I thought I’d take a short break from talking about crafting an economic recovery to give you another sneak peek into my gift fair prep. (Not to mention the fact that I’m swamped with prep work, so it’s kinda where my brain is at.) In this video, I talk about setting up (and [...]
Well, I’m back from vacation and I’ve come to the sudden realization that the New York International Gift Fair is a little more than a month away! How did that happen? Since I know many of you are curious as to what goes into prepping for a trade show, I thought I would share a [...]
I know we’ve been a little heavy with the trade show talk over the last two weeks, but what can I say? It’s that time of year. I’m excited to wrap this week up with a guest post from Bridgett Edwards of Perideau Designs. She’s sharing her top 8 tips for attending a trade show. [...]
Today I’m excited to share a guest post from Michelle Engel Bencsko of Cicada Studio and Cloud 9 Fabrics. Michelle has graciously agreed to give a little recap of her experience exhibiting at the International Quilt Market, and she’s sharing some amazing tips for how to communicate your company identity and make your booth stand [...]
Today I’m excited to share a guest post from Khristian of Khristian A. Howell Surface Design & Photography. Khristian has kindly agreed to share her experience exhibiting at Surtex this year. The art licensing world isn’t something I have a lot of experience with, so it’s great to hear firsthand from someone working in that [...]
In addition to walking the National Stationery Show this past weekend, I spent some time at the other big show in the Javits Center – ICFF. The International Contemporary Furniture Fair is the annual trade show for all things home and design – furniture, home accessories, wallpaper, lighting, and a host of miscellaneous products that [...]
If you design and make any kind of paper goods, the National Stationery Show is certainly the place to be. Every May, buyers from around the world (I saw a good assortment of locations represented at the show yesterday) head to New York and the Javits Center to make their paper purchases for the year. Yesterday was the [...]
Participating in a trade show is a great way to build your brand, attract new wholesale accounts, connect with the press, and network with other makers. But it can also be intimidating for first time exhibitors. If you’re thinking about diving into trade shows, it’s good to walk one first to get a feel for [...]
This is a great question to ask any buyer or customer that walks into your booth. It only requires a yes or no answer from the buyer, but either response gives you a starting point for conversation. If they are familiar with your line, you can ask where they’ve seen it before. This can give [...]
Today I’m so excited to finally announce the launch of my very first ebook – The Crafting an MBA Guide to Wholesale and Trade Shows! I’ve been hard at work the last few months putting together this extremely comprehensive guide to selling your work wholesale and exhibiting at trade shows. I’ve taken everything I’ve learned [...]
Megan Auman is a designer, maker, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the US and online. In 2009, Megan founded Crafting an MBA to help designers and makers develop their business skills. In 2011, the site name was changed to Designing an MBA.
Learn more about Designing an MBA.
