On Sunday, I walked ICFF, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair with a small group of faculty and students from where I teach. While there, I bumped into Grace Bonney from Design*Sponge. Grace mentioned that she was pretty disappointed with the lack of innovation at this years show. I felt the show was pretty lackluster, considering that a week later, the only things that I remember being excited about were faux scrapwood wallpaper (which I thought would be great to use in my own trade show booth) and that Shapeways is now printing in ceramic.
Grace put together a fantastic video with her thoughts on the show, and it brought up a lot of great questions and discussion. So yesterday I sat down and recorded my own response:
For me, the real discussion centers on two key ideas:
The first is the economics of trade shows. The cost of doing a show like ICFF is prohibitively expensive for a lot of small independent designers. A lot of the discussion has centered around whether or not there is enough return on investment to warrant doing a show like ICFF. But I think the bigger problem isn’t ROI, it’s cash flow. If you spend the money to do the show, will you have enough money to continue running your business while you wait for the payoff from the show?
The second is that I think shows aren’t doing enough to help independent designers transition into more established businesses. Many people mentioned that ICFF could add a section of smaller, more affordable booths just for independent or emerging designers. I think this makes sense from the standpoint of bringing in new, innovative work. It’s a strategy that I’m seeing at a lot of other trade shows. But I think where a lot of shows fall short is helping those who exhibit in this type of scenario transition into the larger show. There’s often a limit to how long you can have one of these booths, and then you’re forced onto the main show floor. But for a lot of designers, one to two years may not be enough time to make the leap to a booth that is two or three times the cost. What can we do after we’ve brought in independent and emerging designers to help them continue to innovate as they make the transition to a “regular” booth at the show?
I believe there will always be a need for trade shows when it comes to the business of buying and selling products. Nothing replaces the experience of seeing an object in person. And nothing replaces building face to face connections with people. Video comes close, but it’s still not the same. It’s the same reason people still go to conferences. Despite all our reliance on technology and social media, we still crave physical connections with people and objects. The business model and logistics that support trade shows may need to change, but the fundamental reason they exist won’t.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and the discussion taking place on Design*Sponge:
What can we do to promote more innovation at trade and design shows?
And do you think trade shows are dead or do you still see a value in them?
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I don’t think trade shows are dead, because (like you say) meeting face-to-face is priceless.
But can you REALLY get to know someone in just a few minutes on a trade show floor, when you’re overwhelmed by everything else? I’m not so sure…
I’d love to see trade shows become better investments when it’s *easier* to keep track/follow-up/make more connections. In other words, incorporate more technology. Maybe a scan bar so you can bookmark their (online) wholesale catalog? Some way of noting “this is good, I want to remember more of this”. And for designers, a way of following up with everyone who comes in and says “yep, I want more of this”.
Tara – I think the relationship building comes from meeting buyers repeatedly over time. That’s why committing to a show more than once is so critical. Seeing my buyers every show (even if it’s just for a few busy minutes) really does help me connect to them in a way that I don’t with the stores I’ve only communicated with via email or phone.
I think that the follow-up/relationship building is really the responsibility of the designer, not necessarily the show. Many shows are using technology to help make the buying process easier (barcode scanners to track buyers who walk into your booth, online catalogs and digital wish lists for buyers) but they are charging a premium for those many of those services. (Those lead generation bar code scanners are pricy!) I would like to see shows stop charging a premium for using digital technologies that probably don’t cost them much in the long run.
We’re so used to wanting everything to be fast and easy, but the truth is, success in the wholesale business takes work. I take a business card from every person that walks into my booth and expresses interest. From there, it’s my responsibility to build the relationship – I can choose to do that via more traditional methods, or try to connect through social media, but regardless, it’s still up to me to do the work.
Perhaps QR codes would help, assuming they become more universally adopted.
wow… so glad i watched your video after grace’s.
your point about the gap between independent designers and major design companies is so important. what happens to small designers who have an amazing idea but no way to produce them in quantities that can fill demand? what we need are fewer rep & pr companies and new business that focus on supporting designers with production strategies. once this happens, the independant designers will be able to push innovation on a larger scale and give the major companies a reason to take risks in order to stay relevant.
love your post – thank you!
