Offering a promotional gift increases your trade show display attendance by 50%; this is a compelling reason for using them at trade shows and they can keep your name in the mind of the prospect long after the trade show has ended and we have all packed up and gone home.

Using trade show promotional gifts is a great way to get yourself noticed and attract business but there are some serious “Don’ts!” when it comes to using them.

The biggest mistake is to simply hand trade show gifts out like candy – if you want to give away free stuff there are far better ways of doing it that will cost you a lot less in time and money.  Treat your promotional gift items as your property to be handed out to those attendees you feel are worthy of your generosity.  I only hand out a promotional gift when a meaningful act has taken place such as a business discussion of an attendee’s needs and requirements and how my company can help them solve their problem or after they have particpated in a demonstration.  I do display stacks of free gifts on the display table for people to come and help themselves though a sample is usually on display.

Don’t be cheap!  Free pens that have the company logo on and stop writing after a few days are just a waste of money and your name is then associated with something that does not work and cannot be relied upon.  If I use a pen as a gift I make sure it is a good one and one they will want to use everyday and get a refill for it when it eventually does run out of ink.  Because I am rationing my giveaways, I don’t need so many of them and this means I can increase the unit cost budget for my promotional gifts.

Just think of this; as an attendee, would you like a gift that has no value or utility compared to a gift that they feel they would like but would not necessarily go and buy for themself?

Do not be afraid to say “No!” to an attendee who wants a promotional item but has no business value to your efforts.  If an attendee simply walks up expecting a gift but is not prepared to engage in conversation or a demonstration of your product or service what have you got to lose in saying “No!” – nothing!  Timewasters who are simply not interested in your products but are interested in your gifts have no value to your effort at a tradeshow and you are best to get rid of them in the earliest stages of the show so you can concentrate on those attendees who are ready, willing and able to do business.

Next time you attend a trade show, take a good look at the promotional gifts that are being handed out by exhibitors and gauge the value of the gifts.  The value in this case is not how much you think they cost but the business value in using that particular promotional item.

A good calendar is an ideal promotional gift, not least as it is used every single day of the year and I particularly like desk calendars of the page a day variety.  With this in mind, I also like mouse pads as everyone uses them and there is always a demand for a good mouse pad whether at home or at the office. Every day, the recipient is going to see my business name and contact information as well as getting some practical utility from my gift to them.

One characteristic of a good promotional gift is that it is likely to be keeping your business name in front of the attendee long after the trade show has ended.

I also like using golf balls with the company logo stamped on them.  If an attendee does not use them for their own use, they are usually handed on and so go into circulation but I ask if a visitor to my booth does actually play before I make them a present.  My thoughts on using a gift that will be used in recreational time is simple; if they are enjoying themselves when they see my name and my gift, there is an association between my company and having a good time which flows through in business relations.

I also like stress relievers and gifts which I term, “funnies”; you’ll have seen them yourself, gifts such as little dolls or mouse shapes to stick on the computer screen, stress relievers made to be squeezed, a desk toy or novelty item.  My experience has been that these types of gift need to be sufficiently different from the rest of the gift range to pique some interest and I also find the humor aspect of such a gift ensures that they are used in the future by attendees.

Finally, travel mugs are very popular and the steel variety gives an impression of a gift that has real tangible value and not simply utility.  Whenever I have these on my booth, I am always having to deal with a barrage of requests for them and the issue is really how to handle the serious business prospects from the attendees who are just looking to get a free gift that they will really be able to use.

This is a serious point when it comes to promotional gifts; remember that they are your gifts to give as you please and not for attendees to simply claim as of right because they have turned up at the trade show.  I use trade show gifts to reward those business prospects who have let me demonstrate my product lines, or have engaged in a meaningful conversation regarding their needs and requirements and how my business can help them, usually resulting in a meeting at a later date.  I use the gifts as a means of saying “Thank you for your interest” and to keep my name and business in front of them after they’ve left my trade show display and the show and NOT because I am a generous soul who likes giving free stuff away.

Use your promotional gifts wisely and don’t be afraid to say, “No!” to an attendee looking for a handout.

