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.