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Trade Show Giveaways

Trade Show Giveaways can Become Fruitful if they are Well-Planned The trade shows are highly important networking events. Most of the companies try to seize this opportunity to market their products and services to the prospective clients. A study shows that the trade show attendees display a more favorable attitude towards those companies who offer them promotional products. This proves that distributing trade show giveaways is not a useless exercise after all. However, it can turn useless if the requisite amount of planning is not done before selecting the promotional gift. If chosen carefully, trade show giveaways can act as definite reminders of the company’s representation at the show even long after the event has ended. The trade show giveaways do not assure that the attendees will prefer to do business with a particular company. However, if the right strategy is employed then they can definitely create a good image of the brand in the eyes of the recipients. The factors that should be considered to make a success out of the idea of distributing trade show giveaways are as follows:

• Only those promotional giveaway items should be selected that complement with the message of the business projects. For instance, mp3 player pouches printed with the company logo and website address would be ideal for a music company. However, if a company that promotes health products distributes colas or candy bars then it would be a bad idea.
• The company should make sure that their giveaway item relates to its business and includes its contact information. A marketing firm distributing a teddy bear key chain will not prove to be effective.
• The promotional item should fit within the company budget and should be useful for the attendees. The utility of the product reduces the chances of its getting discarded after the trade show gets over.
  • The company should contact the venue prior to the trade show to get an idea about how many attendees will visit the show. This helps in determining how many promotional items are going to be needed.
  • The exhibitors have the option of keeping expensive promotional items for those booth visitors who show special interest in their products or services and on-table freebies that just anyone walking by can grab.
  • The promotional item should reflect the good reputation of the company and the quality of its products. Inferior quality items can blotch the company’s image.
  • The promotional item should be something that is genuinely useful and meaningful. Bottle openers given by cold drink companies and refrigerator magnets given by food chains can be quite handy. If the company is unable to position it’s give-away effectively then there is no point in giving it.

So, we find that some amount of planning can definitely help the company in coming up with a sensible idea of a trade show giveaway. Random use of this great promotional tool will not be able to fulfill the company’s objectives and lead to wastage of resources. Summary: Trade show giveaways are a great strategy for promoting one’s business. If the company manages to look into the various aspects and plans carefully then it may easily fulfill its objective through such promotional giveaways.

promotional products

Promotional Products are an Indispensable Part of the Marketing Strategy Every company needs to find out innovative and better ways to promote their business. In today's competitive world it has become a challenge for any business, whether big or small, to attract potential customers. Promotional products are also referred to as promotional items, promotional merchandise, promotional gifts or advertising gifts. They play an important role as a marketing tool for building brand awareness. Promotion happens to be one of the 4 P’s that are a part of the well-known marketing mix elements. Thus, promotional items play an important role as marketing tactics for brand building. Promotional products consist of articles of merchandise that have the company logo imprinted on them. They are distributed for the promotion of a company or an event at conferences, trade shows or as a part of guerrilla marketing campaigns. The use of promotional items as a marketing tool is not of a recent origin. The year 1970 had witnessed a tremendous growth in the promotional items industry. During this period there were a stupendous number of corporate companies who recognized the advantages in promoting their corporate brand, identity or product through such promotional products that featured their company logo. The main advantages of giving away promotional products are as follows:

• They help in creating and spreading brand awareness. They can embed the company’s name into the minds of existing and potential consumers, in a subtle way.
• They help in strengthening the staff loyalty and relations.
• They are useful for building traffic for trade shows.
• They help in maintaining public relations.
• They can be used for generating new customers or leads.
• When used in the form of perks they are ideal for rewarding customer loyalty.
• These products can supplement the media plan of a company too. Promotional items can make their way into the customers' house. So whereas the customers can ignore a radio jingle or a newspaper ad, they would definitely notice the company’s logo on a mug, calendar or refrigerator magnet.
• Promotional items also help to ensure that the prospective customer is likely to contact the company again since these items make the company’s contact information easily accessible.

Some of the most popular promotional merchandise includes the following:

• Desk accessories such as pen or other stationary items displaying the company’s logo.
• Refrigerator magnets.
• Key chains
• Hats, shirts or jackets with the company’s name printed on them.
• Mugs
• Show pieces.
• First-aid kits.

In fact, the ideas for these products are unlimited. Certain guidelines need to be followed to derive the maximum benefit from the promotional gifts, they are:

• Clear goals should be set at the onset for purchasing items that make sense for the company.
• Avoid overspending.

• Look out for partnership opportunities.
• Be aware of the restricted shelf-life of most promotional items.
• Don't buy more than your requirement.

In a nutshell, defining one’s target audience, setting the market goals in an apt way and then finding the right promotional item is the course that has to be followed. There is also the option of seeking professional assistance from promotional consultants to yield the maximum benefits from the promotional items. Summary: Promotional products are a part and parcel of almost every company’s marketing strategy. It is up to the company how it employs this tool to its advantage. Whereas a well thought out idea can enhance the business prospects, a random one can prove to be a wasteful expenditure.