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June 18, 2010
As part of my plan for The Color Connoisseur, and in preparation for 2011's National Stationery Show, I wanted to kick things off with a few interviews. Over the next several days, I'll be posting some great Q + A sessions with 3 exhibitors from this year's NSS plus interviews with a rep and a buyer.
So to kick things off, please welcome Susan Connor from SUSYJACK* and HEYSUSY*.
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Susan Connor, the talented designer.
One of the highlights of my experience as an attendee at the National Stationery Show this year, was meeting Susan Connor of SUSYJACK*. I have long admired her work, perhaps because her company is similar to mine in terms of bold colors and graphic modern designs, but at the same time she clearly has her own signature style.
A couple of years ago, Susy posted an amazing two part series of NSS tips and her experiences as a first time exhibitor on her blog, HEY SUSY*and I knew I had to meet and thank her in person. To me she embodies what a professional stationery business owner should be: honest and true to her passion coupled with good business sense. I certainly need to work more on the business sense… the passion is there but sometimes there’s so much passion that it blinds the business side for me. But I’m learning!
My all-time favorite, the SUSYJACK* calendar. Image courtesy of SUSYJACK*.
Anyway, I've been keeping tabs on Susy for a few years and am most impressed by how cohesive her lines are. Her sense of color and her clean designs were showcased beautifully in her booth and I found her advice and perspective to be most refreshing.
Lucky for me, she had some time where we could chat and I could get her thoughts. Susy also gave me great encouragement, which I was so flattered by. I’ll admit she is probably what has most inspired me to truly commit to exhibiting next year.
The SUSYJACK* whimsical line of notepads :: reminder and shopping... coming soon!
Here's the interview:
Claudia :: You mentioned you are excited about your new note pads. As designers, we draw inspiration from all over, what inspired your note pads?
Susy :: I am always inspired by ideas that are a little bit funny, but open-ended. So I was really happy with them, since their design was so simple and fun. Another thing that inspires me is the idea of being organized without being "organized"... we all have our own systems that work...I'm a highly visual person, so a bright pad with a picture of a bag on it is going to remind me what's on my grocery list!
SUSYJACK* offers two size notebooks :: desk and demi. Images on the right courtesy of SUSYJACK*
Claudia :: This was your 3rd year exhibiting at NSS. How has being a part of NSS contributed to your business?
Susy :: NSS is an important show, because it gives you, as a stationery/paper designer, the chance to truly connect with your retailers and audience. Also, NSS is a big commitment financially and emotionally, and that is widely known to attendees as well as vendors. Making that commitment - especially reliably, year after year, is the way I show my retailers and customers that I am still here, still working hard, and still interested in meeting with them, chatting, socializing, and hearing about what they are doing.
A great tip I learned from Susy during our chat in her booth :: learn how to show your merchandise! After seeing her pencil cups being overlooked for 2 days, she decided to stack them on her shelf and add pencils... voila!. Image courtesy of SUSYJACK*
Claudia :: Kudos to you! I see you posting regularly on your blog; plus you Tweet and have a Facebook page that you continually update, all while designing and running your business. How has social media affected your experience at NSS?
Susy :: Thank you. It is hard and time consuming to blog and run a product business. I'm not going to lie. But, I write my blog because I love fun products, and I love the idea of people creating their own style - being inspired, and doing their own thing. So, I try and put my vote out for that attitude in my posting. It also gives me the chance to position my own product adjacent to other products that are along the same lines...in the same spirit. Writing my blog has been invaluable, and it keeps me on my toes. Twitter and FB are other ways I let people know about what I'm up to, and connect with others interested in similar things. Those connections are incredible, and they really create a lot of opportunities for me and my collection.
SUSYJACK* notecards and cartlettes. Bottom images courtesy of SUSYJACK*
Claudia :: What is the best part and what is the worst part (besides tired feet!) about exhibiting at NSS?
Susy :: You knew I was going to say feet!!!!! How did you know? haha
Seriously, the best part is the encouragement and enthusiasm from retailers, press, fellow designers, and sales representatives who take the time to come to the show. It's like fuel, when you are running your own business. It definitely helps to give me the drive to keep pushing on with my line, and my design style.
The worst thing...hm. I'd say the crash at the end. It's totally exhausting. It can be scary to get attention for 4 days straight, then, you get back to the studio and try to do your administrative work. It can be hard to find the mental wherewithal to write cogent thank you's, enter orders, or even look at your products. But somehow, you do it!
Can't wait for these coin banks to be available for purchase at the online shop. Maybe the "seed money" or the "bright ideas" to save up for exhibiting next year? Left image courtesy of SUSYJACK*
Claudia :: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
Susy :: I have two pieces of advice. Just my personal opinion, but...
1. *Do not* unhealthfully obsess over your booth. Make it nice but remember, it only has to do two things: Stand for 4 days and show off your products. It does not have to be a tiny retail store or a miniature home fit for Architectural Digest. It is a display. *Do* unhealthfully obsess over your products. Retailers are there to order your products, not your booth.
2. You don't need a huge line to start off with. Just a few strong products. The more products you have, the more keeping that inventory will cost you. So edit your offer, and only show what you feel hangs together as a collection and shows a true point of view. You may not get a lot of orders your first show...but if you have a tight collection, and if you go back the next year, you'll probably see people coming back for more of what they liked the first time! Be patient with yourself, and take your own point of view as a designer seriously.
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Thanks so much for your time Susy! I look forward to seeing you next year and keeping up with all things SUSYJACK*. Your pep talk at the show has definitely motivated me!
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Posted by Flavia
Friday, June 18, 2010 at 12:53 pm
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June 15, 2010
Eleven months. Seems like an eternity, doesn't it? But these days time flies and 11 months from today the Fig. 2 Design Studio will be heading over to the Javits Center to begin our first day as an exhibitor at the National Stationery Show.
Here's my plan, at least as it stands now:
T - 11 MONTHS :: June 15-July 14 : brainstorming + researching
T - 10 MONTHS :: July 15-August 14 : re-designing + tweaking of existing wedding collections {Fresh + Felicity}
T - 09 MONTHS:: August 15-September 14 : offset printing for revised designs in Fresh + Felicity collections
T - 08 MONTHS :: September 15-October 14 : assembly of wedding collection albums
T - 07 MONTHS :: October 15-November 14 : design additional product line
T - 06 MONTHS :: November 15-December 14 : printing of additional product line
T - 05 MONTHS :: December 15-January 14 : design packaging for additional product line
T - 04 MONTHS :: January 15-February 14 : design + print catalog
T - 03 MONTHS :: February 15-March 14 : booth design
T - 02 MONTHS :: March 15-April 14 : print + design marketing materials
T - 01 MONTH :: April 15-May 14 : not sure yet... most likely loose sleep, eat bad take-out + over think everything I just mentioned
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June 30, 2010
For our last and final inter view, I can’t say I saved the best for last, because all the interviewees have been so gracious in answering my questions and being cheerful participants; but at the end of the day, the goal of being an exhibitor at a show like NSS is to make connections with buyers. The media coverage and new connections with other designers are great benefits of exhibiting, but you are there to impress buyers with your products hoping they will pick up your line.
Julie Johnston from Fluff Paper in Denver is a buyer I had the opportunity to meet in person while at NSS. She recently opened her very own brick and mortar shop so I was excited to hear what she thought of this year’s show from a buyer’s perspective.
The images below are all lines that Fluff Paper is proud to carry on line and in their shop.
Please help me welcome Julie!
Fluff Paper in Denver. Photos courtesy of Fluff Paper.
Claudia :: You carry a variety of designers, each with their own unique style. What are you drawn to as a buyer vs. as a consumer (new exhibitors, booth design, buzz, etc.)? What do you look for when scouring NSS?
Julie :: I'm looking for something different, something that stands out - not more of the same. The only way I can compete with other stores is to have something that's truly different, something they can't get from different places. I'm not carrying them yet, but I love Spark's invitation and stationery albums just because they stand out. They have unique designs, not just another variation on chinoiserie or vintage flower illustrations or grey everything or whatever the trend of the moment is, and it made me genuinely excited to finally see their albums in person. I want the things that will be the next trend, because if everyone is doing something, that thing is nearing "played out" status. I love it when artists have a unique and distinctive voice. For example, Rifle Paper Company - their work pops up on wedding or stationery blogs and you know it's theirs before you get to the credits. I also look for variety within lines. There are some lines I love but I can get a large enough order together to meet the manufacturer's opening minimum, so I look elsewhere. If there's enough variation for me to get a good-sized order - plenty of holidays covered, plenty of blanks cards, and maybe some gift items - then I'm happy. And, of course, I look at MSRP. Letterpress and screen printing and more labor-intensive means of production are becoming more common so the general public is learning more about them, but it's still a tough sell sometimes when a very plain, simple card is $4.50 or $5.00 retail because it's letterpressed. *I* certainly appreciate the quality and aesthetic, but consumers are still being educated.
Welcome a little one with a card by Orange Beautiful. Image via Fluff Paper.
Claudia :: I see you on Twitter, and you post on your blog when you are able to... it's tough to keep up with it all, plus you've recently opened a storefront, congratulations! How did social media affect your experience at NSS?
Julie :: Social media has been great for me, because I'm not an outgoing person usually. Things like Twitter and Facebook allow me to connect with peers and manufacturers so when I walk into their booth or meet them for drinks there's no awkward, "Who are you?" moment - there's actually a flash of recognition, and maybe someone remembers I have a cat named Meatwad or I live in Denver or whatever that kernel might be, something that allows us to connect immediately. I just need to get better about blogging; it should be a priority, and instead it's that thing that I kick myself for when I remember at the end of the day that I didn't post anything.
On the heels of our interview with Old Tom Foolery, card by the smart duo. Image via Fluff Paper.
Claudia :: What are 2 things as a buyer you most frequently ask exhibitors?
Julie :: I always ask for catalogs and/or line sheets. I know they're expensive to produce, but I have trouble keeping track of orders as I'm creating them when everything is in a PDF or on a website. I like to site down with the catalogs and make notes and attach page flags, so having the physical information in front of me is important. I also like to find out what their bestsellers are - since I'm a small, independent store, I need to focus my buying on stuff that's going to move off the shelves or that people are responding to. Then I can sprinkle in some new stuff to test the waters with without losing my shirt. Show specials aren't as big a deal to me; I usually take things home to think them over and actually picture where things will fit in the store before I place an order.
Love these patterns by Fin + Roe! Image via Fluff Paper.
Claudia :: What drives your decision to carry a particular line in your shop?
Julie :: If I would buy it, I would carry it - heck, I opened a store because I love to buy all this stuff. There are some lines I feel a connection with immediately - usually either because it's funny and well-written or because there's an uncommon artistry to it. Anyone can put a scroll and some type on a card - I'm drawn to reinterpreting those elements in new and interesting ways. There are other factors too - like the bigger a brand gets, the less likely I am to carry it. I just don't want to compete with bigger stores; I'd rather be a specialty niche. And if I am looking in your booth and you're on your computer or not engaging me, it's the difference between me coming in and checking out your line and me moving on down the aisle. Being somewhat shy, I need that engagement to feel like I can come in. So me carrying your line can sometimes have nothing to do with what it actually looks like.
Just a sampling of the papers from Pink Paislee that Fluff carries. Images via Fluff Paper.
Claudia :: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
Julie :: It's such a little thing, but - put your booth number on the walls! I do a lot of pre-planning before the show and make a list of my must-see booths, so often as I'm walking the show I'm looking for a number and not necessarily a name and I get frustrated when I can't find someone. The smart exhibitors are the ones who put the booth number on the edge of their side walls so people can see it when walking down the aisles.
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Thanks so much for your time Julie! Great advice and perspective, especially for a newbie like me. I'm looking forward to seeing you again next year and keeping up with your adventures as a shop owner!
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Posted by lori (aka: marzi)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 03:55 pm
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June 22, 2010
As you can see, I’m in grammar mode these days, so it seemed only natural that I would follow the well received stationery vs. stationary post with that of Lauren Weinblatt and Joel Gryniewski of Old Tom Foolery.
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Lauren and Joel posing for their mug shot.
Old Tom Foolery is not your typical stationery company- they don’t have cute little cards in different shapes and sizes that come in a variety of colors that are full of illustrations, or scrolls, or whatever their “graphic element” would be. Instead, they are canny and slick and use the most wonderful and simple graphic element of all: type!
In 2008, they launched Old Tom Foolery’s first line of "unsappy, uncrappy" greeting cards, The Footnotes Collection.
Don’t you wish you could have given that high school crush this card? If he didn’t love you, at the very least you would have gotten credit for the quick-witted card. Image courtesy of Old Tom Foolery.
This year, they debuted a new line, The Headlines Collection which did not disappoint. Just as unsappy as the Footnote Collection, this series is snarky and witty just the same.
How many times could you have used this one in your life? Image courtesy of Old Tom Foolery.
As straightforward as their lines, Old Tom Foolery’s booth design at the Stationery Show was perfectly in line with their “unsappy” product offering, but had the Old Tom Foolery touch. Lauren and Joel brought with them a Polaroid camera along with a few cut out moustaches taped to wooden sticks and invited guests to be photographed with the moustaches for their Wall O’Fools. So clever and fun!
That's me posing for my mugshot. Note to self :: not a bad way to remember all the people that walk into your booth, sometimes business cards don’t come facial recognition software! Photo by Old Tom Foolery.
I was lucky to catch them in a few minutes of downtime between visitors for a brief chat.
Here’s what they had to share:
The Typestache poster designed by Tor Weeks for Old Tom Foolery, for sale here. Image courtesy of Old Tom Foolery.
