BUY MOM® at AmericasMart - July 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 7:05PM WOW!
Did we ever have a GREAT SHOW at International Gift and Home Furnishings Show at AmericasMart in Atlanta, July 15th - 19th!
I knew something was up when everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, when it came to setting up our booth.
In all my years of experience working tradeshows on both coasts and all points between, I had come to recognize this as a sure sign that something good was about to happen. Coming close to running out of order forms the first day--with visits from some of the biggest retailers in the country asking our BUY MOM exhibitors for samples to be sent to their buying offices after the show--was proof that I was right.
Writing Orders & Taking Names!
Some of the BIG RETAIL BUYERS that came to our booth and requested samples from our exhibitors included:
- BED, BATH & BEYOND
- BUY BUY BABY
- JC PENNEYS
- HALLMARK CORPORATE
- MARRIOTT HOTELS
- YANKEE CANDLE
- LTD COMMODITIES
- PLOW & HEARTH
- HARRIET CARTER
- BUYSEASONS
- AND MORE! Including small retailers across the country in every market segment!
Aly Benson of WhippyClip
But attending the biggest tradeshow in America is about more than writing orders and taking names--as good as that is!
It's about sourcing manufacturers, scouting out permanent showrooms, getting your Press Kit in front of industry media heavy-weights, connecting with domestic and international distributors, attending seminars, and learning priceless lessons about the retail industry from walking the millions of square feet of exhibit space spread over three huge buildings that make up AmericasMart.
One of our exhibitors was singled out for an upcoming feature in the most influential retail industry publication GIFT AND DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES.
Another exhibitor was selected as having one of the Top Ten Best New Items at the show by another industry expert.
How do your measure the success of a show?
Jan of PooDunki
Some of our exhibitors wrote lots of cash orders at the show, while others did not. Still, some of those did not are the ones who connected with the biggest retailers. Or sourced quality manufacturing overseas at a price that would lower retail barriers to entry. Or found a distributor who could help them penetrate massive chains using the connections and successful track record they already had in place.
One thing is certain though--presenting products READY FOR THE SHELVES of major retailers, including well-designed packaging, hang-tags, merchandising, pricing, Sell Sheets and Press Kits, is what set those at the top apart.
The other intangible thing that contributed to the success of our exhibitors was a winning, passionate attitude, and a willingness to work the floor every minute of the show.
Soraya of Glitter My Tattoo With her Niece at The Buckhead Diner
No Quitters, No Criers, No Excuses, No Complainers--especially No Complainers!
At every tradeshow I've ever been at I can always count on hearing complaints from 80% of the exhibitors there, including the following: show traffic is off; it's the worst they've ever seen it; nobody's writing orders; big retailers aren't shopping; the venue is bad and does not compare to other cities.
This show was no exception.
I've heard these exact same complaints every show since 2003--even before the recession hit and the floors were flush with buyers with lots of money. I've always listened to the complainers--even as they complained about the traffic in front of our booth limiting their ability to sell as they did this time--knowing that they were making excuses for their own failures to make the most of the money they spent to attend the show. In your journey to the top you will be confronted with the complainers at every step. You have a choice: complain--or succeed.
They call them "Temporaries" for a reason
I want to clear up some of the myths about tradeshows right now:
- If you're exhibiting in the "Temporary Showrooms" section for more than 2 years, you're doing something wrong.
- If you're going to a tradeshow with the expectation of writing enough "cash or credit" orders to cover the costs of the show, you're setting yourself up for failure.
- If you go to a tradeshow without preparing to fully exploit every opportunity presented there, including press, distributor, manufacturer and representation, you're wasting your money.
- If you spend your money on costly booth designs and furnishings, you will not survive.
- If you don't use the successful foothold you gained from exhbiting to launch yourself into big retailers across the country as quickly as you can, you will run out of money and miss your opportunity to do so.
- If you're not ready to take advantage of an offer from a big retailer to put your product on shelves across the country because you haven't intelligently worked out manufacturing, pricing, merchandising, EDI logistics, capitalization and marketing--they will never ask you again.
What's it take to succeed?
Why was our booth busier than the rest? Why did buyers from so many big retailers visit us to ask for samples to be sent to their buying offices after the show? Because we worked every angle:
- We advertised in The Market Magazine, mailed out to 200,000 retail buyers 6 weeks before the show.
- We printed and distributed a stunning BUY MOM CATALOG to thousands at the show.
- We paid to have our catalog posted on AmericasMart Virtual Storefront, where 110,000 retail buyers come to shop each month.
- We vetted and responded to 100's of wholesale inquiries from our BUY MOM WEBSITE, before, during and after the show.
- We handled most of the agonizing and complicated logistics of booth display, set-up, electrical, lighting, furnishings, signage, forms, and more, so our exhibitors could focus on one thing: SELLING.
- Our exhibitors worked hard to get ready to BREAK DOWN THE DOORS OF BIG RETAIL!
Channels of distribution are keys to the millionaire kingdom
All of the exhibitors who joined BUY MOM in July at AmericasMart were LAUNCHING THEIR PRODUCTS for the first-time. Most of them are already well on their way into big box retail.
Is it your turn to join us in January 2012? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE. But hurry. Limited spots remain.
Reader Comments (1)
I love the Atlanta show. Sounds like it was a great show. Congrats to all.
I am planning to exhibit in January, but in a different section. The booths in building 3 seem dark and claustrophobic to me.