If you’ve never been to High Point Market, you don’t know what you’re missing. Yes, there are showrooms, design centers and expos where you can see some product and talk with a rep or salesperson. But there’s nothing else like Market for the home furnishings industry. Don’t let the size put you off, though. With a bit of planning, you can make Market an enjoyable as well as successful business, social and inspirational experience.

In this podcast, Erin talks with Dawn Brinson, president of TMM Agency, aka The Media Matters. TMM specializes in helping clients for the homes furnishing realm—manufacturers, interior designers, product developers and associations—understand how to market themselves, how to communicate their brands and values, and how to make business connections with others in the industry.

Over her many years with TMM, Dawn has attended Market more than forty consecutive times. She was happy to share her insights and tips for those who have never been to Market and aren’t sure why they should go or how to go about planning a trip to Market.

Dawn said she’s had many clients who’ve told her they have no interest in attending Market. She tells them they owe it to themselves to check it out. “You just don’t know until you go” is her mantra whenever clients ask her why they should expend the time and expense to travel to Market. Think of it as an investment in yourself and your business.

If you’re looking for new vendors or want to solidify relationships with the vendors you currently work with, there is no place better than Market, she said. In addition, Market offers the best educational opportunities, along with time to connect with peers and colleagues and learn from them. The showrooms do an excellent job of showing designers what spaces with their furnishings can look and be like. They are truly inspiring.

Erin and Dawn spoke at length about the many resources that are available to help new attendees plan their trip; see what events, educational programs and social gatherings they might like to attend; and preview what new products and styles will be on display.

Toward the end of their conversation, Erin asked Dawn what advice or lessons learned she’d like to share with listeners, drawing on her long and highly successful career.  She offered:

• Invest in yourself. Find a way to give yourself the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
  
  • Just do it. Don’t put off the things that will contribute to your success. Be willing to try something new. If it doesn’t work, try something else.
    
  • Just be yourself. Value and appreciate the person you are.
    
  
  

To get all of Dawn’s tips and hear about why she’s okay with being a kind businessperson and how she almost became a Rockette, listen to the entire podcast.

If you’re listening on your favorite podcast platform, read the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s6e2-shownotes

To learn more about Dawn and TMM, go the agency’s website at www.tmm.agency.

For more information about High Point Market and to view the many different resources it provides for attendees, go to the Market website at www.highpointmarket.org.

Dawn mentioned that Business of Home offers previews of upcoming Market offerings and happenings. You can read their latest articles on the High Point Market page on their website.

Another helpful resource for attendees is Discover High Point, featuring information on local food establishments, business and services around the town of High Point, and tips on how to get the most from Market. To see all their resources, go to the website at www.highpointdiscovered.org.