Claudia :: You mentioned you are most excited about your Typestache poster, which features moustaches in a variety of fonts ranging from Helvetica, to Gotham, and Filosofia; Helvetica being one of those Love It or Hate It fonts designers love to chat about. Where do you stand on Helvetica as a font? What typestache best fits your personality?
Lauren :: We are fans of Helvetica. A good, solid straightforward typeface for straightforward types of pieces. I think the typestache that fits me best is Mr. Oxford. And for Joel I'm going to go ahead and say he's probably a Mr. Copperplate.
Claudia :: This was your 3rd year exhibiting at NSS. How did this year compare to your first year in terms of preparing for the show? Was it easier because you had the experience or was it more difficult because you are more established now?
Lauren :: Every year has become less stressful and more fun for us at the NSS. We're learning what works and what doesn't and now we look forward to seeing people there. It's great to catch up with other manufacturers and also to connect with the buyers who keep us in business. And it's always exciting to meet the people whose work or stores you've seen and become fans of. Bloggers and other press people are always fun to chat with too.
Another great way to create buzz at the show: tote bags!
Claudia :: Social Media is all the craze now. I see you posting regularly on your blog; plus you Tweet, post to Facebook and are planning your wedding (congrats!), all while designing and running your business. How did social media affect your experience at NSS?
Lauren :: Social media has made it so much easier to have a dialogue with stores and other manufacturers. It give us bits of information about our buyers and a peek into their stores which is always great to start conversations and get a sense for what their stores are like. The better your relationship with a buyer, the more likely they will continue to support your business.
I also love searching for #stationeryshow or #nss on Twitter around the NSS to see who is going to be there and what their products or stores are like.
Image courtesy of Old Tom Foolery.
Claudia :: What is the best part and what is the worst part about exhibiting at NSS?
Lauren :: The best part is the exposure. It's such a great way to put your company out there and meet the buyers you need to grow your business while also meeting other great people in the industry.
The worst part is just the prep time and expense that goes into planning the show. While it's been getting easier every year, it always seems like there are lots of things that end up needing to happen last-minute and that can be stressful.
The Footnotes Collection as displayed at NSS.
Claudia :: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
Lauren :: We've been so impressed by how genuinely nice and supportive everyone in this industry has been. My advice is to not be afraid to ask questions. Whatever you might be stuck on in the planning process, whether it's lighting, shelves, shipping, or anything else, it seems that stationery people are always willing to help out. We've all been there before and know how stressful the first show can be.
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Thanks so much to both of you for your time! I hope to see you next year and look forward to keeping up with all things Old Tom Foolery.
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June 25, 2010
For the last designer interview, I chose Liz Libré of Linda & Harriett known for her pattern designs :: fresh and colorful and full of personality!
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The talented Liz Libré of Linda & Harriett.
Right before the National Stationery Show, Liz posted an entry on her blog letting her followers know that she had re-evaluated what direction Linda & Harriett would take in the future. For years, Liz had worked with brides one on one, designing custom invitation suites, mainly with her signature rubber stamp designs. Although I was taken by surprise by her honesty in the re-evaluation of Linda & Harriett’s future, I was inspired by her thought process and felt comfort in knowing I wasn’t the only one battling with what I really want for my business. Reading Liz’s post really inspired me as I walked through NSS. It meant a lot to have the chance to meet Liz in person and thank her for the refreshing post. Lucky for Liz, her re-evaluation came at the perfect time as she and her husband are expecting their first child in a few months!
I had seen her posts in the past regarding her booth designs, but this year was by far my favorite! Top image by Fig. 2, others courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
As some of you may know, Linda & Harriett’s calendars have a great recycling element to them. The back of each month is a post card! So once the month is up, just trim the bottom off and you’ve got a fun postcard to send, or in my case save because it’s too nice to send! This year, Liz’s booth had vintage post cards (found on e-Bay) framing the booth walls and interspersed she placed a few of her own designs. They stood out beautifully against all the handwritten cards in the background.
Being a type lover, I am always intrigued by hand lettering and Liz's is so charming! Images courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
I was so glad to meet Liz. She is just as nice in person as she seems on her blog. Being the gracious booth exhibitor she is, she was more than happy to answer a few questions and chat with me about her plans for Linda & Harriett. Some great things are happening, so let’s welcome Liz!
The Birthday Calendar is available online at the L&H shop. Images courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
Claudia :: You mentioned you are excited about your birthday calendar, inspired by the fact you and your husband have 18 nephews and nieces! As designers, we draw inspiration from all over, what inspires your work on a daily basis?
Liz ::Well, I wish I were creating on a daily basis. But as a primarily one-woman show, I inevitably have to fill some days with invoicing, shipping, email, and just general upkeep. With my new direction of monthly projects, I'm doing more idea-thinking these days - What product do I want to introduce? What materials do I want to work with? Can I come up with something that isn't currently out there or do it better than what is? When I'm thinking about these questions, new projects & coming up with ideas, I feel the most inspired when I've got a clear head, when I'm not in front of a computer, when I don't have a long list of to-dos staring me down, when I can be alone with a notebook & pen and fill it with ideas - big & small, good & bad. When the ideas can flow freely on the page without judgement, that feels good. And then the act of creating & fleshing out those ideas has to be just as free - letting them take form & seeing what happens.
Linda & Harriet will continue to work with brides one on one. Images courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
Claudia :: This was your 4th year exhibiting at NSS. A post on your blog right before NSS 2010 talks about how you've come to really focus on why you set out to do what you love and decided to pull back quite a bit on what you offer wholesale. I'm excited about your monthly limited edition projects. Any sneak peak news you'd like to share?
Liz :: Even though I've pulled back on wholesale, it was a good show for me. My monthly projects will likely tend towards paper for now - but look out for textile & possibly wood projects early next year.
Image by Fig. 2.
Claudia :: How do you manage everything? I see you posting regularly on your blog, plus you Tweet and have a baby on the way (congrats!), all while designing and running your business. How did social media affect your experience at NSS?
Liz ::Social media has increasingly made the NSS more exciting. It started with blogs a few years ago and this year (since I was new to Twitter over the past year) I felt like there was a definite buzz surrounding the show. People were sharing photos directly from the booths, planning times to meet up, tweeting what booths were must-sees. There was a real energy in the air that felt great to be a part of.
The 2011 Calendar will be available in August. Order soon, they sold out quickly last year! Bottom left image by Fig. 2, all others courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
Claudia :: What is the best part and what is the worst part about exhibiting at NSS?
Liz ::The best part of exhibiting at the NSS is catching up with & meeting people - fellow exhibitors & designers, new shop owners, magazine editors, bloggers. I love that part the most, but it's also exhausting. I don't talk that much on a daily basis or have to be that "on," so I'm totally tapped out by the end of the day; especially this year being pregnant. That was a whole new level of tired for me:) Other drags about the show can be the costs. I luckily live nearby & am able to store & reuse materials year after year. But I think the exposure & experience of showing outweighs those costs.
Photo courtesy of Linda & Harriett.
Claudia :: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
Liz ::My advice for a first time exhibitor would come in a few parts.
For set up, try to do so early if you can, so if you need anything last minute, you'll have time. I find the set up pretty tiring, so it's nice to give yourself a little cushion before the big days ahead. Also in terms of set up, if you drive your stuff, you can double park a car/van/truck out front as long as someone is there with it. You'll have to haul the stuff in yourself, but I think it's far easier than having them move you in. (I hope they don't ban me for saying that!)
For booth display, I'd recommend simplifying your space as much as possible. Try to have your products clearly visible (light!) and make sure the eye isn't too distracted. I'm always fighting the urge to fill up the space with stuff (plants, tables, chairs, candy jars), but attendees are going cross-eyed after an hour there, so the simpler & more focused, I think the better.
For things to have on hand, you'll definitely want press packets. The first year we put them in the press packet area, where press can come & grab all the press packets at once. But I think it's better to hold on to them & give them out as you want. That way, you'll have control over who gets them & in turn, you'll get the business cards of those press people to follow up with after the show. Plus, you have the advantage of meeting them in person & talking face to face about your product - more interesting than a press packet on a shelf, don't you think?
Come show time, get lots of rest, wear comfy shoes, and have fun. After the first couple days have passed, have someone man your booth while you walk around & talk to other exhibitors. That's the best part of this show - meeting fellow paper people! So step out of your booth & introduce yourself.
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Thanks so much for your time Liz! I hope to see you next year and will continue to check in with Linda & Harriett for your monthly projects. And thanks again for your pep talk on the blog, it really has inspired me!
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June 28, 2010
Many stationery designers use reps to help their business grow. Their service and expertise is invaluable and I am so honored to have met Carina Murray of Crow and Canary while at the National Stationery Show. Carina represents a variety of stationery lines along the west coast and acts as a liaison between designers and buyers. She loves the paper business and is dedicated to the designers she represents. She travels constantly along the west coast meeting designers and buyers alike. After meeting her for drinks during the NSS I followed up with her feeling this interview would be most helpful to me as I start to really dive into every aspect of preparing for the show.
The following images represent just a brief assortment of the lines represented by Crow and Canary.
Please welcome Carina!
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Red Cap Cards is based in Beverly Hills, California. The illustration show here is by the talented Bianca Gomez. Image courtesy of Red Cap Cards.
Claudia :: You represent a variety of designers, each with their own unique style. What are you drawn to as a rep vs. as a consumer? What do you look for when scouring NSS?
Carina :: I do tend to focus on picking up lines that have a distinctive aesthetic and design voice. When representing 25+ lines, it's important that they stand out from one another. Although I'm definitely a bit charmed by booth design and media buzz, I try to not to let those things influence me too much. Overall, I'm looking for originality, organization and collections large enough to pique my buyer’s interest. If I am considering a line, but find it has too many similarities to a line I currently represent, I would absolutely pass on it. It's important that I don't bring on lines that directly compete with designs that are already represented in my collection.
Gilah Press is semi-local to Fig. 2! The Baltimore based company, represented by Crow and Canary, offers letterpressed goods, including a line of plantable cards. Images courtesy of Gilah Press.
Claudia :: In the past 6-9 months, I have seen Social Media explode. I was so hesitant to jump on Twitter and start a blog even though I knew it would be a must do at some point. And thanks to Twitter I’ve connected with others like you in the stationery world. I see you posting regularly on your blog and Twitter, all while traveling the west coast doing what you do best. Do you feel social media affected your experience at NSS this year?
Carina :: The show is awfully exciting on it's own, but when you add the pre-show tweets and blog postings it take things to a whole new level! I love the dialogue that social networking creates for NSS. Both Twitter and blogging are perfect platforms to develop camaraderie amongst those attending, creating buzz about your booth, giving followers sneak peeks of new product and the chance to meet industry contacts that you may not otherwise have reached. It's truly an excellent resource for exhibitors, buyers and press. And, I have to admit - it's a bit thrilling to have Twitter and blog friends stop me on the show floor and exclaim, "Oh my goodness, you're Carina from Crow and Canary!"
I once had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Leigh Batnik of Jezebel here in DC and she sent me some samples- some of which I couldn't bear to let go of! Images courtesy of Jezebel.
Claudia :: What are 2 things as a rep you most frequently ask exhibitors?
Carina :: Do you have a printed catalog?
Although, it's not a complete deal breaker, I prefer to work with lines that print catalogs and line sheets. Catalogs don't have to be anything fancy, but it's a vital sales tool for both the designer and rep.
When did your line launch?
If a line that is just debuting launches their product at the show, I'm rather unlikely to pursue representation. There is an evolution process that takes place for most new product lines. Many designers benefit from establishing relationships with retailers directly in the beginning. Feedback from buyers will help guide the product, packaging, and pricing.
The same evening I met Carina in person, I also briefly met Fiona Richards of Cartolina Cards. I was immediately struck by the beautiful vintage illustrations she uses and hope to get my hands on one of her journals! Images courtesy of Carolina Cards.
Claudia :: I noticed a number of booths at the show had signs reading looking for representation. How does a designer best let you know she is interested in being represented?
Carina :: I'm frequently approached by email or phone. Occasionally a designer will mail me a package of samples and a line sheet for consideration. I receive quite a few inquires and do my best to respond to them all. Any of those options work for me.
I'm really into pattern right now, and these from Ink and Paper are beautiful! Images courtesy of Ink and Paper.
Claudia :: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
Carina :: Remember that your product is the most important component of your booth, so make certain that it's well lit. Good lighting attracts buyers to take a closer look and invites press and blog coverage – well-lit items are so much easier to photograph. Have plenty of catalogs, business cards and press kits available- don't be afraid to give out samples of your line to a contact that is genuinely interested. Lastly, don't sweat the small stuff. I've had near nervous breakdowns about carpeting or fresh flowers before exhibiting at gift shows. Although these lovely details are appreciated by many show-goers, they aren't make-or-break components. Your product should be the main attraction in the booth!
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Thank you so much for your time, Carina. Your help has been tremendous in learning more about the rep side of the business and I look forward to seeing you again next year!
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Posted by Fiona Richards
Monday, July 5, 2010 at 12:36 pm
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July 15, 2010
Ten months to go till Fig. 2 Design hits NYC for the National Stationery Show! Last month I laid out the plan for the remaining months until May 2011. First months goal was to brainstorm and research. Check!
Part of the Vintage Cameo suite from The Fresh Collection.
I’ve decided on the pieces I want to re-design this coming month. The Fresh Collection doesn’t have anything I necessarily want to re-design completely, but I am going to offer everything as 2 color, not 3 so there’s some tweaking to the files that needs to be done. I will still show 2 or 3 designs as 3 color, only because I feel strongly there are a few that would benefit from being 3 color (particularly one of my favorites, Vintage Cameo). From The Felicity Collection, there is at least one that I want to completely start over on. I like the combination of colors for Refined Victorian, but the truth is, it’s SO not my style. It’s a little too traditional, and the pattern isn’t fresh enough for what I prefer. I think I was too influenced in thinking of what brides were looking for at the moment, and thanks to some recent feedback, I’ve decided to re-evaluate some of these designs to make them truly fit the Fig. 2 style.
