If you couldn’t tell from the last newsletter I sent out, one of the things I love most about Trek Light Gear is the community that has formed around it. It’s why I spend so much time interacting with you on Twitter and Facebook, dreaming up contest ideas and giveaways and constantly asking for your feedback and input on what you like or don’t like.
If you’ve been with us for a while you’ve certainly noticed that Trek Light Gear’s product line has been growing at a steady pace, from our Bug Free Hammock Shield and V9 Strong Tarp to our new VersaTrek and Trek Flight. Whether you realize it or not, these products exist because in some way or another you’ve asked for them and helped us to understand what your needs are. In some cases you’ve even helped name them. When you tell us things like “I could really use a place to put my gear when I go hammock camping” and we deliver it for you, it’s evidence to me of a great relationship between a company and its customers. Trek Light Gear only exists if we make products that solve your problems and make your life better. If we’re not listening or we’re only making products that we like, then we’re not succeeding. But, since it’s difficult to say thank you to all those individuals whose feedback we rely on and since I can’t seem to go very long without giving stuff away, I decided to find a way to continue that same conversation while rewarding you with cool gear at the same time.
Here’s what we’re doing:
Trek Light Gear is partnering up with Napkin Labs to host an online collaboration project which will take what we’ve been doing to a whole new level and focus it towards real, concrete product design. Maybe you fancy yourself a designer, an engineer, a handy DIY wizard, or even none of the above - but you have a passion for the Trek Light lifestyle and just know you have some great ideas to contribute. Maybe you’ve put together your own hammock hanging kit from scratch that you think blows away our design. Or, maybe you’ve just found yourself relaxing in a hammock and thinking, “Man, I wish they would make a _____ accessory to go along with my hammock” or “This would be perfect if it just had _____”. This is your chance to put your mind together with a number of other passionate folks and play an active role in the future product line that Trek Light Gear has to offer.
Prizes, Lots and Lots of Prizes: Here’s the best part, we’re not asking for your involvement with only the chance of 1 or 2 folks walking way with a prize. We’re giving away OVER 50 PRIZES (!!) to the people participating in this awesome process and the more you contribute the bigger your reward will be (see more under ‘Why Napkin Labs?’ below). This is easily the biggest giveaway we’ve ever done.
If all of this sounds interesting to you, head over to the Napkin Labs site right now and sign up. There are a limited number of spots left so hurry up, the sign up period ends this Friday, October 8th and the project will begin immediately after. Signing up is a two-step process, you’ll first create a Napkin Labs account and once you’ve registered you need to sign in and apply to the Trek Light Gear project itself (you can’t miss it, but if you have any problems at all just let me know in the comments below). By the way, all of this is 100% free to participate in if that’s not clear in any way.
Why Napkin Labs? We’ve got almost 7,000 fans on our Facebook page, so if we want your input on new product ideas why not just host our own design contest and reward the best submission? The answer is easy, and it’s because the Napkin Labs platform isn’t about picking a ‘winner’ – it’s about pulling the community together to work as one. Just like sitting in a room with other people, you’re part of a conversation, bouncing ideas, contributing when and however you can. There’s no competition, only collaboration, and in the end your contribution to ideas and product designs that actually move forward is measured with a point system so you can easily be rewarded based on what you contributed. If the name Napkin Labs sounds familiar, it’s because we were both recently featured in this New York Times article which talks about exactly what we’re doing in this project.
As the title of this post says, I believe this is a WIN-WIN-WIN and I’m thrilled to see what we accomplish. We want your help. We want to reward you for helping. And best of all, we want to share that help with the entire community in the form of real products that improve your life and put a smile on your face.
As always, please share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to sign up for the project before the spots fill up!