Consumer shopping experience has changed dramatically over recent years – thanks to the www Popular brands and new businesses alike have made the shift from traditional brick-and-mortar stores to online shops.

However, despite this shift, many still hesitate to make a transaction for different reasons such as unsecured payment, slow shipping, and product misrepresentation. For others, the lack of physical interaction with the product prior to purchasing often results in unfulfilled expectations and disappointment. Often abandoning carts when trust is not there, fearing the hassle of receiving goods that will only need to be returned.

Investing in good product photography can make the difference between customer conversion and high return rates. When done right, product photos give customers the same experience they would get in stores, and also become a more competitive brand.

Here’s how you can improve your product photography.

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A line sheet is a sales tool created to help retail buyers place orders of your pieces. They are basic and to-the-point, with all the information they need to know at a glance.

When creating your line sheet, make sure the layout is clean, organized, easy to understand, and especially easy to order from. It will help make the sales process go smoothly. Often includes a coordinating order form that will make it super simple for the buyer to fill in the blanks and email their order to you.

You may also want to consider providing a swatch card of your collection’s colour palette.

Here’s what you need to include in a line sheet:

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Now we’ve reached the fun part! Put your thinking caps on and start visualizing your first collection. To help you with this, you need to create a mood board.

A mood board is a visual summary of your collection’s inspiration. It is the focus of all your styles. All your designs for your first collection should stem from this theme.

Creating your mood board for your collection

Your mood boards set the tone for the collection. Aside from inspiration, most designers use their mood boards to communicate to their team and maintain cohesiveness.

Your mood board should:

● Have elements that complement each other
● Have a cohesive look
● Be consistent with your brand

Your mood board can be based on a colour scheme, a period in history, a type of fabric or print, or even a foreign place. It shouldn’t be limited to fashion items. You can add nature-related photos, art images, sports or action shots, and more. There are many sources of inspiration out there. Make a habit of taking pictures or pinning on your Pinterest boards. You’ll never know when your creative spark will hit you!

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The fashion industry is competitive and intense. People who succeed in this industry know how to hustle, meet deadlines, and problem solve like no other. One wrong detail, fabric shipment or decision can mean lost sales instantly. It is a constant battle against time. You must be tenacious, yet humble, and able to switch gears to plan B without missing a beat. You are creating and launching repeatedly, year after year, season after season.

I started in the fashion industry when I was 20. I had previous experience working in customer service and shipping. The company I had my first job in fashion with was a company that was comprised of 4 owners who were starting to see an upward climb in sales and needed to hire some office help. That upward climb started at around $250,000 in sales and reached close to $15 million in about 3 years. I was working very long hours, 7 days a week. There was no business plan. There was no strategy. There was no time, we were all about the hustle and getting things done. I learned what no business course could have taught me in a very short period of time.

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Now that you know exactly who you are selling to, your brand identity is the next thing you should establish.

One of the most crucial elements necessary at the beginning of any new business venture that often goes overlooked or in some cases completely unheard of, is branding.

Chief Creative Officer of DDB Worldwide Amir Kassaei defines a brand like this, “A brand is not a product or a promise or a feeling. It’s the sum of all the experiences you have with a company.”

Bottom line, your brand is what you would like customers to remember about their interaction with you.

It is not just the visuals. Brand identity is about your company’s core foundation, integrity, values, and the overall experience you provide.

Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos sums it up this way, “Your brand is what people say when you’re not in the room.”

Therefore, your brand should reflect what you want your target market to think about you.

Do you want to be known for style and comfort? Chic and high-end? Affordable and good quality?

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