How to Prep for Market Week Without Losing Your Mind

Let’s face it— Market Week can feel like a caffeine-fueled sprint through a tornado.

Between back-to-back appointments, sample wrangling, and trying to remember if you emailed that buyer
from New York, things get chaotic fast. But with the right systems and some strategic planning,
you can glide into Market Week like a pro—cool, collected, and fully booked.

Here’s how to prep without losing your mind (or your samples).

1. Start Early—Like, Yesterday

The golden rule: Market Week is won in the weeks before it starts.

● Block your calendar 4–6 weeks in advance for prep.
● Confirm brand deliveries and make sure all samples are in-hand.
● Start setting appointments ASAP—don’t wait for buyers to reach out.

Pro tip: Use ShowroomHQ’s appointment calendar to schedule and track all your buyer meetings in one place. You’ll avoid double-bookings and always know who’s coming in.

2. Organize Samples Like a Retail Psychopath

Presentation is everything. Whether you’re showing 2 lines or 12, your samples should be:

● Tagged, steamed, and organized by delivery month or category
● Easy to transport (rolling racks, bins with wheels, garment bags)
● Inventoried in ShowroomHQ or another tracker so you know what’s missing

Don’t show up with chaos in a bag. It stresses you out and turns buyers off.

3. Prep Digital Assets—Your Secret Weapon

Buyers want fast access to:

● Line sheets (with style numbers, pricing, sizing)
● Lookbooks or brand stories
● Order forms or tablets for entry

With ShowroomHQ, all of these can be stored, shared, and sent instantly. No more emailing PDFs mid-appointment. It’s all there, streamlined and branded.

4. Plan for the Unexpected (Because It’ll Happen)

Make a checklist for the things that always go wrong:

● Extra hangers and safety pins
● Battery packs, chargers, WiFi hotspots
● Printed schedules and order forms (yes, paper backups still matter)
● Snacks and Advil—you’re not invincible

5. Master the Follow-Up Before the Show Even Starts

Here’s the hack: Prep your post-show emails before the show begins:

● Create templates for: “Thanks for visiting,” “Here’s your order summary,” and “Let’s finalize your order.”
● Set reminders in ShowroomHQ to follow up 48 hours post-appointment.

You look 10x more professional—and it turns interest into orders.

6. Use ShowroomHQ to Keep It Together

You can prep the old-school way, or you can:

● Schedule appointments with automatic reminders
● Upload all your samples and line sheets
● Track buyer orders and interest in real time

It’s like having a digital assistant who doesn’t complain or call in sick.

Market Week doesn’t have to feel like survival. With preparation, the right tools, and a touch of
professionalism, you can actually enjoy the buzz instead of burning out.

👉 Download our free Market Week Prep Checklist

👉 Book a 30-minute ShowroomHQ demo to see how we make chaos disappear