Nearly all senses are energized on the tradeshow floor of any industry, for both exhibitors and attendees. Inspiration and awe abound, ideas are generated, and new products are not just bought and sold, but are also incubated.
Booth exhibits so artfully designed can inspire gasps with the wow-factor. Others feature cozy sitting areas to take the load off feet. And one thing that most attendees look forward to is collecting promotional merchandise.
The team at Merchology.com have compiled its “Top 10 Custom Logo Trade Show Giveaways for 2020,” as follows:
Notebooks and pens: “prospective clients and business partners will need to a way to write down all the valuable information” they receive.
Portable chargers: With all the activity a tradeshow day entails (breakout meetings, booth meetings, spontaneous meetings, seminars) attendees are rushing and don’t have time to ensure their batteries are charged.
Candy: OK – of course, your exhibitor client can just heft in a few bags of assorted candies at the local Sam’s or Costco. But the attendee who grabs a Snicker’s from your client’s booth later enjoyment will not be able to remember which company’s booth he/she got it from. Now, imagine your client’s logo on the wrapper or little sample baggie instead. When the need for a sugar energy rush occurs, the attendee will remember your client.
Tote bags: As society loves to collect and gather, bags are highly desirable, especially at tradeshows. Attendees may have lofty, austere goals of “traveling light” throughout the show, but such resolution dissolves quickly. On trend here are bags for re-use, made with sustainable and/or recycled materials.
Can/bottle Koozies: Dry, recycled air in most convention centers, combined with heightened energy use demand hydration. Tradeshow time goes at warp speed, it seems, and cold beverages warm up quickly.
Water bottles/drinkware: Have you noticed how … artsy … reusable water bottles and mugs have become? Many available for promotional use can look fantastic on a desk or side table. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy eco-friendly hydration bottles, too.
PopSockets and phone wallets: “Phone accessories are all the rage when it comes to promotional items,” according to Merchology. “Just think, how many times do YOU looka t your phone every day?”
Audio devices: branded Bluetooth speakers and wireless headphones will be used and prized. They are still considered high-end.
Lip balm: Again, that dry air in convention centers tends to chap lips. Plus all the talking we tend to do as both attendees and exhibitors exacerbates the need for lip moisturization. And then, often, there’s the plane ride back home, another lip-drying experience.
T-shirts: Quick, when was the last time you saw a person wearing a plain, blank T-shirt? Doesn’t happen anymore. As the desire for self-branding and identity continues to trend, wearing a printed T from a favored vendor, product or brand shows the world a little bit about who we are.
The beauty and brilliance of the promotional products industry is the sheer breadth and depth of products and garments it provides to enhance any and every company or association that exhibits at an event for face-to-face interaction.
That said, there are still companies that purchase space to exhibit (and also pay for all attendant costs of exhibiting), that are happy to create a cute tabletop display with their executive business cards and dollar-store décor. If you have a client you know can increase their presence and post-show business through creative and compelling marketing that includes targeted giveaways, let them know that 81% ?f tradeshow/convention attendees h?v? purchasing ?uth?r?t? – four out of five people who walk by your client’s booth are potential customers. Also, your client’s competitors are also exhibiting a few aisles over; a quick competitive edge for your client is a targeted and desirable giveaway.
On Absolute Exhibits’ website, the team writes, “Giveaways can be a tricky subject. Think outside of the box like unique items that may relate to your goods or services.”
Additionally, the team points out, “after a while [on the tradeshow floor], attendees start to feel weary, worn out from being called to different booths by people like carnival barkers to sell sell sell. People, places, and companies start to blur together.
This is the crucial time to help your client ensure that that tradeshow burnout can be penetrated by clever marketing and that they dapple through the blur. And a key part of that clever marketing is engaging the attendees in ways where they can win logoe’d merchandise.
Take time to find out about your client’s industry by reading the B2B media, visit the industry association’s website and social media as well as those of the tradeshow event host. This will help you sort through the thousands of products to narrow down potential offerings. Relatedly, every industry also has more than one show per year, so find out how many the client is planning on exhibiting. This opens up another avenue of creative promotions, and/or the client can order in bulk.
Staff of course, should be outfitted neatly and in logoe’d apparel so as to be immediately recognizable. Encourage your client to promote a friendly contest among sales staff for the event by providing a tiered award platform for first, second and third place.
And finally, don’t forget editors, writers and producers who stop by to request commentary for media stories they are working on. Your client will help build strong relationships with their B2B media by providing a fun and useful logo’ed promotion.
Tradeshows are more than just the booth giveaway. Although that will always remain a crucial attraction for attendees.