Axo Convention: Mega XP 2025
This weekend we’ll be attending Mega XP 2025, a convention held in Mexico City. Preparing for a convention as an exhibitor can be a bit overwhelming, so I will use this blog post to share some tips we've learned from our previous experiences.
3 golden questions
So, you've been invited as an exhibitor to a convention, or you've paid for your entrance and are now wondering what to do. First, take a deep breath and answer the following questions.
What will I bring?
This question involves reviewing your inventory and selecting which pieces you will showcase at the convention. Try to choose products that align with the convention's theme. For example, don't take your 5e products to a convention focused on Indie games, or don't take your experimental, own system, which uses d12 and characters are written on a napkin, to a more mainstream convention. This could be easy if you have one or two products, but if your gallery of products resembles ours and you have multiple types of products, choosing the right one is key.
How Much?
This question is actually two questions in a trench coat. How much to bring? And how much to take?
Once you have selected your products, you need to determine how many copies you will bring to the convention. So many things can affect this decision, including the number of people who usually attend this convention, whether the convention is held in another state or country, and whether you have to consider shipping costs or luggage costs. Take into consideration all these factors because there is nothing worse than going to a convention in another country and having to see how you are going to bring 15+ books with you on a plane.
The second part of the question concerns the pricing of the product. First, you need to decide whether you want to focus on exposure or profit. You can have both, but choosing which one to focus on can help you determine the price more easily. In exposure you assume you will no gain much or anything forom the sells you make (just please try not to get looses from it aswell) but your point is going to be on how many new clients and eyes you can bring to your products, which could allow you sell the book at a low price. On the other hand, your primary focus is to break even or earn more money. In this case, you’ll need to consider other expenses, such as transportation costs for you and the product, as well as lodging, food, and other related expenses. All of that needs to be taken into consideration for your prices, but you also need to consider that sometimes people expect great deals and sales when attending a convention. One thing that has helped us is creating special convention bundles. This can convince people to buy due to the idea of getting a great deal, and it can also help move some products that may not be selling as well.
How will you show it?
Not only should you consider the type of product you are presenting to the public, but also how you will showcase it. This doesn’t mean that you need to create the most wondrous and visually appealing booth, because that could also consume a significant portion of your budget and earnings. You need to see which of your products lures more people into your space and put it in a position where people will see it more easily. Also, try to keep your booth consistent with your product. If you sell dark, gritty games, maybe having a colorful, chibi mascot dancing around the booth isn't the best idea. People don't react well to discordance, and synchronizing the booth design with the products helps a lot with sales.
I hope this question helps you with your preparation for your next convention, whether it's your first or 50th. Having the time to consider them can make the experience a lot more enjoyable and profitable. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to seeing you at Mega XP.
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I am Sergio Ake, also known as Axo Red, the main writer and co-creator of Tezca Sentai. I do project managment at Axo stories, and development editing for writers