Everything I Learned at my first Trade Show
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Time to read 9 min
Trade Show First Timer
I had ten million questions before exhibiting at my first trade show. How much will it cost? How do I design my booth? Do I need catalogs? Can I bring help? Are trade shows important for finding new business? And so much more.
And now that I'm a seasoned professional with exactly one trade show under my belt, I thought I'd come on the internet and tell you all what I learned as a newer stationery brand exhibiting at Noted in NY Now.Â
💡 Trade Shows are Changing
In this day of online wholesale platforms and digital pitching, it can seem like attending a trade show is unnecessary. And while it's true that there are many more ways to reach potential buyers, it does seem like getting some face time is even more important! Attending a trade show isn't just about taking sales on the floor, but rather building connections and relationships and helping to create real connections with the people we interact with on the other side of the screen.
Before the Trade Show
SO much of the work that goes into exhibiting at a trade show has to happen before you even show up. Here's what I did before I even started designing my booth:
Update Products
I timed a new product release with the trade show so that I could excited prospective buyers with new products. That meant getting my website and Faire listings updated, product photos, and inventory.
Marketing
You need to tell people that you'll be exhibiting at the trade show! Of course, you'll meet buyers at the trade show, but if there's a chance retailers you're already working with or want to be working with will be there, it's worth the effort to tell them where to find you.
A few weeks before the trade show, I sent out physical postcards to a subset of the retailers I've been pitching to. I realized, after meeting people from as far away as Alaska, that next time I'll plan to cast a wider net! People travel to trade shows from near and far.
I also sent personalized emails to those same folks, as well as to my wholesale newsletter.
Finally, I made a couple of social media posts directed at retailers and showing a little bit of my prep work. Since I had never attended a trade show before, I posted about my experience planning, packing, and prepping. And once I was there, I posted about setting up.
Ordering Collateral
In addition to supplies you may need for your trade show booth (more on this in the next section), you need to think about what kind of marketing materials and collateral you want to have with you and make sure you have time to order!
While I do keep an updated digital catalog, I had never printed one before. I thought that it made sense to have some on hand for interested buyers!Â
I didn't give them away to everyone who stopped by the booth (sheesh catalogs are quite expensive). If I exhibit again, I'll reduce the number I bring with me. My impression was that buyers don't want to lug around a ton of catalogs, and much preferred smaller cards.
I brought extra of the physical postcards I mailed ahead of the trade show. These cards have a QR code on them that leads directly to my catalog. This way, buyers had my name, booth number, and access to my catalog in a very easy format.
How I Designed my Trade Show Booth
Selecting Product
It's impossible to display every single SKU in your catalog (I mean, my booth was tiny, so I crammed as much as I could in that 5x5 space!) without overwhelming buyers. I tried to curate a selection of my best products that buyers might be interested in during this time of year. Since NY Now took place in February, I didn't display any of my holiday cards, as buyers have just finished that season and won't be ready to buy yet.
Think about what your buyers are looking for and what makes you unique!
Designing My Trade Show Booth
I am an extremely visual learner and I also get overwhelmed by lots of details, so I wanted to plan my booth as precisely as possible; that way, I wouldn't be trying to make decisions on the fly or figuring out measurements. Of course, things always come up and being flexible goes a long way!
After selecting which product I wanted to display, I made a mockup of the trade show booth's walls in InDesign. The mockup was a 1:1 scale, and that helped me figure out measurements with accuracy. The mockup was essential in figuring out where all of my product would go, how I wanted to label everything, and what colors I thought would be eye catching.
You can make your trade show booth as simple or complex as you want. I saw some very minimalist booths, as well as some that had a lot of personality. It all depends on your brand, your budget, and how much time you want to spend! I tried to make my booth match my branding and general vibe, so I picked brand colors and used shape to add a little whimsy.
I'm a muralist, so I knew that painting some fun shapes to frame the products would help them stand out and also define the space. Since my booth was small, I bought paint samples ahead of time. That way, I didn't need to worry about finding paint in New York! It was the perfect amount of paint, but for any larger booth sizes (or for flat color allover) you'll definitely need more. My goal was to use color and shape to create zones for my products. Greeting cards were in the pink section, stickers were on orange, and notebooks were on yellow.
My trade show booth was pretty simple and had a few main components:
- Painted walls
- Acrylic shelving
- Foam flooring
- Vinyl lettering to label products
- Bistro table
- Collapsible ottoman for storage
What to Pack
When I paint murals, I bring every possible supply with me. That way, when something inevitably comes up, I have what I need and I don't need to stop my work in order to make additional purchases.