Part of the In Full Bloom suite. It's so fun and happy!
I LOVE the In Full Bloom design and think I’ll move it over to The Fresh Collection and slide Gilded Charm so it works for The Fancy Collection, which means I’ll need to come up with another design to replace it in The Felicity Collection. The Fancy Collection will be the letterpress line. It’s been in the works for a few years, it just needs to be perfected and well studied before I invest in the making of the album.
Close-ups from the Gilded Charm suite :: the Save the Date and Table Number cards.
In addition to a letterpress line of wedding invitations, Fig. 2 will have a new product that is more suitable for everyone. I am still mulling this over… note cards or calendars or both? Do you have another idea? Something you wish someone would make and you haven’t seen yet? Comments, suggestions or thoughts on this are more than welcome! Are you a buyer? A designer? A consumer? I feel I can’t be too informed in this process, so the more info the better.
Stationers… am I crazy for even thinking of doing 2 additional product lines AND the 3 albums, especially if this is my first NSS?
Wish me luck as I go off to tweak and re-design. Hopefully this month-to-month thing works out as planned and I don’t have a complete meltdown come May!
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Posted by nina
Friday, July 16, 2010 at 06:22 am
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August 17, 2010
It’s official! Well, almost.
I submitted my application to NSS for booth space next year and have been assured I will be assigned a space in the 2011 National Stationery Show. We won’t be assigned a booth until the fall, but we are excited to be making this journey a little more official every chance we get!
This month brought about a turning point to the Fig. 2 Design Studio. After countless back and forth’s in my head and aloud to a patient husband and friends, I’ve come to learn what I want for the future of Fig. 2 as I head to the National Stationery Show.
A sneak peek at some new color combinations and designs we're working on.
As you may recall, last month I posted about the re-designing of a few pieces for the Fresh Collection and the Felicity Collection. After some debate and better understanding of NSS buyers and my own goals for Fig. 2, I decided to concentrate on the Fresh Collection for now. Some changes were made, but nothing too drastic. I decided to discontinue Gilded Charm as part of the Fresh Collection and instead brought on In Full Bloom as planned. I still plan to work with most of the designs we created for the Felicity Collection, but they will be part of a letterpress collection. Not sure yet if the letterpress album will be ready in time for the Stationery Show, but we are on a better focused track now.
We’ve been working like crazy these last few weeks in finalizing all the files to send to the printer. It’s very exciting to see it all come full circle and the best part is we are also preparing some extra goodies! We’ve designed some gift tags and note cards, all which will be for sale later this year.
Can’t wait to share some of the new color combinations with you!
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September 15, 2010
I am so excited about today's progress post!
Everyone loves a delivery, and I am no exception. I get so excited when the delivery man for the printer I am working with shows up at the door. It's like Christmas every few weeks here at the studio. I rip open the box and shriek with delight to see my fun designs in print. I hope this feeling of excitement never goes away. Maybe i just need to get out more often.
It's probably a good thing I am by myself most days here. My old interns desk is now piling up with boxes until I start putting together the album for NSS.
So I thought I would share a peek at some of the printed goodies that have arrived in the last few week. See the ink swatches? That's when my handy dandy Accucut comes into play. I had to order special custom die, but it will be well worth all the time I am going to save. I'm not an Accucut junkie yet. Take one look at their catalog and if you're really crafty, you might loose all the money you have. I have been really good at only buying the practical things I need- mainly envelope liners, belly bands, and gift tags. But boy is it a time saver!
I also wanted to share a tiny sneak peek at two Fresh Collection suites that have been either completely redesigned or seriously tweaked and improved. I'm so excited about them and can't wait to see an entire album come together.
Last month I hinted that I would think about making progress on a letterpress collection. While we were in California, Paul and I discussed the benefits of moving forward with a letterpress collection at length (he's so patient with my craziness!) and all it took was one phone call to convince me it was a must. No more thinking about it! So I've reached out to a few people who are engaged to see if they're interested in a special offer and most said yes (there's one person I haven't heard back from). It's going to be really exciting.
Some of you may wonder why the hesitations, but if you're a creative person, you can probably relate to this poster (via Twitter from Karyna at Paper Squid).
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Posted by louisa
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 02:22 pm
Posted by Karyna {Paper Squid}
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 09:28 pm
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October 13, 2010
Biggest news this month was that we received the welcome package from the National Stationery Show! It was like getting into college all over again with the big envelope filled with papers to sign, marketing information, a welcome letter and of course a schedule regarding payments. It felt so much more official and exciting to see it in person, especially with a floor plan of the booths. Looks like the Fig. 2 Design Studio is set for booth #1442. Though it may not be the corner booth we requested (those are all taken), we are next to a corner and we're happy with that! Hopefully we'll get lots of visitors :)
Back in June, I posted my 11 month-to-month count down. A few things have changed as I've made progress, but I think that is only to be expected. I am so proud to have committed to this big step for Fig. 2 and I am very happy with all the progress that I've made so far. It's so exciting when the printer comes every week with a new set of freshly printed designs and to see it all coming together makes me quite proud.
Here's an update on the plan (in lavender):
T - 11 MONTHS :: June 15-July 14 : brainstorming + researching. CHECK!
T - 10 MONTHS :: July 15-August 14 : re-designing + tweaking of existing wedding collections {Fresh + Felicity} CHECK!
T - 09 MONTHS:: August 15-September 14 : offset printing for revised designs in Fresh +Felicity collections. CHECK!
T - 08 MONTHS :: September 15-October 14 : assembly of wedding collection albums. Still in progress.
T - 07 MONTHS :: October 15-November 14 : design additional product line. Instead of a product line, we are designing new letterpress suites.
T - 06 MONTHS :: November 15-December 14 : printing of additional product line. Still the plan!
T - 05 MONTHS :: December 15-January 14 : design packaging for additional product line. Assembly of letterpress album.
T - 04 MONTHS :: January 15-February 14 : design + print catalog. Not so sure we'll need a catalog, but we will need a price sheet and other marketing materials.
T - 03 MONTHS :: February 15-March 14 : booth design. Still the plan, an exciting part for sure!
T - 02 MONTHS :: March 15-April 14 : print + design marketing materials. More marketing!
T - 01 MONTH :: April 15-May 14 : not sure yet... most likely loose sleep, eat bad take-out + over think everything I just mentioned. Who knows!
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November 29, 2010
Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving weekend! I know I did.
Sorry for the lack of posts last week, but after 7 months of construction, you can imagine all the cleaning that needed to be done. This year was our turn to host so even more reason for the neurotic cleaning machines we became and all the cooking and prepping, etc. No ode to color this week, instead the posts will be a little random, but there's lots to catch up on. I'll have updated photos from the construction and updates from the studio this week to share. Hope you'll stay tuned!
You may have noticed I didn't post my National Stationery Show update earlier this month. It was mainly because I was awaiting official confirmation. We are so excited that our wish has been granted and we are now the proud tenants of a for NSS 2011!
Corner booths get more traffic, so we are even more excited with the location change. The Fig. 2 Design Studio will now be in booth 1547 and surrounded by some great companies, so we hope lots of great people will stop by. Honestly, I'll be thrilled when anyone stops by.
Speaking of thrills, here's a sneak peek at our beyond fantabulous and gorgeous albums. It was like Christmas the day they arrived. Two huge boxes, perfectly wrapped and with the most colorful and beautiful eye candy inside. To say I was giddy is a serious understatement. Aren't they just divine?
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Monday, November 29, 2010 at 07:26 am
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December 15, 2010
This month has been really busy with various projects coming to a close for the end of the year, but in terms of Stationery Show prep, it's been more insightful than any other month. The closer I get to NSS, the more excited I get. But I'm also starting to get nervous which I think is only natural, but there's a lot of "what if..." going through my head!
Nerd alert :: Seeing Fig. 2 Design Studio listed as a 2011 exhibitor on the Stationery Show website was pretty exciting.
The Fig. 2 storage room.
As I mentioned last month, all of the Fig. 2 Design wedding suites have been printed and are ready for album assembly. In the past few weeks, as I looked at the two collections I realized that I needed some help in figuring out a few things. Joy, of Oh Joy, recently tweeted that she was offering a discount for a limited time on her Rx services. Joy is a blogger who I admire for her fun posts and good design sense and since she has experience as an exhibitor at The National Stationery Show, I decided to gift myself an hour consultation with her.
Thanks to Joy's insight, I've decided to split the collections into traditional (using pretty feminine colors and motifs) vs. unique (using bold colors and completely original art). The reason I originally designed them this way to learn more about brides in various parts of the country... different parts of the country have different aesthetic. I'm really looking forward to seeing what ends up getting the best response at NSS and from brides!
More storage...
The best part of talking with Joy was discussing the issue I keep going back and forth on... product line or no product line? I've felt for some time that a product line would be helpful in gaining more than just shops that carry wedding invitations, but at the same time I felt it was another big expense and more work than I could take on. After all, I've put so much work, time and money into the two bridal collections that it seemed like another project to take on. Joy suggested taking a few of my note card designs and offering a handful as wholesale which will in turn open another market for me and will draw more people to my booth.
So, to all the readers who have chimed in, and for those that wish to chime in now, tell me... what are you looking for in a set of notecards? Note- these are not greeting cards, they are a boxed set of cards. Folded or Flat? Letterpress or flat printing? Any sort of message on the card (Hello! Thank you! Thinking of You...) or do you prefer just a simple design?
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Posted by katrina
Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 01:09 pm
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January 17, 2011
It's time for my favorite monthly post... an NSS update and this month will have a 2 part update, so be sure to check back in on Wednesday for Part 2!
I've made it into the new year which means only FOUR moths to go till The National Stationery Show. Eeeek! Part of that is excitement, but about 40% is panic. Four months, which means 16 weeks. Do you know what that means? It means that time is going to fly by and in the midst of these next 16 weeks, I will be on 2 quarterly assignments which keep me out of my studio for a week and a half at a time. So in Claudia terms, 16 weeks really means 13. It's funny when I started all this planning I thought I would have the last month to just relax and take it easy. Maybe get a little vacation in before heading up to NYC. Yeah... I'll get back to you on that one.
photo by Flavia Scalzitti.
Anyway, good news! My goal for the last month was to design the packaging for my additional product line. I didn't do anything super complex, I just kept it simple so that the designs would be easily seen. As part of the design process I also designed envelope liners and I LOVE them! I am so excited about them that I will be offering them as an option in the wedding albums too. I think they work really well with a lot of the designs without being too matchy-matchy.
Be sure to check in Wednesday for another NSS update for the month!
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January 18, 2011
With all the designing and re-designing, I've held off the printing and formatting of the front of the albums until now. You would think it is the easiest part of the process, after all it is a list of typefaces, colors, papers, ribbons, and prices. But truth be told, it is more complicated than I initially thought.
Being quite the color lover has affected the number of colors I want to offer brides. I narrowed down the color spectrum to 45 ink colors for offset and 20 of those will be available for letterpress as well. Figuring out how to offset print these chips took a good brainstorming session. With the printers help, I decided to try and print each offset design in a different color combination and then run a strip of color chips along the side. So with each delivery came a pretty set of color strips which I then had to custom order a die so that I could cut as many as possible at once. In the next month or so I will be sitting down to a stream of chick flick movies as I adhere double sided tape to each chip. It will be time consuming, but it really is the best solution.
The second part in the production of the color spectrum took some creative thinking. I spent a lot of time coming up with the perfect name for each color. i wanted the names to sound fresh and I wanted the names to really evoke the color. As they say "a rose by any other name is not a rose" so for me, a bright citrus orange had to be tangerine and nothing else. I want to taste the color when I see it, whereas with with colors like hydrangea and orchid I want to smell it when I think of it.
I'll be pulling from my color spectrum soon for my ode to color each week and sharing some of the designs in my two collections with readers. Stay tuned!
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February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
In exactly 3 months from tomorrow, I'll be standing up straight and tall in my booth, a nervous wreck. Hopefully not too nervous though... I’ve been hinting at some great National Stationery Show features and updates and now that we are just a few months away from the show, I am really excited to share some great interviews with you. This week, in addition to my monthly update, I have an interview with an experienced exhibitor and a buyer very familiar with the show.
First up, is Katie from Kelp Designs where she creates eco-friendly stationery in bold colors and classic patterns. This year will be Katie's third year as an exhibitor at NSS so she has lots of great tips and retrospective to share with us newbies. Best of all, this is not the only time she'll be sharing first hand exhibitor info. Read on to find out more...
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Welcome Katie!
Claudia :: How nervous were you that first day of your first time as an exhibitor?
Katie :: Super nervous, but mostly because our booth ended up being nothing what we had planed at home. On the last day of set-up our first year, we were told that we couldn't use the recycled cardboard shelving that we had built because we didn't have the proper paper work showing that the cardboard had been fireproofed at the manufacturer. Our plan B at that point was a trip to Ikea for some easy assembly shelving. Not ideal for representing our brand, but better than an empty booth!
I was also nervous because I didn't know what people would ask or how my cards would be received.
Claudia :: Did you set up a "practice booth" at home?
Katie :: My sister (an architect) has designed my booth the last two years and we are in the process of working on the 2011 booth now. Each year we've done mini-models and sketches to scale, but ever a full practice booth. This has been a really helpful exercise in making sure spacing and layout work for the size of the booth. And, it has been helpful in expediting set up at the show -- no one has to make decisions as to where everything should go.
Claudia :: Did you know what to expect from buyers? Had you been to the show before?
