Marketing Strategies from QuiltCon 2025: How to Maximize Your Presence at a Quilt Show
- Tori McElwain
- Mar 14
- 6 min read
Attending a quilt show is an incredible opportunity to market your business to your ideal customers. Whether you're a vendor, a sponsor, or simply looking to build brand awareness, QuiltCon 2025 in Phoenix, AZ, showcased a variety of innovative marketing strategies that engaged attendees in meaningful ways. Here are some of the key takeaways I noticed from the show to inspire your next marketing move.
Marketing Through the Quilt Show
Sponsoring Quilt Tags
Major brands like Windham Fabrics and String & Story sponsored the quilt tags displayed at the show. Each quilt tag provided detailed information about the quilt, including the maker's name, story, techniques used, and in some cases, the pattern name with a QR code to purchase the pattern. This is a fantastic way for designers and fabric brands to link their work directly to a purchase opportunity.
Quilters and Designers at Their Quilts
It was common to see quilt designers and makers hanging out near their displayed quilts. This turned into an informal meet-and-greet opportunity, creating a personal connection between designers and attendees. Photos, conversations, and social media tags helped extend the reach of these interactions beyond the show floor.
Instagram Handles on Tags
Most quilt tags also included the quilter’s Instagram handle, making it easy for attendees to follow and engage with the artist. This simple addition can boost social media followings and keep attendees engaged long after the show ends.
Sponsored Lanyards and Bags
Did you love the Riley Blake lanyards? Thousands of attendees wore them all weekend, making it an effective, long-lasting brand placement. Similarly, sponsored tote bags handed out at registration as part of an exclusive ensured that brand logos traveled around the event and beyond.
Podcasts and Media Interviews
Participating in podcasts or interviews is another fantastic way to build brand recognition. Local newspapers and the quilting press interviewed attendees throughout the event. Me and Andi from the Quilting on the Side podcast recorded a series of rapid-fire questions with attendees—check it out here! If you're attending a show, consider pitching yourself as a guest on quilting podcasts or industry interviews to expand your reach. You can also see another fun interview series from QuiltFolk Magazine here!
Marketing Through Vendor Booths
Interactive Booth Elements
Many vendors created selfie stations, mirrors, or wing backdrops to encourage attendees to take and share photos. These visually engaging elements increase organic brand exposure when attendees post images online.
At QuiltCon 2025, vendors had the unique opportunity to enhance their visibility by contributing to the event's Digital Goodie Bag. This virtual collection offered attendees exclusive deals, discounts, and free patterns, serving as a platform for vendors to showcase their products and services directly to a targeted audience. For instance, AccuQuilt provided a complimentary booklet of 10 quilting patterns, while Aurifil extended a 20% sitewide discount with free shipping. Such contributions not only enriched the attendee experience but also allowed vendors to increase brand engagement and drive traffic to their offerings. See it here!
Karlee Porter’s Signature Branding
Karlee Porter’s booth stood out with her Graffiti Quilting technique. She’s created a recognizable signature style and leverages it through classes, books, and product sales. This shows the power of niching down and building a distinct brand identity and creating a diverse product suite to offer your customers. In the picture below, I am holding one! It is an iron-on motif for clothing - I think I'll ad it to a sweatshirt! Click here to see more from Karlee Porter.
Longarm League Lounge
A dedicated lounge for Longarm League members fostered networking and relationship-building among professional longarm quilters. Hosting a lounge or private gathering can help brands build community within their niche audience. Click here to see it!
Meet the Author Events
Authors were present in various booths for book signings and meet-and-greet sessions. This is a great way to connect with readers and promote publications directly to an engaged audience.
Brand Ambassadors in Booths
Having brand ambassadors or influencers present in booths created a welcoming, engaging space. Attendees were excited to meet their favorite quilters and hear first-hand experiences about the products on display. Here is an example of Chris Marchini who was at several booths, one of which was Accuquilt. Click Here!
Swaps and Freebies
Sticker Swaps & Block Swaps: Many vendors participated in sticker swaps, reinforcing brand recognition with fun, collectible items. Block swaps encouraged community engagement while subtly incorporating branding.
Take-and-Make Kits: Hands-on kits allowed attendees to experience products before purchasing, increasing conversion rates. See this post by Cotton + Steel!
Candy & Freebie Grab Tables: Sometimes, a small freebie (even just candy!) is enough to draw attendees into a booth, starting a conversation that could lead to a sale.
Pledges & Community Engagement
A unique interactive element was the pledge station at the Quilt Alliance booth (see it by clicking here!), where quilters could commit to always labeling their quilts. This not only aligned with education but also creatively reinforced brand messaging.
Building Community Around the Show
Networking Dinners & Social Groups
Many social quilting groups, including guilds and professional networks, hosted dinners, happy hours, and networking events to bring people together outside of the show hours. These informal settings provided great opportunities for business connections and collaborations.
My cohost, Andi from True Blue Quilts, and I, decided to host an in-person business retreat the day before QuiltCon! It was a blast meeting in person, having lunch, and then teaching about launching an offer! It was called AUDACIOUS! Here all about QuiltCon from Andi and I on our Quilting on the Side Podcast Episode here!
It was a fun way to bring our community together and add a business centric class.
Sponsored Social Events
Events like the Windham Social brought together designers, makers, and industry professionals in a more relaxed setting, encouraging conversation and relationship-building with key players in the quilting industry.
Quilted Clothing, Bags, and Name Tags
Quilted fashion was everywhere! Attendees showed off their skills with handmade quilted jackets, bags, and custom name tags. Vendors and sponsors could capitalize on this trend by offering branded fabric bundles, patches, or accessories that quilters would love to wear and use.
QuiltCon Selfies with Quilting Besties: A Social Tradition
One of the most fun and engaging QuiltCon traditions in recent years is taking QuiltCon Selfies with your quilting besties! Whether you’re meeting up with longtime friends, connecting with online quilting friends in person for the first time, or making brand-new friends on the show floor, snapping a selfie together is a must. These photos not only capture the excitement of the event but also serve as a fantastic networking opportunity. By sharing these selfies on social media, tagging each other, and using event hashtags, quilters can cross-promote their accounts, introduce their audiences to new makers, and continue building relationships long after the show ends.
QuiltCon moves fast—there’s so much to see and do! Taking a quick selfie is a great way to remember all the incredible connections you made and the fun you had. Plus, it helps keep the post-show inspiration going as you scroll through and relive the experience. Whether it’s a goofy group shot, a stylish pose with a favorite designer, or a behind-the-scenes moment from a workshop, QuiltCon selfies are a modern way to document the magic of the show and build lasting quilting friendships.
For Industry Professionals: Strategy Sessions at Quilt Shows
One of the most effective ways to connect with your audience at a show is to offer personalized help, like how I offered strategy sessions. At QuiltCon, I hosted in-person strategy sessions to help quilters and creative entrepreneurs develop marketing plans tailored to their businesses. These sessions provided one-on-one insights, helping attendees leave with actionable steps to grow their brands. If you're looking for personalized marketing guidance, let’s chat! Book a strategy session with me to take your quilting business to the next level. CLICK HERE!
QuiltCon 2025 demonstrated how quilt shows can be an invaluable opportunity for creative marketing. Whether through sponsorships, interactive experiences, social media integration, or brand ambassador programs, there are countless ways to increase visibility and engagement at an event like this. If you’re looking to make an impact at your next quilt show, consider implementing some of these strategies to connect with your ideal audience in a meaningful way!
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