The best trade show giveaways will attract attendees to your exhibit, help generate leads, and keep your marketing message fresh for those leads long after the event.
Your main objective should be to choose promotional giveaways that effectively communicate your brand message and identity, as well as your capabilities. Always make sure that the items you select align effectively with the image you want your company to project.
Also, to get the most mileage out of your marketing giveaways, it’s a good idea to choose something practical that people will use long after the show. Read on for 10 ideas to help you get started.
Stickers
Stickers make amazing tradeshow giveaways because people love them. You can get away with giving out
die-cut stickers with your logo and people won’t perceive them as advertising. In fact, they’ll be really happy.
Of course, if you take things a step further and get die-cut stickers with inspirational quotes or practical ones, like calendar stickers, your booth will receive a constant stream of traffic. All you have to do is be a little creative and you can generate a ton of leads using stickers without spending too much money, which is always a positive.
Portable USB Charger
Though they’re at a trade show, that doesn’t mean attendees aren’t still connected to the office and working while they’re there. Of course, all that communication will run their battery down pretty quick.
If you’re handing out portable USB chargers as your custom giveaways, you can be certain people will be rushing to your booth to get one of their own.
Not only will they find it useful while they’re at the trade show, but it will soon become a vital part of their lives because these chargers can charge a wide range of devices. And being able to charge their phone no matter where they are is something everyone can appreciate.
The cool thing is that USB chargers are not all that expensive, but they have a significant impact at a trade show because of how useful they are. They’ll definitely help you set yourself apart.
Microfiber Cloth
A soft microfiber cloth is one of the best trade show promotional items because it can be easily customized and is extremely versatile. From wiping sunglasses to cleaning laptop screens, these cloths will get a lot of usage both during and after the trade show.
You can pick the size, the shape, the edging, and even the packaging of the cloth to really set yourself apart. If you want to really impress, then make sure to add an imprint with your logo and message right to the cloth.
Reusable Bags or Totes
Supermarkets sell reusable bags or totes, often with their branding right on them. And people are happy to pay. Imagine if you were giving them away at a trade show. You’d have a lot of people visiting your booth, of course.
Now, reusable bags aren’t a new idea, but you’d be surprised how few companies actually opt for them as their promotional giveaways. And that’s sad because they really are some of the best trade show giveaways.
People will use them to haul along all the other promotional gifts they receive, which means the whole trade show will see your brand.
And after the show, many people hang on to them to use when they go grocery shopping, or even when they go on a picnic or anywhere else they need to carry stuff.
To get the most mileage out of a reusable tote, you definitely want to brand it with your logo, but it’s also a good idea to get a little more creative and use a nice picture or cartoon to make it more attractive.
At the same time, don’t overdo it. Not many people want to carry around a Jackson Pollock painting.
Care Packages
Trade show attendees spend a lot of time on their feet, and one way to draw a crowd is to provide a care package branded with your logo that comes with everything someone would need from aspirins and snacks to a pen and notepad. Of course, make sure to include a branded USB with your company information.
Branded Apparel
Any type of clothing with printed with your logo is an excellent idea. T-shirts, hoodies, and ball caps are all great ideas because people will wear them. So, not only will the person who received the T-shirt be reminded of your brand, but they’ll also be a walking advertisement for you when they go out wearing your T-shirt.
Screen Cleaner
Smaller than a microfiber cloth, a dedicated screen cleaner in a handy carrying case is an ideal option because people will keep it with them at all times. Phone screens, laptop screens, and even desktop screens get dirty and people will appreciate having something on hand they can quickly clean them off with.
Portable Mini Speaker
Portable mini speakers allow people to listen to music, their favorite podcasts, audio books and more wherever they are. Yes, headphones are also an option, but sometimes you just want to relax and headphones can get uncomfortable after a while.
Giving out portable mini speakers featuring your logo is a great option because people will use them, and display them while doing so. From a hotel room, to their office or bedroom, you’ll get a lot of marketing mileage out of these awesome giveaways.
Reusable Water Bottles
Reusable water bottles are a great option because they can be easily branded and are really popular. With the increased focus on living healthy lifestyles as well as on going green, these bottles will be extremely popular at any trade show.
Plus, people will carry them around constantly, which will significantly increase your brand exposure. Reusable bottles have a long life as well, so you’ll get a lot of promotional mileage out of them even long after the show has ended.
Travel Mugs
We are a society that practically lives on caffeine and a handy dandy travel mug makes the perfect giveaway because people are going to hang on to them like they are gold. They’ll carry them around the trade show, generating even more traffic for your booth, but they’ll also use them after the show, helping to increase brand exposure.
Remember, people pay money for travel mugs, even branded ones – think Starbucks – so if you’re giving away something like that for free, you can be certain everyone at the trade show will stop by your booth.
The best trade show giveaways are things people will find useful even after the show and that aren’t being handed out by all and sundry. Pens, keychains, USB sticks, mousepads, and candy will probably be available at 90% of the booths, so if you want to stand out, generate more leads, and make sure people remember your brand, do something different.
