Wholesale Trade Show Tips from NY Now: Lessons for Stationery and Gift Brands
Originally posted August 20, 2024
Updated September 10, 2025
Me, being friendly in my 5×10 booth
If you’re a business owner looking to get your products in front of store buyers, a wholesale trade show is your chance to shine. It’s where you can strut your stuff, spark new connections, and (fingers crossed) write some orders. But here’s the thing: the magic doesn’t just happen on the show floor, it starts with preparation.
Come with me behind the scenes of my NY Now adventure (my sixth trade show!) at the Javits Center, including the wins worth celebrating, the hiccups I learned from, and the lessons that made it all worthwhile.
Cost-Effective Trade Show Booth Design
Planning out the booth design is an essential (and my favorite) part of the trade show process. There's so much to organize before the event to ensure everything looks perfect and is all set to go! Plus, designing a booth doesn’t have to break the bank. There are plenty of cost-effective trade show setup tricks (like reusing furniture from your office or DIY signage) that still look polished.
I use InDesign to design my booth layout
and then mock it up in Photoshop.
I always start with a digital booth layout to map out which products will go where. For greeting cards, the timing of the show plays a big role. At a summer show, for instance, I highlight Christmas and other holiday cards so buyers can get a head start on winter ordering, but I skip Mother’s Day or Father’s Day since those holidays have already passed. In February shows, it’s the opposite where seasonal cards for spring take center stage.
This year, I decided to get my logo laser-cut out of plywood instead of using a vinyl decal, and I'm so glad I did. It looked incredible, gave the booth a such a legit vibe, and was the most complimented feature. Additionally, it was cost-effective and reusable (yay eco-friendly!). All it required was a few coats of black spray paint, and it was easier to install and remove than vinyl. Who knew a few pieces of (meticulously kerned) plywood could steal the show?
The logo unboxing
I tend to be hands-on with the DIY approach, handling most of the work myself before and during booth setup. Trade shows can be pricey, especially if you need to hire help, so I look for ways to save wherever possible! For those extra booth elements, I use my Cricut to cut out smaller vinyls for things like product labels and pricing. I print order forms at home and always bring a stockist list with me, just in case buyers are curious about seeing if any nearby stores already carrying my products.
How to Set Up a Trade Show Booth
I’ve had plenty of smooth booth setups in the past, but this one came with a few surprises. When we arrived at the Javits Center, we realized our booth neighbor had accidentally set up in our space, a stressful way to kick things off! Thankfully, the staff helped us swap without any fuss, and those neighbors ended up being wonderful people (and the best booth buddies I could’ve asked for). To top it off, we were also missing a wall, but the union team swooped in and fixed it quickly. Crisis averted!
The lesson? Trade shows rarely go 100% according to plan. Staying flexible and keeping a sense of humor can turn those chaotic moments into positive connections.
The wall was temporarily missing from the left side.
Planning out the shapes before painting.
Painting the booth shapes was harder than I expected, but luckily my husband, Chris, came through with his surprisingly impressive curve-painting skills. Note to self: never underestimate your spouse’s hidden talents.
Next came the part that always stresses me out: hanging greeting cards in a trade show booth. In the past, I’ve stuck them directly to the wall with glue dots or double-sided tape, but that method is slow, tricky to line up evenly, and leaves the cards damaged and unusable afterward. Plus, I’ve noticed buyers at greeting card trade shows like to pull cards down to make a pile while deciding what to order. so having them detachable works much better.
Hot tip: Use Velcro strips, binder clips, or lightweight shelves. For this show, I used J channels from Home Depot. They were inexpensive, easy to install, and made setup so much faster. Everything stayed neat, buyers could pull cards down without damaging them, and the whole system was budget-friendly. Plus, they were a breeze to hang with the laser level—just a couple of screws and done! It turned out to be a fantastic, cost-effective solution, and I was really pleased with the result.
I’ve also tried metal shelves in the past, which look sleek, but they’re heavy, harder to install, and pretty pricey. With a bigger booth this year, I would’ve needed to buy several more, and I wasn’t keen on making that big of a financial commitment.
Despite the intense heat during setup (they didn’t turn on the AC on a 100º day!), we still managed to finish the booth in just a day. It came down to thoughtful planning, plenty of motivation, and a few Starbucks treats to power through.
I recommend investing in a laser level!
A beautiful wall of J channels
Curious what we launched at NY Now?
Peek the full collection with birthday bangers, love notes, and more bold designs fresh off the press.
Pre-Show Marketing Tips
All of this prep is really about making sure buyers know you’re exhibiting, right? Spreading the word ahead of time is key for driving traffic to your booth and making sure buyers put you on their list.