Great points Megan. Really enjoyed your video! I’m a new designer and have been listening to the conversation Grace started with much interest. I’ll be launching my product virtually, without the buzz of a trade show, and will be reaching out to retailers and customers primarily through my website and videos. I really wish that ICFF had a launching pad for people like myself who would enjoy face time with those in the trade and could benefit from their feedback. Perhaps the economic landscape is tough, but I feel that it is the perfect breeding ground for designers ready for a challenge- aesthetically and financially. Thanks for the invigorating discussion!
Thanks for the video, Megan. I totally agree that tradeshows aren’t completely dead – they HAVE taken a hit with the economy, and may play a lesser role with the widespread use of the internet, but there just is no substitute for actually seeing an object in real space and touching the materials with your hands, particularly if you are obsessed with quality – it is the only true way to discern how well something is made.
I am of the mind that it’s not a bad thing if the offsite shows continue to be where the most exciting work is found. After all, exhibiting at an expensive venue like the ICFF demonstrates a certain level of commercial success (or well, yes, deep pockets). And let us remember that big name companies are playing it safe because CONSUMERS are playing it safe – this is not GLM’s (George Little Management) fault.
I think it would be really helpful though if visiting the offsite exhibits was made easier for those time-pressed buyers (I also mentioned this on Design*Sponge). A printed guide with street maps distributed at ICFF, and shuttle buses that would drop you off at say, NOHO, or the Meatpacking district, as well as good signage, would really encourage more people to attend them. Creating and underwriting an efficient platform like this could be a way that GLM could help support and encourage not just emerging designers, but “NY Design Week” itself. Seems like that would be good advertising too.
Trade shows do have their purpose, but I often feel the cash flow issue makes them very difficult for smaller businesses. I’ve been there myself. There’s no guarantee of any return after the huge outlay to exhibit, so it can be a very difficult decision for some.
One way to get around it is to basically have a two part trade show….one part in some large expensive building that suits the large corporations and their monolithic displays (I’m thinking of the Interior Design Show in Toronto, Canada) and another part that might be in a nearby, but cheaper to rent building that can house all of the independent businesses. That would help keep the costs down a bit while still keeping things close together to make shopping easy for the buyers. Sure, a lot of the cost goes into advertising as well, which is vital, but there are lots of ways to spend money on marketing, and some are simply overkill when something simpler (and cheaper) could do the same job.
As an alternate means of getting designs into production, I’ve seen all sorts of amazing ventures take life through Kickstarter, so to me, that’s almost like the new kind of trade show. You get automatic feedback on your idea/product, and if people are willing to put in some money to contribute to making it happen, you already know you have a market for it. Brilliant.
I only wish they could work out a deal to set it up for Canadians! (I know there are Canadian versions out there, but Kickstarter seems to have taken the lead in recognizability in North America)
Great points Megan!
I think you make a very valid point about how to get innovation for small designers to be sustainable. Cash flow is key and that’s the hardest part of owning a small new business. I think the ACC shows are trying to address this by having more retail at their shows so that these new designers can get cash and develop their wholesale all at the same time.
The other problem is that there are so many shows. How does a buyer choose which is the best bang for their buck? How does a designer choose where most of their target market will attend? Too many choices make it more difficult to make a good decision!
I love the idea of using video to reach more of your target market. I think innovation like this is another avenue that needs more exploration for small designers to grow and develop with more limited cash flow.
Thanks and I enjoyed your post!
Ann
Megan,
I think you are great at getting people to think of creative solutions to any barriers in starting/running an indie/small business. But a trade show the size of ICFF is not designed for that kind of business. Buyers attend these larger shows knowing that if they write, they will receive product from established companies…not fly by nite/my hobby, my passion is now a ‘business, kind of company that may not exist or may not have the cash flow to deliver product a few months out. Buyers have limited budgets, they don’t want to have to scramble at the last minute to fill in a void left by a flighty independent designer who couldn’t/didn’t deliver.
A tradeshow solution for the indie designer/small company could be to team up and split the cost of a booth. Otherwise I suggest to develop relationships over a few seasons with buyers to give them a comfort level that you are in fact a ‘real’ business.
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I completely agree that trade shows are not going anywhere. I feel like eventually the demand for trade shows will increase as it will become an even more viable method for companies to advertise and make a connection to consumers; something the digital world is strongly with.
Good post. I would really like to see the cost of exhibiting to decrease so that more and more designers can come to the trade shows in the future. Getting people together to share ideas, products, and camaraderie is what trade shows are all about.