August 28th, 2010
What I Learned from my First Trade Show…
Published in: Advice, Etsy, Personal, Store
A couple weekends ago I participated in my first trade show. It was a smaller trade show of approximately 30 vendors and was targeted at ‘mompreneurs’. I have always thought about the idea of showcasing my art in a trade show but have been put off in the past by the expensive price tag on the tables alone! The show I participated in was put on by two amazing organizers that did it all non-profit. This allowed for a very reasonable table cost and therefore allowed me to test the waters of trade showing!
I was one of the last vendors to sign up only a couple weeks before the show, so I had to scramble to get my presentation together. I decided to hold a contest for 2 framed prints and also sell a selection of my ready-to-frame art prints at the table. I also brought along some wholesale documents for any retail stores interested in carrying my prints.
Some things I did that were useful:
1. By holding a competition, I was able to attract people to my table and give them the option to sign up to email updates. This allowed me to make new contacts and add people to my email list.
2. I added a ‘Buy 2, Get 1 Free’ coupon in each customer’s goody bag in order to attract them to my site for a potential purchase.
3. I brought LOTS of business cards and offered them to anyone who visited my table.
What I would do next time:
1. I should have printed more quantity of my most popular prints. I sold my three bestsellers right at the beginning of the show and therefore no one else was able to see them.
2. I should have brought a printed list of my full catalog of prints available so customers can see all available designs.
3. I also should have printed a large banner for my table! I thought very carefully of how I would set up the surface of the table, but forgot about the front side.
4. Nex time, I should bring a lunch! The restaurant didn’t serve lunch until 1:30pm and I was HUNGRY!
SUMMARY
Overall the show went well but I’m not sure I’d do another one at this point in my life. If I had unlimited time, I might not mind but being away from my work for a whole day on the weekend is quite costly in terms of production. With a toddler at home, the evenings and weekends are my prime time to work so unless the show is amazingly successful and I sell a ton of prints and make a ton of contacts, it may not be worth it at this point. I also highly recommend choosing trade shows that would attract the kind of audience interested in your products. I got a lot of great feedback from attendees but a lot of people had no one to buy the prints for! If I were to do another trade show, it’d make sense to do one targeted at moms with babies or small children. I am happy with my overall experience, and was actually awarded one of the top three booths at the show, but will hold off on any other shows for the time being. I enjoy working on my freelance illustration and selling a few prints online here and there from my Etsy store.
If you have any specific questions about trade shows, please feel free to ask in the comments and I’d be happy to try to help!
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Rachelle is a mother of two little boys and works part time as a children's illustrator. Her work can be seen in children's books, greeting cards, craft supplies, children's room decor, and more! Rachelle's art has been featured in various international magazines and websites. Her boys inspire her work tremendously and her husband is her emotional (and technical!) support she needs to make it all happen! 
Congratulations on being voted in the top three at the show! Imagine if you had more time to prepare!
Thanks Sheena! I was completely surprised to win… there were so many amazing mompreneurs there! It was a very flattering award for my first trade show :)
Well done Rachelle – especially in such a short time!
Could you answer a question for me? I’m intrigued by the little white box standing in front of you, it looks like a card holder is it possible to purchase over the net (as it looks just fitting for my daughter’s bedroom!!!) Many, many thanks Gail & Co
Thanks Gail! The little white box is a photo cady from Pottery Barn. I use it at my office desk to organise papers, cards, etc. You can see it online here: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/bedford-accessories
I think Martha Stewart also makes a similar one that I’ve seen at Michaels craft store but I can’t seem to find it online.
Hope this helps!
Yeah, I know what you mean about tradeshows being time consuming and maybe not worth it. Have you thought of going to SURTEX ever? I’m considering it one day (probably not too close to now though, as I also have a toddler at home for those of you who don’t know me). It’s the national stationary show, and has great opportunities for licensing. I’m also considering applying for a travel grant to go… who knows?
I have definitely thought about SURTEX and it seems like a great licensing opportunity. I don’t know if I have enough stuff to license though? Do you have a library of images you’d be able to display for purchase? I’m not really sure what is expected of me at this show.
A travel grant would be awesome! Are you applying for that through Alberta organisations or Canadian? I should look into that too!!