Katie :: My first year exhibiting at the National Stationery Show was the first time I had attended it, although I had been to several tradeshows for my day-job and had an idea as to what I was getting into. In terms of what to expect from buyers at NSS specifically, I did a lot of research before the first show about what to expect, what types of questions to be ready to answer and the types of things I'd need to bring. I read a lot of blogs, spoke with veterans and took advantage of some of the first timer programs that NSS offered.
Claudia :: How early did you start letting buyers know you would be exhibiting and what booth you would be at?
Katie :: First year : sent out promotional postcards about a month in advance. Also used social media, but I was new to twitter and was nervous about being too self-promotional. Added our booth number to our twitter profile & participated in twitter discussions. Took advantage of some of the NSS pre-show marketing opportunities.
Second year : sent out promotional postcards 6 weeks prior to retailers and contacted some folks about setting up appointments. Also used twitter & facebook to get the word out. Reached out to stationery media contacts I had met the prior year to be included in NSS issues.
I think the earlier you start, the better. There is a lot of competition at the show and it can be overwhelming for both attendees and exhibitors. Make sure people know where and how to find you and make sure to display your booth number prominently at the show.
images c/o kelp designs.
Claudia :: What is the best way to get buyers and media to your booth? Are you using traditional media such as pre-show advertising (post cards, etc.) or are you letting people know via social media such as Twitter and FB? What have you found is the most effective?
Katie :: Think there is no 'best way'. I think you need to be authentic and proactive about reaching out to retailers and media. Know your product and why buyers would benefit from buying it. Different tactics work for different manufacturers.
Claudia :: What are the top three questions you get from buyers?
Katie :: How long have you been in business? What is your minimum order (meaning dollar amount)? Tell me about your products.
Claudia :: What did you learn after your first time that you wish you had known beforehand?
Katie :: I wish I had more thoroughly and carefully considered my pricing before my first show. Too high and you price yourself out of the game, too low and you can't make a profit.
Claudia :: What is your best advice to a first timer?
Katie :: Number of orders should not be the only measure of success when exhibiting at the National Stationery Show. The exposure for your company, instant feedback on your products and the networking opportunities with retailers, sales reps and other designers is invaluable.
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Exciting News!!!! Katie is putting together a wonderful program for all new NSS exhibitors. NSS Tradeshow Bootcamp! If you are interested in signing up, you can do so right here. Even better news? Katie is offering one lucky winner a seat to all 4 seminars! For more information, please visit Perideau Designs or follow Tradeshow Bootcamp on Twitter.
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February 16, 2011
The stationery community is full of wonderful people, willing to lend a helping hand whenever they can. I have been overwhelmed at the generosity of people who are helping with my National Stationery Show prep interviews and our interviewee today is no exception!
Today I am especially honored to have Chandra Greer of GREER Chicago answering questions to our buyer interview. I met Chandra on Twitter but have been hearing about her for as long as I've been in the stationery business. A few blogs I read have mentioned her kindness and many of my Twitter friends have said the same. As much as I hoped she'd be open to being interviewed, I never expected her to answer all the questions I had; but she generously has and I am happy to share Part 1 of our interview with her this morning. This first part is all about preparation, from advertising to booth design to product. Stay tuned for Part 2 this afternoon which will cover what to expect at show!
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Welcome Chandra!
Claudia :: How early should exhibitors start to advertise and promote their booth?
Chandra :: I think mid-April is perfect timing; 30 or so days out.
Claudia :: What forms of advertising do you feel work best to learn about a new exhibitor at NSS?
Chandra :: Number one for me is direct mail -- the more creative the better. However, creativity shouldn't get in the way of clearly communicating who the company is, what they offer, their business contact information and what booth they'll be in. Oh, and by the way, I'm a stationer so a physical, mailed piece is ALWAYS going to have more impact on me, especially if it's killer.
Claudia :: Does social media buzz encourage you to visit a booth at the show?
Chandra :: For me, social media is a huge influence particularly for new exhibitors. If I become familiar and engaged with a company via Twitter, for example, I feel like I "know" them and they become as important a stop during the show as companies I currently do business with.
Aren't these little cards GREER calls Civilettes wonderful! Chandra's mission is to "spread civility throughout the land" which I love! Image c/o GREER.
Claudia :: What draws you into the booth of a company you are not familiar with?
Chandra :: The design of the booth is definitely paramount, especially for me because I'm looking for the best-designed lines at the show and those lines usually have the best-designed booths. I want it to be clean and well-organized but I'm looking for that creative twist that stops me in the aisle. I'm always searching for the next new, creative thing so a unique booth design is key.
I think standing -- key word standing -- in your booth with a smile or pleasant expression is important; it's welcoming and that's going to draw me into your booth.
Claudia :: On a personal note… I have 2 wedding albums to exhibit and have toyed with the idea of showing a small selection of note cards. Is this a good way for a first timer to start establishing relationships with vendors? What do you look for in a small collection of note-cards?
Chandra :: I think if you're a wedding album exhibitor it's always nice to have a little something for those of us who aren't as heavily involved in that end. If your main focus is wedding, I think you could get away with a little boxed note card collection; I would say 12-16 designs would be quite sufficient.
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Thank you Chandra!
Remember to check back in this afternoon for Part 2 of our interview with Chandra. She has some great insight to share regarding what to expect from buyers at the show!
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Posted by Adelie
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 12:52 am
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February 17, 2011
As promised, here is Part 2 of our interview with Chandra of GREER Chicago. She's sharing some really great insight from a buyers perspective in preparation for The National Stationery Show, so be sure to take notes!
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image c/o of GREER.
Claudia :: What are the top 3 questions you ask an exhibitor?
Chandra :: I like to know how long they've been around. I like to know what their "story" is; how they got into stationery design, where they're from, etc. We like to hear these stories and our customers do, too. And I really want to know how long I'll have to wait for my order!
Claudia :: What forms of payment do you prefer an exhibitor to accept?
Chandra :: Personally, I'm a big fan of credit card payment. I would pay all my invoices by credit card if I could because it's easier and I like the miles!
Claudia :: How much do “show specials” influence your decision to place an order with a new company?
Chandra :: Show specials are good. They provide a little extra incentive to order at the show. I would say they are definitely influential.
Claudia :: What types of take-aways do you find to be the best for newbies?
Chandra :: I like product samples a lot. They serve a dual purpose. First of all, I'm very visual and always thinking about how a designer's line will integrate into my store so it's a tangible way to help me make those decisions. Also, I'm particular about quality but there's an overwhelming amount of visual information at the show and sometimes it's difficult to recall paper and printing quality; samples are, obviously, the best way to represent that. Also, it always surprises me when exhibitors don't have line sheets. If I don't order at the show, a line sheet is going to help me remember and review a line. And make sure, if you have a wholesale website that it's fully updated and ready-to-go by the show. Again, if I don't have a complete, comprehensive and easy way to see your line it's a roadblock between me and an order. In terms of "swag," personally, I'm not one who feels the need for it but I bet many of my fellow retailers would beg to differ!
Claudia :: What is something you wish exhibitors did more of?
Chandra :: Please...walk me through your line! Standing in front of a wall, trying to digest an entire range without the benefit of a guided tour can be daunting. The less I have to figure out for myself, the better! Remember, buyers are walking through dozens, hundreds of booths and a logical, brief yet comprehensive review is very helpful. Not all buyers want this, of course, but exhibitors should learn to be adept at who wants the full show and who doesn't. I also wish some exhibitors would demonstrate more enthusiasm. GREER puts a lot into supporting our companies and I want to work with those who, through their attitude, show me they would value and nurture our business relationship. At minimum, please stand up and do your best to smile when a buyer walks into a booth. It's a small show of respect that can pay big dividends. I also wish exhibitors would do more homework. I've had companies who've sent me exuberant messages pre-show that they can't wait to show me their line and then when I walk into the booth they have no idea who GREER is. Exhibitors should know at least the top 100 players in the stationery industry, at minimum the top 5 or so in each major market. Finally, I always think a freshly-shaken dry martini after 5pm is an excellent way to get and hold my attention...I'm kidding! (sort of)
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Thank you again, Chandra. We truly appreciate you sharing your time and insight with us. We'll have that martini ready for you anytime!
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Posted by Julie
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 12:13 pm
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February 18, 2011
My excitement for today's post is undeniable. Three months till the National Stationery Show!
This week was a bit of a roller coaster. At times I felt over whelmed and intimidated about the show. Interviewing Chandra of Greer Chicago and Katie of Kelp Designs definitely made me feel more prepared mentally. Having their insight has been invaluable. But at the same time there were moments of self doubt... what if no one buys an album? What if they think everything is too expensive? What if I don't make any of this money back? Paul's answer to the last one was "if nothing else, it's good market research." I don't think anyone really pays that much for market research, but he has a point. If nothing else, I’ll come out of it a more educated designer and with a better understanding of the business itself.
Needless to say, I can't go into these next three months thinking like that. I love what I do for a living and I love my designs. There's really not one I'm not excited to show at NSS (Booth 1547!) and share with everyone online very soon (all new website is in the works!) So thank goodness for two awesome days at the studio this week which made me think, market-shmarket! Someone out there will love this stuff as much as I do.
Sneak peek from day one of the photo shoot! Vicki (right) and I (left) hanging cute little banners. Photos by Mary Kate McKenna.
My highlight of the week was the start of the big photo shoot. Hands down, best money I've spent (I know, I say that every month at update time)! Photographer, Mary Kate McKenna and stylist Vicki Grafton of My Simple Details "got me" right away. Plus they are really nice and that never hurts when you're spending the whole day on your feet setting up and taking down. These ladies rocked it! I can't believe that at one point I even contemplated doing it myself to save money. It may look easy to do, but I'm telling you... it takes talented people who really know their stuff to pull it off and there's no way my new photos would look this great if it weren't for Mary Kate and Vicki.
This month's update goes out to you four ladies: Katie, Chandra, Mary Kate and Vicki. Thank you for your time and your talents, and for helping me feel more and more prepared!
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March 18, 2011
As promised, another thing I've learned in the last 9 months as I prepare for NSS...
Today's lesson : Education is key.
The National Stationery Show puts together a series of webinars specifically aimed at new exhibitors. So far, I've attended all of them and they've covered social media tips, booth logistics, visual merchandising, sales, and working with reps. They've been very helpful since they include images, resources, and a Q&A session at the end. If you're friendly with a rep on Twitter or FB, use that to your advantage and ask questions. I asked Carina of Crow and Canary to guide me a little in what reps do for designers and chatting with her was very insightful for me and helped prepare my questions a bit more for the NSS webinar. That's another thing, most people in this industry want to help others so make sure that if you take a little, give back a little too.
You've seen me mention Tradeshow Bootcamp here. If you're considering doing any sort of trade show, weather it's NSS or one of the gift fairs, sign up! This series is run by people who have exhibited in the past, so they can answer all sorts of questions. They's done tons of research and can save you loads of time just by giving you a few tips. We've only had two seminars so far, but it's truthfully been incredibly helpful as I prepare.
Partaking in all these seminars is an investment of your time and money, but it's given me more peace of mind. You can never stop learning, so soak it in!
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March 15, 2011
Just two months left to go until The National Stationery Show and I am in full home-stretch mode. As I mentioned on Friday, one of the biggest lessons I've learned is to ask for help. It is impossible to get this all done myself with the time I have left, so I am thrilled to have 2 special helpers : one to help with my catalog, line sheet, and labels and another to help with the new website.
According to my timeline, I am supposed to be designing and printing my marketing materials this last month, and since the press kit and catalog are part of that, that means I am partially on track! I'll also be doing some inventory, finalizing my pricing, and figuring out booth logistics (we're setting up a dummy booth this weekend).
I love this photo! It's from the photo shoot Mary Kate McKenna shot and it includes photos from my family, mainly my parents wedding. 1: My mom was so chic! She thought she was "too old to wear a pouf dress" so she opted for a simple white suit. 2: Meanwhile, as Paul has said, my dad looked like he was in the mafia. 3: My maternal grandparents on their wedding day made the society pages. My grandmother and her sister (4) got married on the same day at the same time, in matching veils and bouquets. My grandfather looks quite dashing in his morning suit!
This week I am going to share a number of things I've learned in the last 9 months as I prepare for NSS.
Today's lesson : Hook yourself up with an Excel savvy person.
It comes in handy to have a husband in finance who is just as savvy in Excel as I am in Illustrator. For weeks I was figuring out my pricing by doing all these calculations the lame way- paper, pen, and a calculator. Then Paul created a serious spreadsheet for Fig. 2 and all I have to do is change the blue numbers (yes he color coded for me!) and voila! all the tables I need are at my disposal: my total cost (COP : Cash Out of Pocket), my cost per card and my cost per set of 6, plus the wholesale and retail versions of these. He made fancy formulas to break everything down by envelope vendor, ink type, number of inks, and printing method. It's a lifesaver.
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March 28, 2011
I am thrilled to welcome our next NSS prep guest. Please welcome Nole Garey, editor of the well known and beautifully curated Oh So Beautiful Paper blog. Nole is also co-editor of the wonderful United With Love blog which caters to DC area couples. Nole has attended the National Stationery Show numerous times and was recently a panelist on Tradeshow Bootcamp (hence the little delay- there was some overlap, so we waited for Boothcamp members to hear her answers there first).
This coming month is crucial to NSS prep. There's lots to do and advertising your presence at the show is one of them. Read on to hear some of Nole's tips!
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Sweet Letter Press booth at NSS 2010. Photo credit: Oh So Beautiful Paper
Claudia :: As a blogger, what type of advertising pre-NSS works best for you? Do you like traditional media such as post card advertisements, or do you prefer emails?
