#9 What you need to do to… be successful at Maison&Objet Paris!
Published on 6 January 2023
Are you going to take part in your first trade show? The first time is unforgettable, but come prepared for it to be for good reasons.
We asked a successful exhibitor for keys to a successful show. Christelle Clairville, the founder of the creole art Maison Gaston and twice a participant, tells you everything.
#1 PLAN AHEAD
“Since my first participation, I informed my network and all of Gaston’s related contacts of our presence at the show. In concrete terms, this meant a lot of emailing and heavy advertising on our social handles: LinkedIn for professional contacts and Instagram for the community that closely follows the brand. We also organised a contest for winning two invitations to see us at the fair. Let’s not forget about the PR efforts: we wrote and sent a press release to all the subjects-related media outlets we wanted to capture the attention of.”
#2 THE 12 LABOURS OF GASTON
“With pieces coming from far over the Atlantic from Guadeloupe and Martinique islands, logistics is a big deal for us. You have to contrive and strategise far in advance not to be overwhelmed by issues such as customs and other administrative hurdles. The choice of carrier is key. Ask for several estimates and carefully compare proposals since pricing differences can be astounding. Our first time around, we have been downright ripped off! Another thing we may not think about in the first place is on-booth storage. Knowing where you could conveniently store your transport boxes for the whole fair duration will peace your mind.”
#3 DRAW ME A BOOTH
“We put a lot of thought into the design of our booth to ensure the creative universes of our artists could coherently coexist with enough space for everyone to present their works. We devoted a lot of time developing the first picture rail, the wall people see first, that would make heads turn and feet step towards our booth in favour of others. Choice of pieces, colour and furniture (together or separately), and unique inscriptions are all ways to engage with the visitors. We had to choose within our collections to offer a proper selection that would best impersonate the brand. People see so many things at the show. You must be creative to stand out and make an unforgettable impression.”
#4 COMMUNICATION IN ALL FORMS
“To let everybody know about our presence during the show, we multiplied our on-site communications with an array of mini-media formats. From brochures to in-depth panels explanatory of the history and creative approach of each artisan, we also staged the communication within the booth, setting easels for each piece displaying the product’s name, details and pricing. Complete price lists were also made available on every corner of the stand. On the PR side, each time a journalist visited, they were offered a press release, printed or made available online by direct emailing, using an already-prepared email template ready to go; this saved us a most valuable time!”
#5 GASTON SPEAKING
“After my first participation in Maison&Objet, I understood that orders placed during the fair can take a very long time to come to fruition. The idea is to make sales on-site and start building your network of buyers by entering their supplier contacts base. It's a long process. Between the two editions I participated in, I felt increased confidence among people who had already seen me. That doesn't mean this will immediately translate into direct orders, but in any case, they expressed heightened interest. By dint of being seen, you get recognised by expert eyes and your brand closely followed.”
#6 CIRCLING BACK
“Following up is the name of the game. Before the fair, we prepared the catalogue we would send to all people paged with the badge reader. The latter makes it possible to scan and retrieve the contact details of visitors to thank them and maintain steady contact after their visit. On-site, we informed the type of products that appealed to visitors the most so we could customise this almighty important “follow-up email” with a personal touch and send it along with the catalogue. An easy yet thoughtful way to keep the momentum.”