Fig. 2 Design Studio

What to bring to NSS as an exhibitor

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

Updated NSS Deadlines

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

Word to the Wise :: E vs. A

I'm not sure if all this lovely spring weather is clouding everyone's head lately, but I've been getting loads of emails lately with a very common spelling mistake. Many are from people who are in the paper business, so I thought I would re-post one of my most popular posts... a little spelling tip from yours truly!

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Remember Wordly Wise from seventh grade English class? Mrs. Eagan would be so proud to know that after all these years I am dedicating this lovely post to her.

It's painful to see stationery designers misspelling the word that best describes what they do, but it’s not just my fellow stationer’s, it happens to appear quite a bit, and I shake my head each time. So for all of you out there, still never sure, I’m going to pass along my crazy learning tip.

Stationery with an e is the paper kind. Paper has an er at the end of it, just as stationery does. Stationary with an a is the parked kind, as in your car is sitting parked at a red light. Parked has an ar just as stationary does.