Nole :: I actually prefer to receive something in the mail, but it’s also okay to just e-mail us without the mailer. I don't necessarily need all of the pre-show information that a retailer would want, like specials and discounts that you plan to offer at the show. A simple postcard or invitation that reflects your branding and contains your booth number and maybe a website url is totally sufficient. Like all other correspondence, personalized mailers will have the most meaningful impact. If you can, include a personalized note along with the invitation/mailer. And remember, always use our real names in personalized correspondence, not our blog names.
Claudia :: How early should exhibitors start to advertise and promote their booths to the media?
Nole :: Probably somewhere around 2-3 weeks; early enough that I'm not scrambling to put my booth list together, but not so early that it gets lost somewhere in my apartment.
Two Trick Pony booth at NSS 2010. Photo credit: Oh So Beautiful Paper.
Claudia :: How do you narrow down what booths to showcase on your blog? Do you have a handful on your list that you come to the show knowing you want to visit? Do you simply walk the show and stop in as many as you can, and then narrow it down afterwards?
Nole :: I walk the entire show, every aisle on the floor. Some I know that I want to visit, particularly returning exhibitors, but I walk each aisle to make sure that I don't miss something new (although inevitably I do end up missing someone each year – not sure how that happens!). With the hundreds of exhibitor booths, I probably only really cover around 10 - 20% of the total exhibitors and I pass by many, many booths as I'm walking the show. The biggest thing is to catch my attention as I'm walking the show aisles, and the best way to do that is through a cohesive and well-branded booth design.
Claudia :: If you receive NSS advertising from a new exhibitor that you are unfamiliar with, what attracts you to stop at their booth? Is it the design of the promotion? Is it based on research you do pre-show (looking at their site, their blog, twitter feed etc)? Is it based on social media buzz?
Nole :: If I receive something in the mail, then the design of the promotional piece is definitely the first impression. If the mailer is well-designed or if the exhibitor reaches out via e-mail, then I'll visit the website to check out the rest of the portfolio, including a blog if the company has one. Social media doesn't really come into play other than helping to give me a sense of the exhibitor's personality and approach to design.
Saima Says Design booth at NSS 2010. Photo credit: Oh So Beautiful Paper.
Claudia :: What draws you into the booth of a company you are not familiar with? Is it the design of the booth? Is it a product display that catches your eye? Is it someone standing at the edge of the booth greeting everyone who walks by?
Nole :: I know this probably seems like a given for most designers, but the #1 most important thing in getting me to step into your booth is to make sure that all of your promotional and exhibitor materials – from pre-show mailers to your actual NSS booth design – are cohesive and well-branded, meaning a coherent color palette, clear sign with your business name and logo, good lighting, and booth styling.
Your booth design should be an extension and reflection of your branding, whether that’s a minimalist white presentation or lots of color. I usually recommend keeping product display roughly from hip-to-eye level and caution against putting too much stuff up on the walls, which can be visually overwhelming. Shelves and table displays can be great depending on the size of your booth and the amount of product you're planning to bring to the show.
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Thank you so much for your input, Nole! Can't wait to see some of the booths you visit this year!
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April 22, 2011
A month from today, I'll be heading back home from New York!
It may seem normal to have little melt-downs every now and then, but whining about it isn't going to make things better. So here's to the new motto for my last month of preparation for the National Stationery Show... More Warrior, Less Worrier. Thank you, Chandra for that one!
So from now on, I am back to my old self, excited about all that NSS will offer Fig. 2. It's been a tremendous process to get to this point, but I've learned so much about myself as a person and as a designer. That's a whole other post and one I frankly don't have time to write at the moment, but it's been very rewarding. I had no idea I had it in me to take this venture on, but I'm happy I've done it.
If the Ace Hotel were closer to the Javits Center, I would have booked our stay there. Image by Original Manufacturing Company.
A few people have suggested I write a book about the experience; but alas, that is not in my plan (...yet!). I will however, be putting together a post-show series sometime in June. I never had the chance to post my monthly update last week, so here we go!
As you may recall, I was supposed to be relaxing the next few weeks. News flash: I'm not sitting on the beach in the Bahamas. Instead I am putting together (with the help of some seriously great people) my catalog, website, and a final photo shoot, all while trying to figure out all the shipping, labels, electrical plans, etc. I'm not going to lie, it's overwhelming, but I always say I am up for a challenge. Next year I won't have to worry about half the issues I faced this year. Carpet, furniture, and lighting can all be re-used year after year. Plus the mysteries of shipping, setting up, break down, etc. won't seem as daunting, so I'll be able to focus even more on product ideas. This brain doesn't quit sometimes.
Did I mention I am trying to to have 10 albums done by the time I leave? That means over 500 color chips need to be glued down. I've made pretty good progress already thanks to the help of my parents!
Don't know how much will be posted in the next few weeks, but I may try to start posting a very brief daily count down starting next week up to the day I leave for NYC. That should be an adventure all in itself. If you want to see progress photos while I am in New York, I encourage you to check us out on Facebook where we'll post some photos throughout set up days and during the show. Lots of Twitter and FB updates to look forward to!
Till then, I'd like to thank everyone who has been so supportive through this whole process. I've made some great friends along the way and am warmed by everyone's encouragement! Hope all who attend will swing by Booth 1547. I'd love to meet you in person!
xoxo
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June 9, 2011
Booth 1547. Shot courtesy of Manny Stone who I ordered my foam core walls from. They even installed them for me which was a huge relief. More details to on booth specifics next week.
It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to post here, but I am happy to say I will be back to my regular blogging schedule next week! As promised, I plan to post a little re-cap of my own. Not so much about the awesome goods other exhibitors had at the National Stationery Show (I had a tough time leaving my booth), but a re-cap of my progress during the show and what I might do differently, what I would do the same, what paid off, and what my plans are for next year. Yup.... already thinking about next year.
For today though, I would like to dedicate this post to everyone who supported my little adventure with taking Fig. 2 to the next level. It was a lot of hard work, but it really did pay off and I am so grateful for everyone's encouragement.
Needless to say, Paul is at the top of the list. He endured all the meltdowns, gave me some great advice, and was a great booth helper. But more than anything he just let me go with it and was sincerely excited about the experience. I think he's more excited than I am about next year!
My mom and Paul doing some handy work. My mom became quite popular for being dressed up for the handy work. A number of people asked her where she was off to next. For the record, this is how she dresses all the time... no pants, just skirts or dresses and her beloved Ferragamo shoes.
My parents were troopers. They came up to NYC and help use setup and and take down the booth. The days of the show, they came by everyday to offer lunch or snacks. Even before the show, they were here helping me put together press kits, samples, run errands, the whole bit just so I could finish up and have time to rest.
I am also truly grateful to all those who stopped by the booth. It's one thing to have your family and friends say, "you're going to do great at the show". It's another to have buyers come in and without hesitation pull things off the shelves so they can place their orders. It's a great sense of validation and it really makes you want to work even harder to keep them happy. Tons of press came by and took photos, posted shots of the booth and products on their blogs, and Fig. 2 received lot of Twitter buzz. It was so exciting to see all the hard work was paying off! I am grateful to all those who took the time to tweet, blog, and place orders! Thank you!
I was most touched by The Color Connoisseur readers who came by and said hello, mentioning they were fans of the blog. I honestly never really wanted to know or cared how many people were reading the blog. Mainly because this was all started for me to have something to answer to. Certainly someone out there was reading my posts and knew about my plan to exhibit so I just had to make sure I stayed on track. But it was so sweet that some of you came by to say hello because of the blog. I do hope that if you're reading this you'll check in again next week for my little re-cap. And please feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions about anything I might be able to answer. I will warn you though.... tomorrow there will be a post about etiquette- things that are OK to do and things that are just plain no-no's.
Thanks again everyone! I'm excited to be back to blogging even though I'll be busy gluing tons of color chips in the coming weeks!
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June 10, 2011
Today, I'm starting my NSS recap with a short set of three do's and don'ts. I'm not looking at this as a negative post... but just another set of things to keep in mind to help you move forward. Either way, a fun post is planned for this afternoon : the anatomy of booth 1547.
The stationery community is a wonderful group, so supportive and happy to help and give advice. As I mentioned a few months ago, Katie from Kelp Designs started Tradeshow Bootcamp. This a great example of the community helping each other. Whether you decide to exhibit or or want to start a stationery business, it's a fabulous resource. Fiona of Cartolina Cards has branched out into consulting. She's been in the business for a number of years and has successfully put her stamp on the industry so she has a lot of great advice. I suggest connecting with people on Twitter. It's been a great resource for me and it's a great tool to meet others who want to learn or can help. However, keep in mind thateveryone has worked hard to get to where they are, so some things are really for you to do your own research.
If you walk the show, be honest and open with others. I attended the show last year and I always asked for permission to enter a booth. Most people have no problem letting you walk around their booth and are even willing to share contact info in case you have questions later on. I even approached a few exhibitors letting them know about the purpose of the blog and they were happy to help with interviews and future questions.
Don't be sketchy, it will only get exhibitors to tweet about your inappropriateness. Yup, that was me. I had 2 sketch scenarios...
Scenario 1: Students asked questions as if they were buyers. Students are given student badges that most wore proudly. Not wearing your badge... not cool.
Scenario 2: Designers. Like the sketch students, they asked the types of questions buyers were asking and even asked for a price sheet and catalog. Not only are you asking for information that you can easily find by doing research online or in stores, but catalogs are pricey to print, so we'd rather keep them for interested buyers.
Hop on Twitter, read blogs, surf the internet and do a little creative Googling. You can find anything on the web these days, so take some time out to do your research. You can't expect to get all the answers in a few days, it takes time, but you'll find what you need.
Asking other stationers who you don't have any relationship with who they use for their printing, what they charge, who they use for specific things is not going to get you very far. We've all paid our dues and have spent a lot of time researching what works best for our businesses. I had a couple of people email me with these questions. I don't think any of these people were intentionally being shady or greedy, so I just explained that I had literally spent years finding the best fits for Fig. 2 so I really didn't feel comfortable giving that information away. I was however happy to help guide them. Overall, do as much research on these topics as you can. If you're stuck, contact a fellow stationer and ask them to guide you. Most will be happy to do so!
Last but not least...
It may seem like a no brainer, but be nice to others. This is not just for newbies looking to get into the business, but for those who have been around a while. If someone asks an inappropriate question, don't humiliate them, the world is tough enough as it is. Some people may just not know better and the truth is we've all been there.
If someone does happen to humiliate you, just think of it as a little reality check. Take your humble pie and don't bash them back. You never know where you'll end up and they may come back to you one day asking for your thoughts on something. Take that as an opportunity to learn and show them what a good person you are.
Don't forget to check back in this afternoon for the anatomy of my booth! And next week, I'll be posting everyday to help make up for the lack of posts in the last few months. We'll kick the week off with a big announcement, so be sure to check in Monday! The rest of the week will consist of things I learned, what I would do the same, what I would do differently and my countdown plan for NSS 2012.
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 07:06 am
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June 11, 2011
At the show, I received tons of questions regarding the furniture, but the question I was asked most often was about the tissue decoration. I should have asked Confetti System for some sort of trade-off. I advertised for them like crazy and probably should have had a stack of their cards to hand out! The colors in the garland were perfect for my booth. Fun and festive indeed!
Top image by Manny Stone. Tissue garland image via Confetti System.
No. 1 :: scoop-back bar stool, West Elm. » No. 2 :: Sawhorse desk : Crate and Barrel outlet » No. 3 :: Tripod table, West Elm » No. 4 :: Ypsilon Sideboard, Crate and Barrel » No. 5 :: Ribba picture ledge, Ikea.
Not pictured is the flooring. The man I spoke to at Manny Stone who provided and installed my walls, tried to sell me the white masonite flooring they provide. Honestly, I was tempted because it looks great, nice, shiny and bright white. But I knew I wanted to be comfortable... I had to stand for three days! So I politely declined, to which he suggested I wear Birkenstocks, Crocs, or running shoes. Clearly, we had not met in person and I couldn't expect him to understand my shoe passion. So instead I opted for off-white FLOR carpet tiles which I lay over white foam tiles. It was quite comfy!
For the decal, I was too chicken to try putting it up myself, especially for my first show. So I went with Compass Signs who coordinated with Manny Stone. All I had to do was provide Manny Stone with a coated Pantone color and send an Illustrator file to Compass complete with measurements for placement. Probably one of the wisest decisions I could have made because not having to worry about walls or decals was a big relief! I'm not going to lie though- it wasn't the most inexpensive option, but I figured peace of mind was worth it. There were so many exhibitors who did so much of it themselves and to them I say kudos! Very admirable, especially to all the first timers!
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Monday, June 13, 2011 at 05:42 am
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June 14, 2011
Photo by Marty Ittner.
Bring yourself.
Don't wear something that isn't you and don't pretend to be someone you're not. That said, don't get so comfortable that you look frumpy or break the ice with off beat humor that doesn't represent you or your line well. I saw people that were trying too hard and it only got them strange looks. Be yourself and that is what people will relate to.
Your A-game.
Know your product. Know the answers to important questions such as pricing, timing, printing techniques, etc. Greet people with a smile, you never know who will walk into your booth! Know how to break the ice and read people. If someone is flipping quickly through your album, they probably aren't too interested or don't want to be bothered. If you greet someone and they just smile, they probably don't want to be bothered, so politely step back and they will come to you with questions. If someone is just taking a peek, try to get them to step inside with a little ice breaker. Recognizing someone from their tag for example goes a long way. When my "wish list" shops came by I was so excited to have them at the booth and it showed. They were just as happy to be there, but remember to be nice to everyone, you never know who will place an order or write about you! One unexpected visitor bought 8 albums!
