If there’s one thing the world can agree upon, it’s that 2020 hasn’t been easy.
Somehow, humanity must continue their day-to-day through a global pandemic. Companies must find ways to not only survive, but thrive, in the midst of countless changes and hurdles.
While a world-wide health crisis isn’t ideal, the coronavirus has provided a silver lining in innovation- and High Point Furniture Market is joining that journey.
High Point Furniture Market: About the Epic Experience
What is the High Point Furniture Market?
The largest home furnishings trade show in the world, with over 10 million square feet of show space, 180 buildings, more than 2000 exhibitors, & an average of 75,000 attendees each year (pre-COVID, that is). 20,000 attendees are registered for October 2020.
Where is High Point Furniture Market?
Located in historical North Carolina.
When is High Point Furniture Market 2020?
Tuesday, October 13th through Wednesday, October 21st.
Is High Point Furniture Market open to the public?
No; High Point Market is open exclusively to the trade industry.
How do you get into High Point Furniture Market?
Register through their website at highpointmarket.org/register
History of High Point Market
1889: The Beginning
The High Point Furniture Manufacturing Co.’s first piece of furniture was shipped – an office desk.
1909: First Market
The first High Point Market, originally called Southern Furniture Market, was held on March 1st.
1921: Impressive Outcomes
The Southern Furniture Exposition Building opened for its first show on June 20th. The 249,000 square foot space brought in 700 buyers from 100 cities across the United States. An incredible $2.25 million in total sales were made across the 150
exhibitors!
1934: Great Depression Who?
Despite the devastating economic collapse during the Great Depression, the Southern Furniture Exposition Building filled all of its available exhibitor space, providing a boost to the economy.
2020: Mask Up! #HPMKTSafe
Nearly 100 years later, High Point Market still cannot and will not be stopped- even in the midst of a global pandemic. Don’t worry, they’re taking several precautions to keep you safe:
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Market period extended from 5 to 9 days, and divided into 3 visiting periods to expand the flow of attendees and encourage social distancing.
All staff and attendees will be required to participate in daily health checks prior to accessing buildings and services.
Surfaces will be disinfected regularly every day, and hand sanitation stations will be easily accessible.
Face coverings are required for all staff and attendees.
Safety? Check. But what about the ability of success?
High Point Market: Safety Meets Success
Become an Exhibitor
Located in North Carolina and holding the largest market in the furniture industry, High Point Market is the perfect exhibitor choice for your business.
Become an exhibitor and take advantage of the perks with their free Exhibitor Profile:
Expose your business to
750,000 page views every Spring and Fall
Advertise your contact info, company website and socials
Sell your virtual showroom through an image and video gallery
Market press releases, events, and showcase your new product picks
Attract attention of leading print, broadcast, and digital media companies
Register for the Exhibitor Profile here
Prepare to be an exhibitor here
#HPMKT
Increase Visibility
New sells. This is why not only the nation’s, but the world’s buyers, designers, retail executives, and media name High Point Furniture Market their top industry trade show.
High Point Furniture Market showcases your business in front of nearly 70,000 buyers at their massive, 12 million square foot exposition each Spring and Fall. Various partnerships, co-branding opportunities, media connections, and sponsorships are offered in buyer apps. There’s no doubt you’ll see your showroom traffic grow.
But how do you prove to these influential guests that your “new” is worth seeing?
→ High Point’s What’s New highlights.
By joining High Point’s exhibitor list, they’ll give special attention to your preferred product picks on their New Product Picks page, including any of your business’s grand opening events and ribbon cuttings. This V.I.P. treatment also includes online consumer publications and home fashion trade via their MediaLink site. This content is shared with media partners who have agreed to create new product content through their social media channels- all for your business.
TRANSPORTATION
- Advertise your brand and products on shuttles and go-everywhere vans
PRINT / PROMOTIONS / SIGNAGE
- Market Field Guide– HPMKTS’s colorful brochure distributed at information booths, showrooms, hotels, and airport shuttles
- Street Signage– Downtown Showroom District Street Maps & Downtown Shuttle Map Sign
- Registration Market Pass– Elevate your brand visibility, increase traffic to your showroom, and drive lead generation to designers, media, exhibitors, and buyers all over the world.
EMAIL / ONLINE MARKETING
- Confirmation Email Banners- Let High Point market for you through their regular email communications to over 35,000 retailers and designers.
- Instagram Posts– Promote your product images and showroom location on the official High Point Market Instagram page to over 158,000 followers.
Out of State Marketing
How can you…
- Get in contact with the plethora of interior design professionals in the market across the nation, and even the world, without breaking the bank?
- Quickly and effectively make connections and sales?
- Market your products directly to designers?
- Efficiently collect data on what potential clients are researching and reviewing to better forecast sales and production?
High Point Furniture Market & Steelyard have partnered to connect your brand and their endless community of designers who buy on the daily.
With Steelyard, you have the ability to receive direct orders from local and international designers, as well as reports on their interests, activities, and actions as they relate to your products and brand.
Lead Management
You may be wondering how in the world you might be able to track the tens of thousands of potential clients High Point offers your brand through their markets.
They make it easy by empowering you with the ability to capture and track contact data on every attendee who enters your showroom. How? Showlead.
Use Showlead in 1 of 3 ways:
- Showlead Mobile For Smartphone/Tablet
- Showroom Desktop Application
- Showlead and Showlead Touch Handheld Scanners
Here’s how it works:
- Scan visitor passes
- Gain access to a complete profile containing their contact information
- Store for future follow-ups!
After the Market, buyers scanned at your showroom will receive an email outlining your company profile, website, and social media links- giving them the opportunity to follow-up with you as well.
What about potential buyers who don’t enter your showroom? All lead management methods include the High Point Market buyer list, containing contact information for every registered buyer at Market- whether they visited your showroom or not.
E-Commercialize & #Unlock3D
High Point’s physical & online exhibitor marketing tools are undoubtedly invaluable. But what if you could take these pre- and post-market efforts to the next level?
3D technology and Augmented Reality (AR) are rapidly becoming huge selling points for consumers. Soon, it’ll be a requirement. Why? 3D is:
Safe in the midst of a pandemic
Convenient for customers
Heightening the buying experience
Easy
Accessible
Cost-effective
If you haven’t already, it’s time to e-commercialize your brand and #unlock3D– yesterday.
What does this mean?
3D modeling allows the creation of a single virtual, three-dimensional object that is observable from many viewpoints. Various colors and textures can also be applied to this singular model, diminishing the need for time-consuming physical prototypes and costly traditional photography.
– Big brands such as Overstock utilize 3D models on their website –
Beyond 3D is the world of Augmented Reality. AR takes 3D models to the next level and allows you to place these virtual objects in your own space. (Check out our blog on the past, present, and future of AR here to learn more).
– Ikea, Amazon & Wayfair are just a few companies who have adopted AR technology for use in their apps –
Don’t want to rely on an app for your business’s AR technology? Companies like Seek provide this technology for companies, with or without an app!
Still Not Convinced?
Numbers don’t lie, so I’ll let them do the talking:
- 70% of consumers in 2020 believe AR is beneficial to them
- 61% of online shoppers prefer making purchases on sites that offer AR
- 35% of online shoppers claim that AR would increase how much they shop online
- 49% of online shoppers say they would pay more for a product that has AR preview capability
Conclusion
COVID-19 has enabled opportunities in both traditional and e-commerce that may have been delayed otherwise. Become a part of the future of online shopping and #unlock3D. Join High Point Furniture Market as an Exhibitor and safely experience the energy and excitement that makes “Market Week, Fashion Week for home furnishings.” Your business and your customers will thank you!