5 Unique Ways to Use Lapel Pins: Tradeshows

5 Unique Ways to Use Lapel Pins: Tradeshows | Custom Pins Now

At tradeshows, you can sell your own custom pins or show off your favorite pin series to like-minded people using display cases or pin folios.

How can you use your pins at a tradeshow? There are quite a few reasons that people attend tradeshows. How you present your pins will depend on if you are there to buy, sell, trade, or network with others who share your interest.

Tradeshows are an excellent opportunity to increase your knowledge and pick-up pins you may have been unable to find online. There will be plenty of useful resources, and you can use the time to show off some of your best pieces. This page will go over what you need to know about presenting your pins in a tradeshow or convention environment.

What is a Tradeshow?

A tradeshow is a large event similar to a convention, and it can be made for local cities and surrounding areas or have international participants depending on the size and scope of the event. They are places where people who create, collect, or sell pins can get together and share their collections and expertise. Pins are usually grouped with other crafty or collector items when it comes to tradeshows because even though they are trendy, fewer people can travel to big events that feature pins.

This is changing as pins have become a larger part of everyday accessorizing. There is a growing demand for in-person events. You can check your county, state, or country for upcoming tradeshow locations and dates through pin pages online (e.g., Facebook groups, Instagram posts, local community newsletter, etc.).

Tradeshow Etiquette

There is some etiquette you want to follow if you attend a convention or tradeshow. This includes not overvaluing your pins or undervaluing the pins of people you are looking to trade with. If you are uncertain of their worth, you will want to have them appraised rather than assuming their worth based on historical prices of similar pins because the actual amount could be quite different.

Everyone will have pins they are proud of and want to show off either using a display or by wearing them. Never touch someone else’s pin without first getting verbal permission. Many people are personally attached to the pins they have spent time, money, and energy amassing, so having strangers touching them indiscriminately is usually seen as incredibly rude.

How to Value a Pin

If you intend to do any trading, you will need to know how much your pins are worth. There are a couple of ways you can value your pin, including price guides and books. The most accurate is going to be by using the services of a professional appraiser, which you can sometimes find through pin sites, local jewelry stores, or online forums.

However, what you should avoid doing is basing your pin’s price on similar items you may find on auction sites like eBay. These do not give real worth. You also want to avoid basing it on word of mouth from other amateur collectors.

5 Unique Ways to Use Lapel Pins at Tradeshows

Below are some ways you can use your pins in a tradeshow taking place in person. For online tradeshows, things are much simpler, and you will need nothing more than an accurate value, clear images, and a correct shipment estimate to get started. The following seven sections are entirely focused on in-person shows.

1 Buy

If you are looking to buy a particular pin to complete a series of because you have had trouble finding it online, there are a few things to keep in mind. There is no guarantee that the seller is pricing their pins accurately, so you will want to educate yourself on the average price range for the pin you want so that you can haggle the price if necessary. It can help set up a budget ahead of time so that you do not spend more buying than you can afford.

Buying pins in a space where there are new, custom, and collectible ones being displayed all over can make it tempting to go over budget but try to limit yourself. You can always get the contact information for people who have pins you want so that you can reach out to them at a later date.

2 Sell and Trade

Be sure that you have the right price listed for the pins you are selling. You can use an appraiser’s services before a show for any pins you are not certain about. If you are unable to get an exact figure, then be willing to haggle within a given range with potential traders and buyers.

3 Display

Keep your pins safe by displaying them in something secure like a portfolio or case with drawers. For individual pins that you may be selling, you can place them inside plastic sleeves so that anyone admiring them will not accidentally damage them or leave behind fingerprints.

4 Find Other Collectors and Network

One of the biggest draws and benefits of a tradeshow is the chance to network with other collectors, new pin creators, and resources like local manufacturers. You can also talk to veteran pin lovers and find out more about what sets certain pins apart and how to find more rare items. You can have cards or a simple website page created with your contact information so that anyone who likes your pins or products can reach out to you in the future.

5 Establish Yourself as a Pin Designer

For anyone who will be showing off their custom pins at a tradeshow, it is essential to establish brand awareness and give the community a good idea of all you have to offer. If you have any new designs that will be coming out, you can print out prototype samples as well to increase interest and make customers more likely to check out your site in the future and buy more pins.

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