Creating a trade show buzz about your trade show display is something we all want to achieve at every trade show we attend.

We try creating an eye-catching display, make sure the coffee and refreshments are available, have warm welcoming booth staff and have some great promotional gifts for lucky attendees to take to the office or home and remember us by.

Fantastic but every other exhibitor is doing the same so what are we doing that differentiates us from the pack?

First of all, doing all of the above and doing them well will differentiate you from the pack; too many exhibitors become lazy and set in their ways and without perhaps realizing it themselves they do become jaded and tired which is something attendees do pick up on.

Second, don’t worry about thinking outside of the box here – using some imagination and daring to be different can pay real dividends and need not require a huge budget.  Hiring an entertainer for instance, has long been one of my favorite ways of attracting attention.  Magicians in particular, have a great impact on attendees with sleight of hand tricks, a good sales spiel and attendees remember me because they had some fun in between discussing business.

Third, when you are selecting your promotional gifts try and think about something different that is also practical and useful – something attendees will use repeatedly or keep in plain sight either at home or at the office.  I use yardsticks a lot; people use them and want them for the tool collection while they are inexpensive and have my company name emblazoned across them.  I get attendees seeking me out at my booth simply because they have seen other attendees with them (they are too large to be hidden in a plastic carrier bag) and they want one too.  It pays to “go large” in these instances so other attendees can see they are available somewhere in the arena.

Fourth, work with the tradeshow organizers if you have something different in mind; they are going to be more than happy if you are looking to create a tradeshow impact with something special.  A friend of mine was lucky enough to have a movie celebrity come to a tradeshow as the guest of his company for a major product launch; the tradeshow organizers made sure it was red carpet treatment all the way and the entire tradeshow arena knew where they had to go to get a glimpse and an autograph opportunity.

Fifth, if at first you don’t succeed try something different.  Remember to do the basics and do them well, but if you are looking to stand out from the crowd, you have no choice but to dare to be different.

There is no doubt that free promotional gifts work to attract attention and increase awareness of your business, product or service offering and you.  Those that believe they do not work are simply not using this promotional tool in an appropriate manner and the end result is a warm fuzzy feeling for being generous or frustration at producing no results.  Those who do use promotional gifts properly end up with more face time with prospects, increased networking opportunities and ultimately, more sales and profits.

I’ve seen promotional gifts arrayed like a candy display on so many trade show displays at every trade show I’ve attended with staff who do not understand why giveaways are there in the first place.  When I’ve exhibited, I’ve seen attendees helping themselves to whatever free promotional gift was on offer and walk off without even making eye contact with myself or my staff.

If I want to give away free stuff, there are cheaper ways to do it than renting space at an exhibition!

Giveaways are first and foremost to be used to engage prospects into your booth and have a meaningful business conversation.  The focus is business; qualifying your prospect, providing information on your product or service that meets their needs and ultimately, gaining an order either at the show or afterwards on follow up.

It makes sense in this light to use free promotional gifts as a reward.

When you provide a giveaway, tie the gift to something that is relevant to your business and the purpose of your presence at the tradeshow.  I like to have the prospect complete a short quiz on the product line, usually a simple question or maybe three but no more which also includes their name and contact information.  Even better, have the prospect go through a demonstration of the product before they qualify for a giveaway.

Because I am not giving out a ton of freebies, I have the budget to buy a smaller volume of much better promotional gifts than my usual neighbors at tradeshows and these are valued much more highly than the run-of-the-mill gifts.

I’ve also learned to say “No!” when someone asks for a gift but does not wish to engage in business discussion; every old tradeshow hand has seen attendees with plastic bags bulging with promotional gifts as they move from booth to booth in search of a freebie but actually do very little business and bluntly are a waste of my time.  Best to say “No!” and they learn not to bother you unless they are serious about doing business.

Whatever giveaway you are looking to use, make sure your booth staff are fully aware of what the gift is for – it is a reward for attendees who actively engage in business discussion.

Giveaways are always a key aspect of any trade show; you see exhibitors with free pens, keyrings, post-it notes by the truck load and many trade show displays resemble a candy store or a stall for trick or treaters to come and take what they please.