I had to travel for this trade show, however, so unlimited packing was not really an option for me. I prioritized based on what was essential for the show, what would be a pain to find once I was on site, and then the nice to have items came after that.Â
Of course, if you're exhibiting at a big trade show, you'll be able to find last minute things you need. Thank goodness for Door Dash!
💡 What's Essential? You.
Your product (bring extra!). As long as you show up with your product, that's truly all you need.Â
You'll want to think about how you'll display your product. Stationery brands can easily affix their cards directly to the wall. I opted for some clear acrylic shelving. The shelves were too deep and my cards kept falling off! So next time, I would definitely try another method. I've seen folks using vinyl J channels, which act like tiny shelves and are cheap and lightweight!Â
Some tools that really came in handy:
- Tape
- Glue dots
- Scissors and x-acto blade
- Laser level
- Pencils and erasers
- Mini tiny electric screw driverÂ
- Tape measure
- Chargers and extra cords
💡 Pack for comfort
Remember that once you get set up, you'll be spending lots of time at your booth, so pack for your comfort. Supportive shoes are a must. I opted for foam tile flooring, since I knew that I'd be standing all day. It was cheap and easy and totally worth it.Â
Order to Your Hotel
I wanted to have some simple furniture in my trade show booth so that I'd have a place to sit, but since I took the train I knew I wouldn't be able to lug anything with me. I bought a collapsible ottoman and a simple bistro table and had them delivered to the hotel. Game changer!Â
You can have things shipped to your convention center, but chances are there are a lot of regulations about what can be shipped, how big, and when the delivery must be made. I didn't have enough to send a pallet, so I opted for smaller deliveries to the hotel so I could avoid that stress.
Make Friends with Your Trade Show Booth Neighbors
I was surprised by how quickly my little aisle became friendly. If somebody needs an eraser, offer one! I was working the trade show by myself, and I can't tell you how many times my neighbors helped me out. From watching the booth while I used the bathroom to giving advice, these folks were so kind and generous. If you're exhibiting at your first trade show, make friends with your neighbors and everything will be a lot smoother.
What to Expect at the Trade Show
This part was easier for me. I'm an extrovert and love talking to people, so I felt prepared and excited. If that's not your personality, buckle up! There's a lot of talking in your future.
Attracting people to stop by your booth is part of the equation, but knowing how to talk to them is equally important.  Some people don't want to talk at all, and that's ok! You need to meet people where they are. If they just want to take a look without any chit chat, that's fine. But if they do want to talk to you, this is your chance to make an impression.
Take Notes
Trade shows are hard work, and at the end of the day you're going to feel tired. So tired! This is why taking notes is so important; that way, you aren't trying to reconstruct any brilliant ideas or observations. I kept two kinds of notes:
- I recorded my observations after every single interaction with a potential buyer. I made a note about their name, what store they buy for, any details about what they were wearing (to jog my memory later), and anything that stood out about the conversation. I wrote down if they reacted to any particular product, if they asked any questions, or if we chatted about anything else. This was SO helpful for follow up (more below).
- I kept notes about my experience. Like I said, there are so many details that it would be impossible to remember each thing. So when cards fell off my acrylic shelving, I wrote that down. When I had thoughts about trade show booth furniture, I wrote that down. Now I have a record of my experience and some direct action items for my next show.
Curious about what my observations were? Here's a little snippet from my first day at the trade show:
- Bring more snacks
- Look up collapsible storage solutions
- Do I actually need order forms or will most people order on Faire?
- J Channels seem much easier to use than the acrylic shelving
- Tab the card deck
It's All About the Follow Up
Some buyers placed orders at the trade show, but most did not. It all comes down to the follow up!Â
As soon as possible, you'll want to email everyone you met. This should be personalized with details from your thorough note taking. Remind them of your conversation and point them towards any product they may have expressed interest in.
A week or so after I sent my follow up emails, I sent a mailer to those same connections. Nothing complicated -- I put together a sample of a greeting card and sticker and sent it out along with a personalized note.Â
Of course, send a follow up email after that, as well!
You're developing relationships with people, and that can take time. It's not just transactional, although making sales is an obvious goal.
Are More Trade Shows in My Future?
I have no idea! It was a lot of work, and fairly expensive. It takes time for the dust to settle and I'll have to really assess if the return on my investment was there. I learned a lot and met some amazing people!