Trade shows have evolved. In an increasingly digital world, face-to-face events are in fact more important than ever; an incomparable channel for savvy businesses to achieve market penetration, build lasting client relationships and super-charge the coming year.

This is especially true in a tactile, aesthetic industry like interior design and furniture, where the ability to experience products in real life can swing a sale. Trade shows like Decor + Design & the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) now work strategically hand-in-hand with a powerful online and social presence to help design and furniture businesses elevate their product and optimise ROI.

From Melbourne to Milan, interior design trade shows remain key forums to see the latest collections and do business in a relaxed and stylish environment. From 13 – 16th July 2023 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, the 19th edition of Decor + Design & the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) will allow attendees to communicate, differentiate and elevate far beyond what is currently possible online or over the phone. Read on to find out how.

Visitors experimenting with products at Decor + Design & AIFF 2022

Communicate

Australasia’s only truly 360-degree event for the interiors industry, Decor + Design & the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) is an important annual destination for interior designers, decorators, architects, retailers and buyers. In 2023, exhibitors will showcase indoor and outdoor furniture, soft furnishings, lighting, kitchen and bathroom hardware, textiles and art.

With 10,000+ trade visitors over 4 days, it brings key players together under one roof, allowing visitors and exhibitors to build meaningful relationships and do business at stands and at locations such as the Champagne Lounge, which showcases the latest colour trends and is also the perfect place to relax, discuss emerging designers, conduct business and nurture creativity.

The show is also attended by influential design media editors from The Design Files, Australian House & Garden, Belle, Better Homes & Gardens, Artichoke, Inside, the AFR, Houzz, The Age, Houses, Interiors Addict and more. The Seminar Series at Decor + Design takes place within the exhibition and is a prestigious line-up of high-profile designers which in 2022 included Collette Dinnigan, Anna Spiro, David Flack, David Hicks, Adelaide Bragg, Shaynna Blaze, Jamie Durie, James Treble and more. Direct exposure to these kinds of names is almost impossible anywhere else.

Trade shows provide an essential sense of community for the design industry. If there’s one thing we’ve all learned, it’s that physical and face-to-face connection is irreplaceable.

Designer James Treble with a visitor at Decor + Design 2022.

Differentiate

Trade shows can provide much higher ROI than other marketing channels. Establishing connections with the right audience creates warmer leads than draining money into the bottomless pit of SEO or display marketing. Social media advertising now also requires a very high spend, which many brands can’t afford. Leveraging the network of an established event like Decor + Design & the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) activates a targeted new marketing platform, with a verified and high-quality Australian online design community of 85,000K+.

Trade shows are a way to stand out from your competitors, which is why German furniture giant Himolla will be returning to exhibit in 2023. Says Markus Lutz of Himolla: “While Australia is a big undertaking, it’s worth it. It’s important to build up a brand image at trade shows, which is why we exhibit at nearly twenty shows worldwide. ”

Clever brands continue to factor trade shows into their annual marketing plan, aware that they are an indispensable way to leave an indelible mark on potential buyers.

Elevate 

Finally, trade shows are THE place to be inspired and to see the latest directions. The theme for Decor + Design 2023 is Elevate, with a focus on Australian Made furniture and socially conscious design that factors in the environment and the community.

We will inspire people in how they think about design – how they buy and how they connect through new features such as the First Nations Design Collective and the Green Design Hub. The Seminar Series also provides insights from highly influential designers and tastemakers like Lisa Green and David Flack (left), giving interior designers important inspiration for their work.

The 20^th edition of the VIVID Design Awards will also provide a platform for the brightest emerging talent in design. VIVID has kick-started the careers of many prolific Australian designers including Nicole Monks, Edward Linacre, Adam Markowitz, Dale Hardiman and is the premier award destination for emerging and early career Australian designers.

2022 VIVID Design Awards Winner Thomas Yeend.

This is Australasia’s most comprehensive event for the interiors industry, an important annual destination which acts as both an effective marketing channel and a place of community.

In an epoch of endlessly streaming information and entertainment that blurs into one amorphous mass, the need to get together in real life is greater than ever. The chance to touch products, to see and hear influential speakers in the flesh and to mingle with your peers is something you can’t afford to miss, either as an exhibitor or visitor.

Decor + Design & the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) will take place from 13 – 16 July 2023 at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, co-located with the Australian International Furniture Fair. Register your interest to exhibit and join a line-up which already includes names like LaGrolla, Cromwell, Apsley & Company, Ink & Spindle, Himolla, Natural Fibre Textiles and many more.

Love to attend as a visitor? Register your interest to be notified when trade visitor registration opens.