Shocker... I love Russell + Hazel. They don't carry the Audrey tote anymore, but maybe some creative Googling will help you land one. My friend Lori had one and I thought it was so cute and perfect! They do still carry the Slim Binders which I have quite a few of and LOVE them!
Two Binders.
One for all your order confirmations: your booth contract, lighting orders, wall orders, shipment tracking, etc. You never know... what if your shipment doesn't arrive? What if you ordered lighting and they have no record? You do! So bring it all with you to be safe.
Bring another binder to keep track of all the orders you get at the show. It's imperative you bring this album home every night since people will give you their contact info and credit card information. It would be helpful to get one of those plastic sheets with pockets for business cards. I made notes on the back of every card so that I could remember what they were interested in. It came in very handy when I did my follow up (which I am still doing... it takes a while and not everyone places orders at the show)!
Samples of product.
This may seem obvious, but bring one or two extras of any product you display. You never know when someone with dirty fingers might come by and add a little smudge to one of your lovely cards.
Photo via Nole of Oh So Beautiful Paper.
Business cards.
First of all, I was surprised at how many people who walk the show didn't bring cards with them. It seems obvious to me, but maybe they forgot them at the last minute or ran out. If that's the case, have them write their contact info on a sheet for you so you can touch base afterwards.
In terms of business cards for yourself, bring more than you think you will need. I gave out tons and had a bunch in a bowl on the table at the front of my booth, so people just took them as they walked by.
Order Forms.
I printed waaaaay too many just because it was what I had read on so many blogs and message boards. Initially I printed 200 but I think 50 would have been plenty. But I figure I can use the forms for when people call or email their orders, that way I have a good record of it. I'll let you know what I do for next year depending on what other orders come throughout the year.
Photo via Nole of Oh So Beautiful Paper.
Catalogs.
I thought I had "hid" the catalogs by placing them in a little mailbox on my front table. Well, turns out a lot of people see things in multiples and automatically take them. I don't mind giving out the catalogs, but there were people taking them without leaving a business card, so I ended up having to move them to the cabinet. That way I could be sure that anyone who took a catalog was legitimately interested. Those suckers are expensive to print! I brought along 250 and went through a lot of them but not all, so I include one with every order. My catalog has pages for all the product categories and a few pages with shots of the wedding lines. Be sure to include item numbers and a brief description for easy ordering.
Price Sheets.
Because I had a catalog, I didn't do a line sheet. I simply printed a price sheet separately and inserted it into my catalog. I divided the sheet into sections: albums with sample prices for 4 piece sets, greeting cards by category, boxed sets by category, and gift tags by category. Again, everything had an item number but I also included how they were sold (individually, in a box of 8, a pack of 6, etc.). Be sure to also list your terms and conditions which should include your shipping methods, payment methods you accept, and minimum orders. I'll be doing a post about setting up business accounts through PayPal, Square, etc. because there's lots of little things to learn!
Press Kits.
I brought 48 press kits with me. Each press kit had a wedding sample and a neon card sample, my business card, a short bio, and a catalog and price sheet. The price sheets for press kits are a little different from the price sheets in the booth. Press wants to know retail pricing, not wholesale pricing. Just a note on the press room at the Javits. They have stands where you place your kits. I was only able to place 10 or so on the shelf, the rest had to go into the cabinet in the press room where I was told they re-stock the shelves. Which they do. But if all your press kits aren't gone by the end of the show, they get dumped in the trash. Looks like all of mine were gone because I went through the two bins and didn't see them. I kept about 8 kits in the booth with me just in case anyone came by that didn't get a kit. I think next year I will keep a few more in my booth to be safe.
Give Aways.
Again, people love free stuff and will take multiples. So I decided to only give them out to people who were interested in purchasing, were respectful attendees, (gave a business card, asked for permission to take photos, etc.) or fellow designer friends. I tried to get rid of leftover mailers first and then gave out samples of the neon cards. To those who were students and fellow designers who asked for catalogs, I ended up giving them mailers instead of catalogs. My mailers had a number of photos and described what I offered, so it was like a mini catalog.
I know I had mentioned last week that a big announcement would be made yesterday, but we're still trying to iron out a few details. Don't want to be the one that promises but doesn't deliver. The Fig. 2 online shop will go live very soon! Hopefully this week! Stay tuned here, follow me on Twitter, or check out our Facebook page for the official announcement!
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Monday, December 5, 2011 at 01:50 am
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 06:23 am
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June 15, 2011
I posted a number of interviews when I started the blog last year as well as leading up to this years National Stationery Show. A number of those interviews focused on prepping for the show with questions such as what do most buyers ask? What forms of payment do you prefer? etc.
So today I thought I would sort of interview myself and answer some of the questions I asked in my first round of interviews right after the 2010 show.
As designers, we draw inspiration from all over. What inspired your line?
I am most inspired by color and type. I love them both and am clearly not afraid of color. For example, the Love Naturally suite was inspired by spring colors. I don't know that I could have picked just one color, so I designed it so that each piece was printed in a different color. In terms of how an idea comes about, I would say I am most inspired by my imagination and travels when it came to the wedding lines. I love to travel and when I find a place that I think would be perfect for a wedding, I design a suite around that. For example, my parents absolutely love a town in Virginia called Middleburg and we go quite often especially in the fall. The Vintage Cameo suite was inspired by The Good Stone Inn in Middleburg. When I visited, I thought it would be such a dreamy place for an outdoor wedding.
This was your first year exhibiting at NSS. How has being a part of NSS contributed to your business?
It's a little early to tell what a long term impact it will have on my business, but so far, I would say it was a great experience and certainly got me to a place I am happy with. I had a goal in my head regarding how many albums I wanted to sell at the show, and though I didn't sell 100% of my album goal, having designed a small product line is offsetting that number because I got a lot of orders for those products. Plus, thanks to my interviews and research, I know a lot of people don't order at the show, so all things considering it has been a worth while!
The other aspect is the media coverage. I've said before that I am so humbled and flattered by the press Fig. 2 received. There were a number of bloggers that I admire who came by (and one from afar) that had weren't too familiar with Fig. 2. For them to have taken notice and written about Fig. 2 has been very rewarding so far.
I see you regularly post on your blog, Tweet, and have a Facebook page that you continually update all while designing and running your business. How has social media affected your experience?
In the beginning I was so hesitant to do it all because I thought there was no way I was going to keep up with it or really get much out of it. I was wrong! I did know that if I was going to blog, it was going to have to serve a purpose for me and any readers I had. I LOVE all the blogs out there that document beautiful products, but there are tons who do a wonderful job and I wanted to set myself apart. That's not to say I don't do a little post here and there about fashion or accessories... I do love that aspect! Little did I know The Color Connoisseur would not only keep me on track to my goals at NSS but also attract readers who were interested in something similar whether they were new to a business or seasoned exhibitors and business owners.
Twitter has been an AMAZING resource for me. I recently read this post from Jess of Make Under My Life who summarized what Twitter means to me. It's like high school, so make some friends. Except that for me Twitter is not like high school, it's all the people I wish I went to high school with! I wouldn't say I have gained lots of new clients through Twitter, but I have gained a great group of friends to network with. Thanks to Twitter, I found my photographer Mary Kate McKenna. That in itself was worth joining Twitter! Also, everyone helps each other out. In a crunch to find envelopes in navy blue? Post something on Twitter and within minutes you have followers helping you out. Up late working on getting your catalog out the door? There were a bunch of us keeping each other awake at 3am in the days leading up to the show.
Facebook is where I am not too connected yet. Every time I write a blog post, I post a link on Twitter and then on Facebook. I do get feedback on Facebook and little by little my fan base is growing, but I haven't used it to its full potential. That's one of my goals leading up to NSS 2012!
What is the best part and what is the worst part about exhibiting at NSS?
The best part from a social point of view is meeting everyone in person! I made so many new friends on Twitter... fellow exhibitors and shop owners, so it's fun to meet everyone. It's like a big happy family reunion and I can't wait to see everyone again next year. From an educational and growth standpoint, the best part is getting feedback. There were buyers who weren't afraid to make faces and scoff (be prepared for brutal honesty). But there were buyers who said "Can I be honest with you? These are just a tad high for my store." Others just went for it and ordered what they wanted without blinking. I had done a lot of research and priced my cards so that I could make a little more than 100% profit as I had heard that was always a good thing. I lowered the price just a little so that I could still make 100% profit, but nothing more.
Worst part is the stress. I'm not going to lie. As much as I planned in advance, there were a LOT of late nights and mini meltdowns. "What if" scenarios crept into my head all the time and my nerves got the best of me the day before the show. You know that scene from Wedding Crashers where Bradley Cooper sleeps in the bathroom from being sick? That was me all day Saturday. I had to stay at the hotel while Paul went to finish as much as he could on his own for the booth. Saturday evening I finally made it over there and wrapped things up. I think most of it was due to the unknown. I prepared as much as I possible could. Talked to tons of people in advance and yet I was still a nervous wreck. But when people started flooding the booth and giving good feedback I was in complete peace. It was going to be ok after all!
What is your best piece of advice for a first time exhibitor?
I have 3 tips:
1. Read this blog :) I've tried to document as much as I can about my experience and I think there are a number of useful tips especially in the last few posts. There are also numerous interviews with exhibitors, buyers, reps, etc.
2. Don't rush it. If you're not ready and don't feel 100% thrilled with something, don't waste your money. Save it and exhibit when you are ready. It is a huge financial and emotional investment so make sure you know what you are getting into and know what you want to get out of it.
3. As I said yesterday, be yourself. And i don't mean just in terms of how you present yourself. Be true to your design aesthetic and go with your gut. I knew doing cards in neon might be risky, but I had noticed a number of blogs featuring quite a bit of neon lately, so I knew there would be a market for it. It's certainly not for everyone... a big traditional chain store isn't going to go with neon, but a small independently owned boutique is more likely to see the potential and has the market.
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Posted by Keylon
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 10:55 pm
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June 17, 2011
Yesterday was a hectic day. In between running errands to prepare for a photo shoot, getting a major hair cut (trimmed 14", donated 12" to Locks of Love), and dealing with the US Open traffic here in Maryland, yesterday's planned post didn't quite make it up. But I'm back with another National Stationery Show recap today!
I received some great response to the interview post from Wednesday where I interviewed myself with the same questions I asked other exhibitors last year after attending the show. At that time, I also interviewed a buyer - Julia from Fluff Paper - and in leading up to this years show, I interviewed the truly delightful Chandra Greer of GREER Chicago. I thought I would try answering some of those questions from my perspective as a newbie. Here we go!
What were buyers most drawn to (new exhibitors, booth design, product, buzz)?
It's clear there is a HUGE variety of product at the show, something for everyone. My style is very colorful and festive and I feel people responded well to that. My walls were a bright aqua (which funny enough matched the aisle carpet this year!) which helped me stand out as a corner booth. People said they found out about me from a variety of sources, the majority mentioned: receiving my mailer, some said they saw my work displayed in "Best New Product", others said they saw posts on Oh So Beautiful Paper or Oh Joy. However a number of them stopped because of the product I showcased. I put my favorite designs on the shelves and people responded well. But almost all of them mentioned they really liked seeing something different and colorful.
My tip: set yourself apart, but still be yourself. Copying or being heavily influenced by someone else won't make your product new and different.
How did social media affect your experience at the show?
A number of buyers definitely read design focused blogs. While I certainly had some people mention the two blogs I mentioned earlier, a lot of my post NSS orders have been because of those and other blogs. Many of them also have found me on Twitter and it's been a great way to connect with them. I've seen a lot of people use Twitter in great ways. They might mention a celebratory event in their lives (kids graduating, new shop opening, etc.) or take photos of something new that arrives in their store. I found it to be a great way to find stores that I feel would be a good fit for my product and invitations.
What were some popular questions buyers asked?
Do you have a catalog or line sheet?
Do you have a website?
What are the prices for a suite of 100 invitations in any of the printing methods you offer?
What is the turn around time for invitations?
Where are you based out of?
Are you new to the business or have you exhibited before?
What is your minimum order for product?
What drives a buyer to carry your line?
It's hard to say since I'm not a mind reader, but overall I would say that taste in art is subjective. As i said before, there's something for everyone. I think those who did order, ordered because they genuinely thought the cards would do well in their shop and they were excited about seeing something different.
Of course, not everyone that seemed to like the designs placed orders but I did get some feedback that was really helpful!
Some thought prices were too high (others didn't blink). Others mentioned they had too many wedding albums already and were looking for Mitzvah albums. However, a number of the booth visitors said they didn't buy at the show. Instead they went home, laid everything out and figured out from there what they wanted to order.
What forms of payment did most buyers prefer?
All that placed orders, gave me credit card numbers. I'll be doing another post on practical tips next week, so stay tuned!
How much did your show specials influence buyers?
My show specials included a reduced rate for the albums and no minimums for opening orders. People like show specials, but it's hard to know how much they influenced their decisions. I would say that as a whole, those who ordered product surpassed what my minimum order would have been anyways. Again, be on the lookout out for next weeks series of posts where I share some practical tips and what I might do different and what I would do the same.
What types of give-aways worked?
To those who came by but did not receive a mailer before the show, I gave them a mailer because it had photos of my work and a good introduction to Fig. 2. To those who came by because of the mailer, I offered a neon card sample. Did I mention the posts next week? Yup, be sure you check in!
Originally I had asked Chandra what she wished exhibitors did more of...
I'd like to think I did a good job of walking people through my line, but I'll let buyers be the judge of that. I did take to heart her comments on building relationships. I really tried to connect with as many people as I could. Some were easier to connect with than others and many of those ended up purchasing. It could be something as simple as noticing something we had in common. Just as they want to know about me (your background, where you're from, etc.), I want to learn about them. One couple came over and they were very familiar with Bethesda, down to my neighborhood. It was a great way to connect! Someone from Richmond came by and I mentioned my sister lives there now and I think it's a very charming city. Chatting with them and getting to know them is like a first date!
