WHAT is it going to take to get you there?
Hi there, I have a question for you, and I am truly interested in your answer.
WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE to get you to attend an industry trade show?
I just returned from exhibiting and teaching at the GraphicsPro Expo in Irving, Texas. The GraphicsPro team worked hard, put together and hosted a well-organized event with quality industry suppliers, offered relevant classes, and offered you the opportunity to mix and mingle with your fellow professional apparel decorators and vendors. BUT I did not see you there (or at least not many of you). WHY NOT?
I am sitting here scratching my head trying to figure it out. Trust me, I know that traveling is a hassle. Ask me how I know (2 canceled flights, 4 delayed flights, got lucky and finally made it to the show on a standby flight instead of being stranded in Chicago). So, yeah, there is that - travel is not much fun nowadays. That being said, again, WHAT would entice you to decide to come to an industry event?
Here is what I think you are missing out on:
- Seeing the latest advances in equipment, software, services & supplies
- Including the equipment you own and equipment you may want to add to your business at some point
- Seeing the latest trends in design styles, looks, and placements
- Trends change and evolve - you can use what you see and learn at the show to touch base with your customers so that you can offer them a fresh take on their logo as far as colors, placement, and style, generating new orders from your existing customers.
- Seeing the latest styles and colorways in wholesale apparel
- For every customer that always orders the same product, there is an opportunity to reverse their logo and flip the color of the design and the garment.
- Connecting with some of the most helpful people in the industry, the exhibitors
- Think about this: when you succeed, the suppliers succeed, as you will need more of their products. They WANT to teach you, help you, and support you to grow as it helps them grow along with you.
- Connecting with other success-minded apparel decoration business owners
- Being immersed in a group of people who are your tribe, speak your language, and can relate to you peer to peer as a professional apparel decorator, it truly is something unique. Seriously, how many people in your world at home get what you do, understand what you are dealing with, and cheer you on with a real appreciation for running your business and continuing to drive it forward, day in and day out?
- Opportunity to evolve as a business owner
- If you do the same things today as you did yesterday, where are you going to get new ideas, fresh approaches, and current solutions for the challenges you experience in the day-to-day operation of your business? Same old, same old = same old, same old. That is a difficult way to move your business forward.
And these are just the flashing neon ones at the top of the list in my head. I am sure there are many other benefits that people who attend these events experience.
I believe that tradeshows are an important part of our industry. I personally hosted them for 25+ years as the NNEP, the National Network of Embroidery Professionals. We risk losing this unique opportunity to come together as a community to learn, share, and grow if we do not show up. The exhibitors cannot continue to commit the considerable resources required to be at these events if they are not meeting you there. The trade show organizers cannot continue to commit the considerable resources required to book, build, market and host these events if they are not seeing you at the registration counters.
What would entice you to step out of your routine, leave your comfort zone, and commit the time, effort, and expense to come to an industry event? I fully recognize that we all learned we can do nearly everything from home during the Pandemic. But I am certain that staying in our little bubbles, without any outside influences, is the recipe for stagnation, and eventually decline, and not definitely NOT the recipe for success, much less growth.
I will read and respond to every single comment posted below - I am that interested in what you want and need, and in figuring out if it is possible to provide that for you. If you have attended an industry show this year, or plan to, help me paint the picture, explain the value of showing up at these events, for you and your business.
31 Responses
Location, Location, Location. Located in Greenville SC. Would be encouraged to see more options for the South East. (with an emphasis on Embroidery and Digitizing skills)
Thank you for asking.
Kate, there is a show in Nashville, and even closer, one in Charlotte! Check them out online: DAX and GPX. Hope you can make it to one of them!
I live on the border of NC & SC.... Is there Embroidery shows scheduled for this area? I have only attended one Embroidery show and it was in Myrtle Beach SC a few years ago. In the South, Everything is Monogrammed!!
Hi - there is a show in Nashville, and even closer, one in Charlotte! Check them out online: DAX and GPX. Hope you can make it to one of them!
I used to attend trade shows every year- prior to covid. Especially the NNEP shows. I have been to the GPX show in Indy, but it seems more geared to vehicle wraps and screen-printing, not so much embroidery. I do embroidery, HTV and sublimation. As a 32 year veteran of this industry, a lot of the classes do not pertain to me. If it's within driving distance, Ohio, Indiana, KY, Tennessee, I would consider going. But, when I can walk the whole trade show floor in about 2 hours because I am already familiar with most of the vendors and/or what they are selling is not geared toward my business, it's a hard sell for me.
That being said, I LOVED the NNEP shows in Nashville, my husband and I loved going there.
Hi Kim - great to see you here! And thank you so much for the kudos. Putting on the NNEP shows brought us so much joy, friendships and fun. The DAX show is coming to Nashville this year, check out their info here. And of course, GPX will be in Indianapolis in June, details are here. I will be at the show in Indy. It is challenging to offer education to someone with the amount of experience and industry knowledge that you have amassed. The longevity of your business speaks to the quality of your work and the level of customer service you provide to your customers. WELL DONE!
Is it possible to move the shows to different locations?
