Earlier this year, I signed up for our first market exhibition—and it was none other than NYNOW, the OG of all market exhibitions! We had just launched our website, but I thought, "If not now, then when?" Brands from all over the world gather here to showcase their work. This event is a hub for retailers and wholesalers to discover both up-and-coming and established brands. Typically, brands under five years old sign up for an incubator booth, while seasoned participants opt for bigger spaces.
Why Did We Decide to Do It?
- Brand Awareness: Our biggest goal was to get in front of retailers and other business owners.
- Understand Retailer/Wholesaler Needs: We wanted to see firsthand what they are looking for.
- Networking & Learning: Connecting with other brands and learning from their experiences was key.
What We Learned
- Pricing Challenges: Our products are printed in the US, making it difficult to slash prices by 50% like many other brands with higher profit margins.
- Demand for Generic Art: Many attendees were interested in more generic art, rather than pieces specifically tied to the Empire State (I might dedicate a full blog to this topic as I had been thinking about it for sometime now).
- Storytelling Matters: The final product can feel removed from the original window doodle, and people don’t grasp the emotional depth unless they hear the story behind it. But once they do, they are fascinated.
- Personalization Demand: Some visitors expressed interest in seeing their own art on products, making them more personal.
Bonus Highlights
- NYNOW Instagram Feature: DoodlingNYC was featured on the official NYNOW Instagram page—a pleasant surprise that definitely boosted our brand awareness.
- Podcast Guest Spot: I was invited to be a guest on the "Rooted in Retail" podcast. Stay tuned on Instagram for updates on when it will air!
All in all, I’m very glad we did this. The prep for this 3.5-day event was intense, but we made friends, learned a lot, and most importantly, we survived. It was both overwhelming and rewarding. Until next time…