Tradeshows and other networking events provide a great opportunity to get your name out there – but to do this, you need to consider how you will attract passers by to your booth. One way to do this is with promotional giveaways – they’re usually handed out freely to everyone who approaches your booth, but they can be given away as a part of a game (such as spinning a wheel to win a prize). But what sorts of products should you be using in 2017?
- Breath Mints – These are a great idea, as they come in handy for events where a lot of face-to-face talking will occur. It should be noted, however, that they do have a limited shelf life – once the recipient runs out of mints, the tin will be thrown into the rubbish.
- USB Car Charger – These are a great giveaway as they’re something that pretty much everyone will use. Most people have smartphones and other electronics that might need to be charged on the go. Just remember that your logo is often on the side, which is inserted into the socket.
- Headphones – These are a pretty cool promotional product, but some people find that they can be of low quality. Even so, they’re great for people who may have forgotten or lost their headphones, or to keep on hand as a spare. Try branding the headphones themselves, too.
- Notebooks – A pretty standard giveaway, don’t go overboard with your branding (your logo on the front will be sufficient) and avoid using loud colours (a solid, neutral colour works best). Tablet notebooks, which can house a tablet device, are increasing in popularity.
- Lip Balm – This is a great way to stand out from the crowd, particularly if you’re presenting in a hot environment where dry lips are a problem. Try to avoid strong flavours and scents, as these can sometimes turn people off. Stick to ‘safer’ flavours and scents, like vanilla.
- Hand Sanitiser – Many people overlook how truly appreciated this sort of giveaway is. At any networking event, you’ll be shaking a lot of hands and talking with a lot of people – hand sanitiser can help to keep the germs away and visitors will be clamouring for it.
- Bags – A giveaway that seems to have fallen out of fashion, there are so many reasons to bring them back! They provide visitors with a means of carrying all the other goodies they pick up, they’re one of the largest promotional items available, and they’re reusable.
- Emergency Packets – A great choice for businesses related to healthcare, outdoors, travel and so on. These packets can be filled with band-aids, tweezers, alcohol wipes, bandages, etc. Although the products inside will be used, the packet itself will be reused.
When choosing which innovative promotional products you will use as giveaways in 2017, there are three main criteria that you need to consider. The product needs to be cost effective, intriguing (either unique or incredibly useful) and branded. It’s also a good idea to giveaway more than one type of product per tradeshow or event. This will provide your booth visitors with a choice, it is more likely you’ll have something different, and you’re less likely to run out.
