One of the biggest questions I get about wholesale is whether you need to do a trade show in order to grow your business.
The short answer is, no, you don’t need to do a trade show. But exhibiting at a trade show does have certain advantages when it comes to sharing your wholesale business, as I share in this video:
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Whether you’re look to grow your wholesale business through trade shows, store outreach, or a combination of many strategies, my class Sell Your Products to Retailers can help you get there!
Thank you for sharing that information. I have a dedicated wholesale line as well, and have never done a trade show. I visited “acre” a few years ago to get a feel of how the whole thing works, but have not committed yet.
Thank you for sharing your experience and how it has worked for you.
Wonderful information.
-Katy
Some great points made. My business goal for this year is to get into doing more wholesale. These posts are priceless. Thank you once again!
Megan,
We’ve been investigating Wholesale Shows and what we are finding is that the applications require a list/volume sold amount for at least 5 wholesale customers. To date we have one (also 2 local gallery/consignments). Any suggestions?
Sarah
By the way, we are redoing our website and have new logo.
I have been wrestling with the idea of doing a trade show – thank you for your tips!
there are a couple of ways you can participate in a trade show too– whether you are purchasing a booth space, being a sponsor for the show, or walking with the floor with samples, kits, order forms and whatever you might need to help that sell go better.
I think it’s all about making connections with others too– you are a person to the buyer now and it is easier to contact them later via email and phone because you already ‘know’ them.
thanks for the great video. love them all.
Wholesale tradeshows is one of the best investment for my business!
If you are new to wholesale or growing your wholesale business ~ start small and do your research on which shows would work for your products.
As always Megan did a great job on this video!
Great post Megan – you raise some really good points in favour of doing trade shows.
One of the goals for my jewellery business in 2012 is to do wholesale. I recently priced a couple of Wholesale Gift Fairs & Jewellery Trade Shows here in Australia & was blown away by how much it was going to cost to participate as a stall holder. Just over $2000 for a basic booth (shell only). Then there’s the fit out costs, travel & accomodation etc…
Any ideas how you over come the fear & reconcile the costs of doing a show versus what you expect to get out of it?
Regards
Mel
This comment is a reply to Megan, you said you were concerned that the application wants you to list 5 companies that buy your work wholesale. My reccomendation is to call that show and talk to someone there about your concerns. I worked for the Buyers Market of American Craft and I was happy to give artists advice. It’s likely that they’ll say the two wholesale accounts you have are fine.
As part of my job I wanted to make sure the artists that came to the show were prepared and part of that preparation to me anyway was advertising. Wholesale shows are exhausting to walk through as a buyer. I’d say ‘we get the buyers to the door of the show, you need to get the buyers to your booth’ and that’s were advertising in the show catalog or other magazines is important.
I’d also reccomend when doing a wholesale show reading all of the literature the show sends you. You want to be well informed and well prepared for success.
Megan,
I just finished reading your ebook and you hit on every question/goal that I am experiencing in the attempt to grow my business. I am transitioning my line of Judaic art and I’m ready to GO BIG!!! I just need the guidance and confidence to take me there. Your book was so helpful and I am considering your services to hold my hand through the process. If you think I have a product that can make me a nice little living, I’d love your input and any advice.
PS…Love your work and love the new hairstyle!!!
Sincerely,
Marsha Anderson
Hi Megan, after talking to Tara I”ve been thinking about doing appying to the Buyers Market show in Philly. I purchased your ebook on wholesale, but still have a few questions. I create one a kind scarves, so I’m still a little bit unsure as to how to approach the line sheet, create the catalog and what samples to take. What I”m thinking is to have my work in 2 or 3 different price points, and use that for the line sheet. Then in the catalog demonstrate scarves that fall into the different price points. What do you think?
Thank you
Nice blog here! Also your website loads up very fast! What host are
you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my
site loaded up as fast as yours lol