Bev, selecting locations for shows is an interesting puzzle. Finding a location that is near an airport (for the exhibitors, as most of them have to fly in), near major population centers (for the buyers, as well more than half of them drive to the shows) and has a facility that can host an event which requires loading docks, access for heavy equipment, and has enough available hotel rooms at reasonable rates as well as a decent selection of places to eat nearby can be a challenge. Where are you located, if you do not mind my asking?
Jennifer, as owners of a small family company shows that happen on the weekend are much better for us. We only miss a day of work and don't mind giving up our weekend time to do tradeshows. The show we normally attend is the Impressions show in Long Beach. It is a huge show, end of January, all the big suppliers are there with giant booths. That one show gets us embroidery, screen, DTF, apparel, and more. We have done that show for 18-20 years. Not against other shows but we always go to this one at the end of January.
Jim - The Impressions Expo in Long Beach is indeed the gold standard, a MUST attend event for apparel decorator professionals if at all possible. You are right - all the industry suppliers are there. At this one event, you can get all the new information to set you and your business up for another successful year.
I’m not traveling unless I can make it as a day trip in my car and it will be in the summer time. I don’t want the trouble of rain or snow.
I live in the Sacramento CA area, even so San Francisco is not that far, I will never go there. Too much traffic problems going there.
Even so I love to go to one of the shows it is too much problems for me
Hope to see you at one sometime!
I am hoping to attend a trade show in Charlotte, NC this year. in years past, I could take items home that I purchased from a show instead of just placing an order then waiting for the items to be shipped. very few vendors take inventory which I understand can be a hassle but I am wanting to use things as soon as I can.
Hi Jennifer - The cash &https://www.nnep.com/wp-content/cache/background-css/www.nnep.com/?wpr_t=1741643517038; carry model can be tricky, indeed. It sure would be nice if it were simple to do this.
In my opinion this inquiry presents as aggressive and off putting. Clearly if one chooses not to attend they have their own personal and business reasons for not attending. I find all your rhetoric insulting, suggesting people commit, step outside their comfort zone, get out of their little bubbles. Who are you to dictate how people should spend their time, energy and money? There is always a positive to be gained from all this negativity. Hopefully this rant has allowed you to experience the catharsis you apparently need.
Hi Karen - Thank you for posting your perspective, I truly appreciate it. I certainly did not mean to come off in that way. I am hoping to learn what is missing, so that we can make them more valuable for apparel decoration business owners.
Wow, your comment seems a bit over the top. She’s simply asking for input on what people want to see. Many of us appreciate these discussions since we don’t always know which shows to attend and value insights from Jennifer and others. If one question offends you this much, maybe this isn’t the right space for you.
I didn’t get the impression that she was dictating anything (and I’m sure I’m not the only one). Your response comes across as both distasteful and rude. Personally, I find it helpful to learn about upcoming trade shows and how others have benefited from them. If you don’t like these posts, perhaps just move on instead of being so negative.
I’d really like to see one up here in the Northwest. Right now it seems all the shows are east coast or Midwest and travel is just too expensive. Think you might head up here some day?
A few shows have tried to do one in that region. Unfortunately, none were able to gain enough traction (attendance) to become a regular location on their schedule.
I don't not have the funds to travel. Have one in Columbus Ohio or somewhere in West Virginia and I will try my best to be there.
The closest one for this year is Indianapolis. Check out GPX in June.
I’m not sure how it compares to the others in terms of size but One Stop is putting an expo on in Grand Rapids MI in April. The hotels they recommend are on the expensive side but there is also a Holiday Inn that is very close that costs less.
The One Stop event is nice! They offer classes and you get a chance to see all the lines they carry. Definitely a good one if you are in that region.
Jennifer, I love trade shows. My husband and I attended several of them in our first few years. But as time went by, our travel budget was limited to seeing family. My husband is not in the best of health now and would not be able to walk around a trade show. I did attend a DAX show in Kansas City a few years ago and was very disappointed by the https://www.nnep.com/wp-content/cache/background-css/www.nnep.com/?wpr_t=1741643517 of vendors. Thx for getting NNEP going again.
I understand Alison, it definitely gets trickier as we age! So many of the industry suppliers are trying to find the best ways to connect with appparel decoration business owners, in addition to exhibiting at trade shows. I am looking forward to refreshing NNEP to make it as supportive for our members as possible.
Clothing To Fit People has been closed. I have retired from traveling. People who want or need their clothing altered now come to me.
Thanks for letting me know!
There are not any shows close to me
Where are you located Teresa, and to what cities or regions would you consider traveling?
Hi Jennifer,
Now that I have retired, I can attend a convention anytime. The main thing that would deter me from attending would be the location. I live in between Athens, GA and Atlanta and could drive to conventions in Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and North Carolina, or even North Florida. I really don't like to fly, especially lately. I would LOVE to see and be able to look at the latest embroidery machines and sublimation machines. The business I used for embroidery moved to Tennessee and I don't know of any other embroiderers in my area. I have a single needle machine but it's not worth the trouble.
Zoe, check out the DAX show, it is coming to Nashville in May! There is also a GPX show in Charlotte this fall. Feel free to email me directly at Jennifer[at]nnep[dot]com and I can send you some referrals of embroiderers for you to try.