How early should exhibitors promote their attendance at the show?
Chandra and Nole both said 4-6 weeks prior. Mine of course ended up being this crazy piece that was part letterpress, part digital, and part hand written, so it was a little time consuming! I definitely did not get mine out 4-6 weeks in advance. Mine mailed out at the end of April! But I saw a lot of buyers who tweeted and blogged pretty envelopes around the same time, so maybe others were in the same time frame.
That said, I started promoting earlier by taking Katie's advice of putting my booth number on my Twitter profile. I also mentioned it a few times on my Facebook page, and really just any chance I could, I brought it up.
What types of advertising do you feel work best?
I sent out direct mail and even included a personalized, hand written note. This helped a bit, or so I'd like to think because quite honestly, I must have written 200+ notes and my arm was aching! But being in the stationery business, I personally don't think an email blast wold have cut it.
If you primarily exhibit albums, are additional product lines necessary?
Those of you who have been readers from the beginning, know I toyed with the idea of additional product (not just wedding albums) over and over again. The hesitation was mainly due to the financial investment coupled with the fact that I wasn't too knowledgeable with that market, and honestly it was going to be even more work and was I going to be able to handle it all. Hands down, best thing I could have done. It brought in a lot of traffic that wasn't remotely interested in wedding albums. I think my traffic would have been easily cut in half if I hadn't invested in the boxed sets, greeting cards, and gift tags.
So in case you missed it earlier in this rather long post, be sure to come back next week! I'll have posts on various NSS topics once again including practical tips, what I would do differently vs. the same, and my goals for 2012. Till then, have a great weekend!
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June 22, 2011
I had thought of writing separate posts for practical tips, what I would do the same, and what I would do differently. But in the end it makes more sense to combine them all into one post as they relate to each other. So enough chit chat, here's the scoop.
SHOW SPECIALS
Know how much the special will cost you.
I had heard a lot of people offered free shipping at the show, but I had done enough research to learn shipping can add up quickly. Plus, what if I got a ton of orders? How much cash was that out of my own pocket? So instead I waived the minimum order on the various products and if they ordered an album, it would be at a discounted price.
Give an incentive to buy in bulk.
A few people were a little sticker shocked at the price of the albums and I can somewhat understand. However, I don't think they all realized what went into the assembly. Remember all my crazy ink swatch pages? Those not only take a long time to assemble, but think of the cost of all that adhesive. It adds up pretty quickly. Plus, I don't just include a standard 4 piece invitation set for each suite. Instead each suite showcased 7-9 pieces each. On top of that, I hired calligraphers to show ways to get the most bang for your buck when ordering pieces. Initially, the special was a $50 discount per album with no incentive for buying both albums. After some thinking and talking with buyers, I decided to give an incentive for anyone who bought both albums. Paul kindly sat behind the booth and emailed all who had come by interested in albums to let them know and quite a few came back and purchased both.
Be clear.
I printed my price sheets with the idea that people who didn't buy at the show would need to know what the prices were after mid-May. No issue with that. I do wish I had printed a small card that could be stapled to the price sheet announcing what the show specials were. Instead, I had to write that on each price sheet I handed out. And I am sure there were some I missed.
PRE-SHOW MAILER
Be practical.
Mine got a lot of great feedback, but honestly I wish I had been more practical about it. What was I thinking? Glueing 500 letterpress covers and hand writing personal notes on 200? That was a little nuts. I need to find a way to simplify the process for next year OR at the least start earlier. I crammed all that into 2 days and if it weren't for my mom who came to stuff, stamp, and seal all the envelopes, I would have easily spent 4 days on the mailers alone.
PAYMENTS
Processing Payments.
I was organized and ready to go. I had ordered a Square (to input credit card info manually), set up a PayPal account to receive payments (electronically), and printed all the necessary credit card info onto the order forms. But it's different once you get back and have to start keeping track of inventory. This was something I had not really given much thought to simply because I had always worked on invitations, not actual product. So now it's this whole learning curve... I need to learn how to use Quick Books or some other software to keep track of invoices and inventory. The system I have seems to be working for now, but I have to learn something more practical.
Good math.
I suffered from chubby fingers on a calculator syndrome so I ended up having to send new invoices via PayPal. I would have rather gotten the math right and saved myself the embarrassment. But lesson learned. Either round the numbers, or have a math genius with you. Math + Claudia under pressure = no good.
SHIPPING
Ship as much as you can.
But bring with you any product you need to exhibit. What if your shipment gets lost? What if it gets damaged in shipment? Better safe than sorry. I brought all my product with me, including 4 albums (2 of each collection) which was good, but heavy. So if you are bringing your albums to and from the show everyday, make sure you have an easy way to transport them. Paul bought one of these little two wheeled carts and we just put all 4 albums into a sturdy box and wheeled it home every night. I hope that by next year my locked cabinet will be all set and I can leave them there over night. Those suckers are heavy and it's the last thing you need to deal with when you are sleep deprived, in need of coffee, and especially if it's pouring rain.
HOTEL
Good nights sleep + short walk = perfect.
We stayed at a good hotel, perfectly within walking distance. For some reason it rains like crazy every year at the show and sometimes getting a cab is not easy, so make sure you bring an umbrella and some walking shoes. It may sound like a small thing, but make sure you get a room you can breathe in. I knew being there for a week was meant I wanted to have some room to spread things out in, so a tiny room wasn't going to be the most comfortable for me. Not that I got a suite mind you! Just something with a large comfy bed and enough room for suitcases, boxes, laptops, etc.
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June 27, 2011
I've finally tracked out my goals as I prep for the National Stationery Show, 2012. That's right... no time to waste. And now, even more so than last year, it's important that I stay on track. Not only am I still doing a graphic design projects, but I am also fulfilling orders as they come in, so it will be a challenge to stay on track, but I've learned a few things along the way which will help.
Here's my plan for 2012, based on my experience in preparing for the 2011 show:
T - 11 MONTHS :: June 20-July 20 : brainstorming + researching new product ideas
T - 10 MONTHS :: July 20-August 20 : designing + tweaking of baby collection {has been in the works for some time}
T - 09 MONTHS:: August 20-September 20 : production research for baby collection, begin design of new product lines
T - 08 MONTHS :: September 20-October 20 : print baby collection and begin assembly of albums {read: get a head start on the dreaded color swatch pages}
T - 07 MONTHS :: October 20-November 20 : photograph baby collection
T - 06 MONTHS :: November 20-December 20 : design + tweak additional product lines
T - 05 MONTHS :: December 20-January 20 : print additional product lines
T - 04 MONTHS :: January 20-February 20 : photograph new products
T - 03 MONTHS :: February 20-March 20 : fine tune and organize mailing list, print + design marketing materials, press kit, catalogue.
T - 02 MONTHS :: March 20-April 20 : organize all booth logistics: walls, decals, shipping, etc.
T - 01 MONTH :: April 20-May 20 : I truly hope to relax, but probably will end up printing and designing order forms, price sheets, and making/buying decorations for the booth just like I did this year!
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July 29, 2011
I received a lot of great questions the last two weeks while running the Stationery Show mentorship contest. There were some common questions, so I’ve taken the top three and divided the post up into three parts, one for each question. Answers to questions 2 and 3 will be posted later today so check back in!
That depends. Are you thinking the budget for a booth, or your budget for product development, booth, and hotel and transportation? Both are tough to answer and I can only tell you what my experience was and what I observed from others.
I had a corner booth (8 x 10) so right here I had to pay a premium. By the time I purchased furniture, had the walls and decals done, printed business cards, pre-show marketing, transportation, hotel, shipping, electrical, etc. I was well into 5 figures. But as you can see from my "Anatomy of a Booth" post, I purchased furniture I could use over and over again every year. If you are coming from across the country or don't want to invest much in things you can re-use, I suggest purchasing inexpensive pieces at Ikea, CB2, or Target and leave them there after the show. It sounds wasteful, but I know a few who do it that way and now I understand why–they don't have to worry about storage or shipping, not to mention take down. Because of the furniture I brought to the show, we spent a lot of time assembling and taking down. Not fun... especially after 4 days of being on your feet.
If you don't want to be wasteful and don't have albums, you don'treally need furniture. At the end of the day you are selling a product, not your booth design. Yes, it's lovely to hear someone wants to move in, but if they don't buy your product, it's not really worth all the trouble, is it? One exhibitor across from us taped their cards to fabric that they simply rolled up and walked out with on the last day. No furniture except a tiny fold up table and chair and carpet padding. They were out in 15 minutes, no joke. We were a little jealous. Their booth "interiors" probably cost them $300. I paid that for one of my tables. You do the math.
Splurge on the necessary items such as lighting... bad lighting won't get people in your booth, especially if everyone around you has bright, well-lit booths. In my opinion, splurging on giveaways is less important. What's the one thing you wouldn't leave a booth without... a business card! We're in the paper business so make sure it's a reflection of you. Make it a keepsake.
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July 30, 2011
When I first thought of exhibiting, my initial plan was exhibit with my two wedding albums. But once I decided to offer offset printing, I made the most out of it and printed as much as I could on a press sheet, which lead to my line of note cards and gift tags. I decided if I could offer something more than albums, I would get more traffic to my booth. I didn't have a large selection of note cards or gift tags but they were well executed and went well with my overall aesthetic. If you have a choice between doing 10 different product offerings and 3 product offerings (a variety of 3 different types such as greeting cards, calendars, and note cards) go with just 3 but make them your best. Really think about the packaging, the colors, the message, etc. and how they relate to the rest of your line and your branding.
If you are doing a line of greeting cards and are looking to get representation, my understanding is you'll need about 30 cards. It sounds like a lot but if you do your research and really take the time to think things through and strategize, you'll find the tricks to getting it done in a cohesive yet economical way.
It’s important to know there are no “rules” as to how much you can exhibit and how to do things the “right” way. Do things your way. Yes, there are some guidelines that are common, such as minimum orders, shipping preferences, billing requests, etc. But you’ll learn all of that as you prepare… it’s not as scary as it seems!
And by all means, I can’t stress enough the value of workshops like Tradeshow Bootcamp and the one’s put on by NSS before the show. They are full of great information and I found them all to be really useful.
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July 31, 2011
A few people asked for a checklist in conjunction with a timeline and just a general question of where they should be in order to exhibit in the Spring.
Truth is, there is no right answer. I’ve known companies that decided in February they were going to exhibit. Others, like me, obsessed about it a year in advance. So again, I can only share my experience. Overall they key ingredient is to stay organized. I started last year with a timeline with monthly goals. It worked and kept me on track. Yes, I pulled some serious all nighters, but all in all it was worth it. It could have been much worse, but planning ahead and keeping track was key.
In regards to where you should be now if you plan to exhibit… First and foremost, know your market. Do you have any customers yet? If you are literally starting from scratch- meaning no customers (wholesale, retail, custom, etsy, etc.)- I suggest holding off for two years. Yes, you want to keep the momentum and get to the show so your business can grow, but if you haven’t put yourself out there at all yet, try it. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and your product; and buyers will be more likely to to work with someone who has been around, done the research, and understands the market.
The first step is to decide what you want to exhibit. Again, quality over quantity is key, especially for a first time exhibitor. You only have one chance to make a first impression.
Second is to make a checklist well in advance of everything you need. And I mean everything… from product to shipping, shelving, hotels, clothes, and contracts. The National Stationery Show puts together a checklist with deadlines accessible to all exhibitors. This checklist covers electrical, insurance, foam board, hotels, and shipping, among other things. I suggest taking this checklist and adding the deadlines to your calendar with reminders a day before they are due in case you have questions and need to rethink anything. I then did a separate checklist with everything I needed to do before the show. In typical nerd fashion, I categorized everything into groups and even added things that were already done so I could feel good checking things off. Hey… it’s the little things!
My list was super detailed and dummy proof. If I listed marketing piece it said: design, print, assemble, and mail marketing piece. I had 100 items to cross off, so this is just a sample:
-
Booth
- Carpet
- Electrical,
- Chairs
- Sign
-
Albums
- Swatches
- Liners
- Price Sheet
- Assemble
-
Product
- Trim
- Package
- Item Numbers
-
Other Printed Materials
- Price sheets
- Catalogs
- Order Forms
- Press Kits
-
Marketing
- Business cards
- Marketing piece
- Website
- Photography
-
Miscellaneous
- Badges
- Notes for helper
- Credit card transactions
- Binder for all NSS paperwork
- Toolbox
My third and final tip, is to network. Twitter is a great tool for connecting with fellow exhibitors. I’ve made some great friends before and after the show thanks to Twitter and we all kept each other going. It’s a great community!
But most of all, enjoy the ride! There will be ups and downs, but you’ll have learned so much about yourself by the time you’re done, it’s 100% worth it!
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Posted by Meg G.
Friday, July 29, 2011 at 04:26 pm
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September 6, 2011
don't you love this cool rug? inspired by Matisse, designed by Sonya Winner. image via Contemporist.
That's right future exhibitors! Katie, the founder of Tradeshow Bootcamp (and owner of Kelp Designs) and I are giving away a seat to the very first workshop of the Fall 2011 season!
The topic of the first workshop is "First Timer Perspectives" and yours truly here will be a panelist along with Nicole Bloc (Nic Events), Rich Sherman (J. Ames Art Parlor), and Robyn Wehab (Meant To Be Sent). We'll be sharing our experiences in preparing and participating in our first tradeshows. Some of the topics we'll discuss are lessons learned (what we'd do again / what we'd change), best advice received before the show, toughest challenges, and things we wish we had known ahead of time.
