of questions so they can determine what sort of product would be the perfect fit. As an example:

1. Are they offering luxury travel, or travel on a budget?

2. Do they specialize in singles and romantic getaways, or do they specialize in family-friendly vacations?

3. Are the trips cultural and informative, or adventurous and daring?

The answers they provide will help determine how they focus on the types of products that will be the right fit for their brand -- and products their clients need... and want.

For instance, if they're promoting luxury travel, an amenities case filled with high-end soaps, moisturizers, and manicure tools branded in a luxury leather or suede case may be the perfect item for this type of traveler, vs a snack bag or jute tote for the beach. If their audience is a group of young singles, they may want to focus on tech accessories they need on a daily basis, from USB phone chargers or solar power banks to earbuds vs coloring books or fun, foam putty jars to keep the kids occupied or the perfect first-aid kit filled with the must-haves for mom. There are so many travel-related products: backpacks, gloves, visors, umbrellas, duffel bags to hiking gear, journals, pens, and planners... and the beauty of it all? There's a product for every budget.

Here's the thing: whatever kind of business you're in, from hospitality to horticulture, sports to spas, fitness to food photography, every brand has a product -- and a solution for their customers. And since you are creating the products with them in mind, you have a built-in audience ready to purchase.

So, if you’ve ever wanted to create your own backdrop collection or have an idea for a product that would represent your brand and your vision, ask yourself a series of questions and see what you come up with. If you need help sorting through ideas, some inspiration or a sounding board, or want to take the next step, get in touch with me so I can help you personally!