Giveaways are a serious tool as you are looking to gain attention, draw a prospect in for discussion so you can qualify them and determine if you can transact business with them; if you want to give free pens away you don’t need to rent expensive space in a trade show exhibition and take a day off work to do that – just stand on a street corner with the giveaways and save yourself the time and trouble!

Attendees certainly may have very different ideas about what a promotional gift is there for, and so I have cast through my mind and come up with some of the defnitive types of attendee and their take on a giveaway.

The Sneak Attacker

This attendee will scope out your display with all the skill and cunning of a a special forces recon soldier crossed with a fox.  Once they are sure they are unlikely to be observed they pass by your booth and raid the giveawy goods, sometimes making off with only one prize but often more.  They are usually made bold by their initial success so expect repeat visits from the Sneak Attacker who frequently turns out to be another exhibitor!

The Bag Man (or Lady)

Plastic carrier bags are produced at great expense for many companies to promote their logo and corporate identity.  The Bag Man believes they are supplied at trade shows so as to make acquiring and transporting their giveaways collected at the event easily and conveniently.  The Bag Man is usually seen with several carrier bags full of promotional items, sweating heavily from carrying the load and is also known to dump promotional brochures or marketing collateral out in order to make more room for more swag.

The Loving Dad or Mom

One event I attended had a really neat giveaway in the form of a chrom keychain with a bottle opener, knife and torch attached.  They were really neat!

One attendee came up to the booth and was obviously looking at picking up one of the keychains which soon became apparent from the small talk that had nothing to do with the company I was representing at the time.

Taking pity on the guy, I offered him one of the key chains only for him to finally look me straight in the eye and exclaim, “But I have three children and I couldn’t possibly disappoint the other two!”

The cheek of some people

These are only a small sample of the many types of people who will go hunting for your promotional gifts, and in many instances it makes no difference if they need them or will use them, they simply want them because they are “free”!

Remember, you’re in charge and they are your promotional items that are there to serve a purpose; to attract attention, to act as an ice breaker so you can discuss business and to aid the memory of an attendee who made away with your gift so they hopefully remember you and your business from the hundreds of others they saw at the show.

Hello to all our readers and those looking for the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to trade show display promotional ideas.

We are going to be the issues with promoting your trade show presence and paying very particular attention to the goodies that are handed out by exhibitors and are now, almost demanded as of right by attendees.

Many people use giveaways in various disguises to attract attention and visitors to a booth at a trade show but in some cases, they are used to such great effect that they bear all the hallmarks of true marketing genius and unfortunately, at the other end of the spectrum, are so bad that whoever thought of them is probably serving up Big Mac’s at a burger bar somewhere.

We’ll be looking at the extremely funny, extremely practical, extremely useless and extremely tragic promotional giveaways that have been used in the past as well as what is on offer for tomorrow’s trade show.  We’ll be looking at what works and what definitely does not as well as how giveaways should be used and indeed, when they should not be used.

Serious and irreverent at the same time, we intend to have some fun with this too, but ultimately we are looking to make sure you capitalize on your trade show experience and make money.  With that in mind, we may have the occasional guffaw, but the lesson is there so mistakes are not repeated if they end up costing money or losing business.

So, welcome to our little blog on promotional ideas and techniques, and we welcome your stories on what has worked for you or indeed, where things have gone horribly wrong at previous events.

With that in mind, I attended an international trade show in the 1990′s and was trapped by an Indian gentleman exhibiting his company’s rubber products.  He assured me they were all made in Delhi and proceeded to provide a practical demonstration of the products which in particular, included little rubber sheaths for fitting over the ends of your fingers and were used by those working in semi-sterile conditions or when handling electronics and you needed to be insulated from static electricity.

After droning on interminably, he handed me several sample packs of these “finger cots” and I duly put them in my plastic bag full of other giveaways and promptly forgot them.  Returning home, I displayed my day’s plunder of post-it notes, freebie pens, magic markers and of course the finger cots with no idea what they could be used for.

One possible application was ruled out next morning when my brother asked me where I’d got the condoms from as I should take them back as they were far too small!