When choosing swag to hand out at your tradeshow booth, you should have two goals in mind; attract people to your booth so they can get to know you, and keep them thinking about you after the tradeshow ends. Having great swag can make you a hot spot at any tradeshow, and having the best items, along with your presentation, will drum up business for months to come.
Feed the People
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and this applies to women as well. People really work up an appetite wandering around tradeshows, and handing out snacks is a surefire way to draw a crowd. If you want to give passersby something to remember you by, think in terms of items they can reuse.
Printing your company logo and info onto reuseable water bottles allows you to give them a refreshing drink now, and something to reuse and think of you later. You can fill the bottles up with water, or with candies, popcorn, etc.
Smoothies, cookies, or even a grilled cheese station will draw the crowd every time, and you can have other promotional items ready to hand out as soon as they show up.
Make Yourself Useful
If you want your business to pop into someone’s head repeatedly, give them something they will use all the time, and slap your name on it. Tote bags or reusable shopping bags are perfect for tradeshows because it gives recipients something to carry all their other stuff in, and is sure to be used time and time again in their everyday lives. Smaller items that are easy to carry like flashlights or notebooks are likely to make it all the way home with attendees.
For tradeshows that are geared toward a specific demographic, try to choose swag that follows the theme. For instance, at a home improvement tradeshow, tape measures with your company logo printed on them are going to be a big hit, and they’re going to get some exposure long after the tradeshow ends, too.
Upscale Classics
If you’re automatically ruling out the standard t-shirt or pen as a swag option because you feel it’s been overdone, think again. The reason that we see these items over and over again is because they can be very effective if they’re done right. An oversized crew neck with a giant version of your company logo in neon green might get the attention of everyone around a person wearing it, but no one is going to wear it out in public. On the other hand, a t-shirt made from soft cotton, with a nice fit, and a high quality neckline, featuring your logo in a hip way, will be seen all over town.
Ask a designer’s advice when designing t-shirts, and go with a higher quality option if you want it to be effective. Athletic shirts made from wicking material are very popular right now, and would make a stellar giveaway for a tradeshow.