I was talking with Henry a long-time business acquaintance about the forthcoming trade fairs, we have both got a good idea of which fairs we are attending and the general set up of the stands and trade show displays but really had given insufficient thought to the giveaways that we should be ordering to complement our respective stands.

We had both been going through our event kits and the question arose as to whether we should recycle the same old stuff or should we come up with a fresh approach to differentiate us from the opposition, try to stimulate some interest and generate some new business. We both think that the business will be there but the competition will be hot to get it.

Having decided that we should try a fresh approach, our thought process went thus:

First of all, why are we giving anything away at all, the answer is because everyone else is and we don’t want to be perceived as the odd ones out. Having decided that, it was necessary to differentiate our businesses from the others and some discussion ensued as to how to accomplish that. Generic giveaways such as pens, caps and notepads are quite effective but very run of the mill so we decided to try to make our giveaways more specific to our particular market sector.

That being the case, and without giving away any of our best ideas, we decided to request the suppliers to source giveaways specific to our marketplace, as an example if you in the business of selling tools, a free torch or rule with your logo would be effective, and if you want to stress your green credentials make it a wind up torch.

Talk about putting the ball into someone else’s court but that is what a good supplier will do for you – they want your business and they are closer to the promotional market range than we are so let them do some of the leather work and give you a beauty parade of promo gifts and ideas!

We think it will be an effective way to maximise the effect of our giveaways and the suppliers have been most helpful with sourcing products at varying prices to allow us to target ‘special’ prospects and customers, so Henry and I both think that a little ‘think tank’ went a long way.

Right, the show is on the road with Christmas over and done with, the presents have been put away and business life returns to normal, or as normal as possible given the economic climate at the moment. You now have to think about your commitment to the trade shows which this year are likely to be more successful than you might think, as cutbacks are affecting big business, giving you an opportunity to pick up additional business as a result of their absence from the shows.

Given the fact that everything at the moment seems to be cheaper than last year, an opportunity exists to up the quality of the giveaways without breaking the budget. Used effectively these giveaways can enhance the reputation of your business while providing you with some lasting advertising.

Using branded, quality giveaways sensibly allows you to target your most valued customers and potential customers with something that will be useful to them and which will remind them of your company whenever they use it.  By sending them away from the trade show with a Waterman or Sheaffer pen you are telling them that you value them as a customer or potential customer, and they will be more willing to accept calls at a later date and to do business with you.

Bars of chocolate and plastic coffee cups are all very well, but if you want to leave a longer lasting impression it is time to start thinking about branded goods.  The advantage of these is that you benefit from the reputation of the company manufacturing the giveaway. You can cut down on the number you have to give away by ensuring only serious prospects qualify leaving lesser gifts such as the chocolate bars for the others.

Suitably armed with your quality giveaways you are ready to prove the doom and gloom mongers wrong by expanding your business and may the force be with you.

In today’s environment of eco awareness we are all keen on doing our bit to save the planet, and it has to be good business sense to demonstrate the eco friendly nature of your business by selecting the right giveaways for your trade show promotions.

If the set up of the trade show display can be used to demonstrate the eco awareness of the business, this can then be reinforced by the appropriate giveaway.

Speaking to a colleague the other day revealed that he was having great success by talking to his clients about not only the products themselves but what his company is doing to protect the environment by using eco friendly cars, low power light bulbs and recycling. This message he reinforced by the use of an appropriate giveaway. Looking at his approach from the viewpoint of the customer, given the choice of doing business with a supplier who has the product he wants, or a supplier who has the product he wants AND is helping the environment, assuming the cost to him is the same, the environment wins.

Targeting the correct giveaway is essential to leave the right impression and some ideas we had are detailed here:

1. solar powered calculator – no batteries required
2. shopping bag made from recycled material
3. pencils made from natural wood
4. wine glasses made from recycled glass
5. wooden rulers or yardsticks
6. solar powered torch
7. wind up torch
8. wooden puzzles

As you can see there are many options and of course those ideas are merely scratching the surface. It is suggested that the giveaway is relevant to the market sector and is something that will remain useful to the customer for some time. The necessity for us all to take care of the environment has not only raised everyones awareness but has given us an opportunity to blow our own trumpet and use it to generate more business opportunities.

OK, so you may be a miser (sorry, careful with the cash), but you have splashed out on your trade show display and need to make the most of the opportunity – how do you get people to come to your display when you are competing left, righ and center with a lot of other stands?

Promotional items can help you maximize the impact of your display and can assist in the generation of business and do this very cost-effectively.

Spending a fortune is not what the game is about but targeted spend after careful planning is.

Research the demographics of your chosen venue, and you can usually get these easily from the venue management for past shows as well as a breakdown of the upcoming events and what is anticipated.  Use these to help you select a freebie that suits the occasion; you want to talk to the decision maker but it may be wise to work through their children so choose something the executive is going to take home for their kids – helium balloons have long been used for this kind of thing but think laterally as well and see what the kids are doing but don’t lose sight of what the giveaway is being used for – getting your name to stand out when it counts.

Keep a close eye on the catalogues as new ideas are being generated continually and it is wise to keep up with what is happening. What you really do not want is for your giveaways to end up in the trash can, you want them to work for you.  It can also be a good idea to make your audience work a little for the pleasure of receiving one of your items. You could reward your audience for listening to a presentation of your products, for example.

It is wise to maximize the longevity of the free advertising by making your giveaways items that your clients will find useful for more than a few minutes, thus creating more bang for your buck. The usual suspects come in to this category (which of course is why they are the usual suspects), which are pens, coffee mugs, mouse mats and calculators, these are all useful items that people will hold on to for a while.