Enter now for your chance to win a seat at this workshop by leaving a comment below with your top questions for the First Timers panel. Winner will be announced on Monday, September 12! And regardles if you win or not, I highly encourgae you to sign up for all the Workshops! It's absolutely a great investment of your time and money because you are hearing from REAL exhibitors, no one is trying to sell you anything except their experience!
*good news to anyone already signed up for this workshop... if you win here, you'll be given a refund for this one workshop (at the rate you paid). so no harm in trying!
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January 16, 2012
If you expected a week full of posts about how you have plenty of time to get ready to exhibit in May at NSS, read someone else's blog because I am not going to sugar coat how I'm feeling. It's officially time to panic. Everyone keeps rolling their eyes at me when I say the show is in May. To them, May is months away. To me, it’s just around the corner and I am definitely freaking out a little; but quietly, no meltdowns (yet).
cupcake image by glorious treats, found via pinterest.
Why am I in panic mode? Because this time last year, I was WAY ahead of the game in preparing for The National Stationery Show. I had all my wedding stationery designed and printed. We were just waiting for all the snow to melt so we could get a photo shoot started.
How did I fall so behind this year? Back in June, I posted all my goals for the 2012 countdown. Thing is, that was before I started the insanity that is album assembly. If you recall, one of my goals was to put together a baby collection. Quite frankly the idea of having to possibly put together 3 types of albums this summer just makes me break out in hives. So I’ve decided to postpone the baby collection.
My albums shipped to retailers in July, so technically I’ve had loads of time. But here's what I didn't expect. It takes just as long to put together wholesale orders that are not wedding album related. We store all the greeting cards, note cards and boxes flat and print labels when needed. Every time we get a wholesale order, we have to pull everything, update inventory, package it (meaning fill all the clear sleeves with folded cards and envelopes and assemble individual boxed sets), fill out the UPS forms, create invoices, etc. To top it off, I like to hand write a note that goes with every order thanking them for their business. So the time put into the entire process adds up.
And that’s just the half of it! Check back in tomorrow and I’ll fill you in on what the other main cause of falling behind has been. Wednesday I’ll post revised goals for the next few months leading up to the show; Thursday I’ll share a calendar for deadlines; and Friday will be a list of a few tips I’ve learned along the way. And each month from now until May, I’ll share NSS related posts everyday for a week. They will include progress posts, tips, etc. So stay tuned. And just because I’m freaking out doesn’t necessarily mean you have to. If you are though, know you’re not alone!
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January 15, 2012
I just realized that I haven't shared my booth number for this years National Stationery Show! Fig. 2 will be in a corner booth again and just like last year, surrounded by companies we admire. Can't wait for the show but the excitement is balanced by little spazz attacks as I realize it's already mid January (when did that happen?)!
Stay tuned for lots of posts this week, including another post this afternoon with some insight onto how things are progressing (or not) and why!
If you're planning to exhibit, I hope you'll leave a comment below with your booth number! Would love to come and say hi!
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January 17, 2012
If you're planning on doing The National Stationery Show for the first time, realize that the work is not over come the end of May. In fact, it's just starting. You'll be bombarded with media requests, emails from retailers, and filling orders waaaay past business hours. In all honesty I was not prepared for the amount of communication the business would require. It's January and I’m finally getting to a point where I’ve learned how to handle some of these issues—namely the amount of emails I receive.
At the beginning, I replied to emails immediately. Now I answer them within 24 hours or less. My saving grace has been to turn off all communication outlets (Twitter, email, Facebook, and even the phone) once a week. It’s incredible the amount of work I get done. I also take advantage of the time when Megan (my awesome assistant) is here. If she’s here I try to get designing done. On the days I turn off email, I check-in twice: once at lunch or mid afternoon, and then again at the end of the day. It’s been a great way for me to focus on what I love about what I do!
I've put together some tips and explanations on how things work. Hope this is helpful!
When a blogger emails asking to interview you for their blog, do your best to reply to them. It may be a blog you are unfamiliar with but you never know who is reading it and will see something that will peak their interest and help spread the word. If you get requests for samples of your work for a shoot they are working on, send them over. Any exposure will help. Most times, bloggers are flexible with their post dates, so always ask first when they need a reply by. Just be aware that often times they send a lot of questions, not just 3 or 4, so even though it is time consuming, it will hopefully be worth it. I was so grateful to be featured on some amazing blogs and it’s definitely brought more traffic to my online shop and from retailers interested in carrying Fig. 2.
Magazines have tight deadlines. They need samples mañana. They want new designs for an editorial designed, printed, and in their office by next week. Maintaining a relationship with the media is crucial. Who doesn't want to see their name and samples of their work in print? I’ve been given some great opportunities in the last few months, some of which I can’t share yet but they were 100% worth it. Magazines don’t pay for your time, printing or even the shipping if they request you design something for an upcoming issue. The trade-off is you get featured in the magazine with a credit line. Think about it… it’s less expensive for you to do something spectacular on your dime than to buy an ad in most publications. Even if they are requesting samples of existing designs, they need them within a day or two as well and it’s not a given that you’ll be featured. But at least someone has you on their radar, so reply immediately and they’ll keep you in mind for the future.
Shop inquiries are probably the most important since they are how you earn a living! Reply as soon as you can, preferably within 24 hours and ask what they are interested in. Always include a copy of your catalog if you know they are a legitimate company (sadly there are “faux shop owners” who are really competitors just trying to get their hands on your prices and product offerings).
All in all, just stay on top of things and remember the Golden Rule. You like to get replies to emails in a timely fashion, so do the same for others. It can be overwhelming and hard to manage at times, but find something that works for you and stick with it!
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Posted by Brannon / Happy Cactus Designs
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 10:17 am
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January 17, 2012
Before I further explain how I got off track in my preparations for NSS 2012, I just wanted to expand on what is expected of you when you ship your products.
If you tell retailers you plan to ship your albums at the end of July, stick to the date as best you can. By the time you get to the show, you've already assembled at least one album so you know what goes into it. They are time consuming and retailers understand they aren't going to ship immediately after the show. But if it's July 27th and you have yet to finish even one album, send your retailers a note with a more realistic delivery date. Same thing goes for other products. Shop owners know that in most cases you don't have a staff of 20 to help with orders, so set their expectations (and yours) realistically.
State your shipping timeline so that the shopper knows when to expect a package. If you haven’t quite worked out a shipping schedule yet, email the shopper letting them know you've received their order and will let them know when their package has shipped.
Make sure you know how to package your product for shipping. There’s nothing more disappointing than getting something that's been damaged in shipment. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to arrive to the buyers in the manner in which they expect it. Perfect. Not with bent corners, not with sloppy labels, not with something missing. Always double-check everything! If by chance something is damaged in shipping, replace it immediately. Don't make them wait. Remember... the customer is always right!
Branding is not just about putting together a great booth and having a nice business card and logo. It's also about how you carry yourself through in the eyes of your customer. You might have an outstanding booth and gorgeous products, but if you delay your shipments for months or ship damaged goods, it might tarnish that pretty image you created.
Check back this afternoon for some insight on media requests.
I have lots more posts this week, but if any of you have questions, please email me or leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer them for February's week of NSS posts. I'm here to help!
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January 20, 2012
Check back often, because I'll update this as often as possible and when it is, I'll keep you posted. I should preface this post by saying that the dates below are key dates for most exhibitors, but there are all sorts of other deadlines that don't pertain to an exhibitor like myself. For example, there's a deadline for ordering a waste basket- something which doesn't interest me. So please know this list does not cover everything! Pay attention the the barage of emails you'll start to get from NSS and vendors!
If you're registered to exhibit this year, you should have received an email with a link to the Set-Up Manual. Review it carefully for all the details regarding set up at Javits.
JANUARY
01.27 // Tradeshow Bootcamp Scholarship Application deadline
02.16 // NSS exhibitor webinars begin
FEBRUARY
02.03 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop early bird discount deadline
02.17 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop in San Francisco
02. 24 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop in Los Angeles
02. 29 // Tradeshow Bootcamp Spring Teleconference Series begins
MARCH
03.27 // NSS Show Directory Ad Space: Reservations deadline
03.27 // Update exhibitor listing in NSS directory (online and print)
APRIL
04.02 // Book Hotel and Travel
04.03 // NSS Show Directory Ad Space: Materials deadline
04.06 // Freeman / Manny Stone Foamwall (early bird special)
04.13 // Show Site Contact Info (submit online)
04.13 // Freeman Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Forms due (if brining in outside labor- need one for each contractor)
04.16 // Submissions due for NSS Best New Product
MAY
05.01 // Exhibitor Badges
05.04 // Freeman early bird deadline for carpet, furniture, installation & dismantling labor
05.05 // Javits: electrical early bird deadline
05.05 // Javits: Booth catering, cleaning, and telecom (early bird deadline)
05.09 // Shipments to Warehouse
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March 22, 2012
I've just updated the NSS deadlines post and grayed out any dates that have passed. The next big deadline is for next Tuesday, March 27th. Hope everyone's prep work is going well!
Check back often, because I'll update this as often as possible and when it is, I'll keep you posted. I should preface this post by saying that the dates below are key dates for most exhibitors, but there are all sorts of other deadlines that don't pertain to an exhibitor like myself. For example, there's a deadline for ordering a waste basket- something which doesn't interest me. So please know this listdoes not cover everything! Pay attention the the barage of emails you'll start to get from NSS and vendors!
If you're registered to exhibit this year, you should have received an email with a link to the Set-Up Manual. Review it carefully for all the details regarding set up at Javits.
JANUARY
01.27 // Tradeshow Bootcamp Scholarship Application deadline
02.16 // NSS exhibitor webinars begin
FEBRUARY
02.03 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop early bird discount deadline
02.17 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop in San Francisco
02. 24 // Tradeshow Bootcamp In-Person Workshop in Los Angeles
02. 29 // Tradeshow Bootcamp Spring Teleconference Series begins
MARCH
03.27 // NSS Show Directory Ad Space: Reservations deadline
03.27 // Update exhibitor listing in NSS directory (online and print)
APRIL
04.02 // Book Hotel and Travel
04.03 // NSS Show Directory Ad Space: Materials deadline
04.06 // Freeman / Manny Stone Foamwall (early bird special)
04.13 // Show Site Contact Info (submit online)
04.13 // Freeman Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Forms due (if brining in outside labor- need one for each contractor)
04.16 // Submissions due for NSS Best New Product
MAY
05.01 // Exhibitor Badges
05.04 // Freeman early bird deadline for carpet, furniture, installation & dismantling labor
05.05 // Javits: electrical early bird deadline
05.05 // Javits: Booth catering, cleaning, and telecom (early bird deadline)
05.09 // Shipments to Warehouse
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May 14, 2012
Well kids, it's the final countdown. So grab yourself a little chocolate, a glass of wine, a bottle of tequila... whatever helps you get through the next few days. But also grab a pen an paper because this is something everyone keeps asking... what should I bring to NSS?
- Bring a binder or folder with all the copies of your paperwork to date. That means your contract with GLM, your order form with Javits for the electrical, orders with whoever does your walls, shipping, decal, etc. Basically anything you ordered, bring a copy.
- Bring another binder or folder to keep track of orders and business cards you collect throughout the day. That folder should go home with you every night. What if some crazy person decides to rummage through your booth while you're still at the hotel sleeping? It's possible... so don't leave any personal or important information in your booth unattended.
- Get yourself a bunch of those plastic pages with the business card pockets. It'll help keep you organized. Plus you can refer to it on the shuttle every morning before you head in so you can refresh your memory. Lots of buyers come by at least twice.
- Someone asked me what to wear. My best advice is bring layers. Sometimes it gets cold, then if you get a lot of traffic or have some serious lighting action, you'll get warm. Wear comfortable shoes. Someone recommended I bring 2 or 3 pairs with me everyday: flats, heels and in between. It's a great suggestion but I didn't do it because I had 4 heavy albums to lug back and forth from the hotel everyday. I wore flats everyday except the last day because I was dressing up my jeans.
- Also in regards to dressing... you don't have to wear a ball gown or a designer outfit. Wear whatever makes you comfortable. Preferably not sweats and flipflops because at the end of the day you are representing your brand and it's the first impression many buyers will get of you. But jeans are perfectly acceptable. Just be yourself, it’s the most compfortable.
- Bring an umbrella and a raincoat. It never fails to rain in NYC during NSS. Fingers crossed we will break that tradition this year.
- Bring snacks, water, and something to do. That doesn't mean you can talk on your cell phone. It means, look busy. Stuff your price sheets into your catalogs, organize your business cards, etc.
- Last but not least, I have a box that sits in the storage room/assembly room that I keep open. Anytime I think of something I need to bring to the show, I just drop it in. Easier than keeping a list. So far it contains the following:
- scissors
- x-acto knife
- every type of tape known to man kind: double sided (adjustable and permanent), velcro tape, washi tape, clear tape, duct tape (mine is neon of course), tape runner refills (for my 3M tape gun and for the mini runners), Zot dots
- paper towels and countertop spray. i like to arrive early and start fresh and clean everyday.
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
- Goo Gone
- fire retardant spray... just in case (I bought mine from Rose Brand)
- thumbtacks of various sizes
- string
- light bulbs
- tape measure
- pencils
- pens
- power strips
- pad of paper for buyers who don't bring business cards (I was surprised how many forgot theirs!)
- tissues
- cell phone charger
- calculator (not from your cell phone!)
- mints
- hand sanitizer
- lotion (because I don't know about you but my hands get dry from touching paper all day)
- Band-aid and Neosporin (This may shock you, but I'm prone to paper cuts)
- Square reader
- stapler and staples
Comments (6)
Posted by robyn
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 07:56 am
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Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:49 am
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Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:25 am
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Monday, May 14, 2012 at 09:18 am
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Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 11:10 pm
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