How to Prepare Your Brand for the FW23 Digital Market Week

The Folklore Connect’s Fall/Winter 2023 Digital Market Week event is fast approaching, with many of our brands preparing to meet with buyers from leading retailers around the country. The trade show is a great opportunity for retailers, buyers and media to experience and gain exclusive access to Connect’s roster of diverse and sustainable brands in a way they never have before.

This also means that brands and designers will be making new connections that they’ll need to manage before, during and after the event. From preparing a product assortment to staying in touch after the event, here are some tips to help you make the most of Digital Market Week.

Curate your assortment

Prepare an interesting assortment of your products to pitch to the retailers you’re meeting with based on their target market and what you think the retailer’s customers would like. Make sure all of your products are uploaded on time to your Connect showroom so buyers can easily place orders once your appointment is done.

It also helps to have physical product samples available on display so buyers can easily visualize the pieces as you take them through your assortment. Consider using hanging racks or models for apparel if you can, or a table or shelf display for accessories, handbags, beauty products and homeware.

Do your research

Before your appointment with a potential retailer, make sure to review their website, social media, the brands they currently stock, product assortment, pricing and other details that can give you a sense of what they are looking for.

Identify and anticipate questions that potential clients might have so you’ll be ready to answer them. Have information handy about your brand’s sales trends, customer demographics, sales channels, locations, average unit retail, average markup percentages and average lead times.

Also make sure to ask questions that will help you better understand the retailer such as the requirements of working with them, or what opportunities your brand could have if you decided to work together.

Invite new buyers

Hosting your own digital market appointment is a great opportunity to extend invites to potential clients who are yet to visit your virtual showroom on Connect. Send out email invites or direct messages to retailers and boutiques you think will be a perfect fit for your brand. You can offer them promotions or discounts to incentivize them to attend, such as Connect’s offer of $150 off first-time orders placed at Digital Market Week.

Plan your follow-up messages

Prepare and schedule follow-up emails or calls after the digital trade show. Within 24 to 48 hours of your appointment, reach out to clients who place an order to thank them for their purchase or provide support for the next steps. Make sure to note if you are working on preparing any materials or information they may have requested during the appointment such as line sheets, lookbooks or deadlines.

You can also contact other attendees to follow up on any new leads, request some feedback or encourage more visits to your showroom. It’s important to cultivate and develop any relationships you form at the digital event, so during the appointment, try to get a sense of the timeline the retailers are working on and if they are interested in continuing the conversation with you about potentially being a stockist.

Register here to attend our Fall/Winter 2023 Digital Market Week