For this round I sent a few emails and did a fun Instagram countdown with behind-the-scenes setup. It was low-lift, personal, and a nice way to keep my brand on people’s radar leading up to the show. In the past, I’ve also mailed postcards to shops as a more strategic move, but I skipped it this time. I’ve realized I prefer evergreen mailers tied to the brand or new product launches rather than one-off flyers tied to a single event. It’s less wasteful, and they can keep working for me all year long.
Other pre-show marketing strategies worth considering:
Email campaigns: Send a “We’ll be at [Show Name]!” note with booth number, featured products, and a link to your wholesale site or catalog. A quick reminder a week before the show also helps.
Social media teasers: Share sneak peeks of products, booth design, or even your packing chaos. It builds excitement and gives buyers a reason to stop by.
Personal outreach: A short, thoughtful message to your top accounts (or dream stockists) inviting them to visit your booth can go a long way.
Collaborations: At a recent trade show, a few risograph greeting card companies teamed up to offer buyers a special deal if they purchased from all three. It was a smart way to broaden their reach, create a memorable experience, and showcase a sense of community.
Networking & Sales
The most important thing during a trade show? Conversation. It’s not just about having a beautiful booth, it’s about sparking genuine interactions. The way you set up your space can make or break those moments. You want people to feel comfortable enough to step in or at least pause with curiosity. It’s all about finding that sweet spot: open layout, easy flow, and a posture that invites connection.
Eye contact goes a long way, as does presenting yourself with a positive and approachable demeanor. I won’t lie, it can feel intimidating (and sometimes exhausting for us introverts!). But trust me, once you get into the rhythm, those conversations start to feel natural. And remember: buyers are there because they want to find something new and exciting. You’re not bothering them, you’re helping them.
Hot tip: Skip the low table and go for a tall standing desk or counter-height table with a stool. It’s a game-changer. Even if you need to sit for a moment, you’ll still be eye-level with passersby, which makes those quick hellos and smiles way easier (and more effective).
For my setup, I brought in my own standing desk and stool from my office (resourceful and budget-friendly). That’s where I kept catalogs, my card deck, and a notebook to jot down details after conversations. I also positioned the desk at the corner instead of smack in the middle, which created a more open, inviting space. That little shift made a huge difference, people felt like they could step in without awkwardly navigating around furniture.
Trade Show Giveaways
Catalogs and giveaways are essentials, but use them strategically. At my last show, I brought 20 catalogs and handed out every single one to buyers who stopped and had real conversations with me (next time I’ll pack 30). Since catalogs are pricey to print, it’s smart to reserve them for folks who show genuine interest in your line. For those who are just browsing, smaller giveaways—like stickers, postcards, or a single card sample—work perfectly. They’re budget-friendly, still feel thoughtful, and give people something tangible to remember you by after the show.
Another option? Digital catalogs. Having a QR code on your booth signage (or even a small card to hand out) lets buyers access your catalog instantly—no printing costs, and no extra weight in your luggage. Some brands also keep an iPad handy for quick browsing, which works especially well if you want to show off categories or new releases on the spot.
paper&stuff wholesale catalog
Post-Show Follow-Up
One of the most important steps is the follow-up after a trade show. A quick, personalized email to thank buyers for stopping by—and to remind them of what caught their eye—can turn casual conversations into real orders. It’s also worth sharing some behind-the-scenes moments or highlights on social media. Not only does it celebrate your hard work, but it also shows your community what goes into building a brand presence at a big event.
Overall, participating in NY Now was such a valuable experience. The highlight for me was designing my best booth yet, something I’m genuinely proud of. The lessons, practice, and connections I walked away with felt like an investment in the long game. Trade shows aren’t just about immediate orders; they’re about showing up, being seen, and planting seeds that can grow into opportunities months (or even years) down the line.
I’m already thinking about how to build on this momentum for the next show, with smarter prep, sharper design, and maybe a few surprises in store. Until then, I’ll be carrying forward what I learned from NY Now, because every step, even the slower ones, keeps pushing paper&stuff forward.
Insider Tips for Exhibiting at NY Now
Parking: Don’t count on parking near the Javits (it’s NYC, after all). At recent shows, though, they’ve allowed exhibitors to drive directly into the building for up to 30 minutes. The union staff unloads everything and moves it to your booth space which feels like absolute magic.
Food & Coffee: There’s a Starbucks inside, but the morning line can be brutal. The food court is convenient but pricey. Bringing your own lunch and snacks is usually the best bet, though I admit I cave for the chicken fingers and fries at least once per show.
Booth Neighbors: Introduce yourself early. It makes the experience way more fun, and neighbors often come through in a pinch, whether it’s lending scissors or keeping an eye on your booth for a quick bathroom break.
