Marketing is the lifeblood of any business. While you may be great with other functions of your business such as HR, Finance, Tech, you probably won’t get even a single customer if you don’t know how to sell the product or services you are offering. By utilizing the right techniques, you can bring the right momentum to make profitable returns and generate new leads on your investment.

Trade Shows is one of the tried and tested way to enhance your marketing efforts. Trade show display is a great opportunity that can give the right boost to your brand. This is the reason why marketers adopt trade show marketing because they are convinced that it is a perfect way to optimize their strategy to generate leads.

Data shows that the cost of a face-to-face meeting with a prospect at a trade show is $142, while the cost of a face-to-face meeting at a prospect’s office is $259. So, by displaying at an expo, you find a much more cost-effective way to have face-to-face conversations with potential prospects.

Trade show promotional products given away at your booth can definitely help you establish brand awareness, drive traffic, create recall after the show in a unique, memorable way.

The right promotional products can attract the interests of many people to your exhibit and help you stand out from your competitors vying for the attention of event attendees.

Trade show success is measured through your ability to yield a greater number of viable leads and new customers through a greater prospect pool. And you only get that when you have the opportunity to meet and pre-qualify more prospects through increased booth traffic.

According to Incomm Center for Trade Show Research and Sales Training, event attendees are 52% more likely to stop by your exhibit if you have an appealing promotional item to give them.

If you can offer quality and functional products to them, then you will be able to increase awareness and interest in your exhibit, and most importantly, your brand. This will most likely result to greater sales performance.

So, what are the best promo products to drive trade show success?

Regardless of the promo products you choose, whether promo pens, coffee mugs, outerwear, tote bags, or USB drives, you have to keep in mind that your promo products should be consistent with your brand’s image and should also have long-term significance to potential buyers.

The key to maximizing returns from the dollars you spend on promotional items is to choose giveaways that people will find highly functional for everyday use whether at home or office.

As you give serious consideration to what could be the most effective product to giveaway on your trade show, you may ask yourself the following:

• Does the item reflect your company and product image?
• Is the item something you yourself would like to have?
• Does the giveaway item you want to purchase suit your budget?
• Will your company name and contact information and message (if any) be clearly imprinted on the trade show promotional item you would like to purchase?
• Will you be able to offer a “unique” yet highly functional giveaway from others you’ve seen before?
• Will the volume of your order be shipped on time for the trade show event?

Develop a Smart Strategy with Your Giveaways

The way you give away your trade show promo item will determine your marketing effectiveness.

You could potentially diminish the value of your “gift” to event attendees if you’ll just give away products to every person who passes by your exhibit.

But if you want to drive desirable results, then you should personally and selectively hand out giveaways to attendees with whom you speak and who could be potential clients.

If you have more expensive items, then you should be more thoughtful about how you giveaway products if you really want to maximize return on your investment. To get the most bang for your buck, devise a smart strategy as to who and when should the promo item be distributed.

You may also want to ask booth visitors to fill out a lead form before you offer the giveaway. You may also offer your promo items to attendees who give their business card, or to those who commit to listening to your presentation or perhaps everyone who lets you scan their badge.

Through thoughtful giveaway of advertising specialties, your product will be more memorable and special to your prospect and will serve as an effective way to show your appreciation for their booth visit.

Focus on Brand Alignment

The ability of a promo product to communicate your brand’s persona and corporate image to trade show attendees is what sets a great promo item from a common one.

It’s important that any promotional products you give out have at least your company’s logo on it. Help attendees recall the information they have learned in the booth by providing promo items with a consistent theme.

The money you spent on purchasing promotional products will be in vain if there’s no way for attendees to identify or connect the product back to your company once the event is over.

Choose Products That Present Value to Attendees

More than generating interest in your brand, you have to aim to provide value to your prospects by giving them promotional products that they actually use and keep for a long time.

Here are some product ideas that can really make an impact:

1. Powerbanks 

• 33% of consumers own promotional power banks.
• A promo power bank that costs $10 will have a CPI of only 1 cent per impression! 
• On average, promo power banks are kept at an average of 12 months.
• Promotional power banks generate 900 impressions over their lifetime.
• 41% of consumers use a promo power bank once a week or more often.
• 40% of consumers keep a promo power bank for 2 years or longer.

>>>You may want to check these items for powerbank options<<<

2. Polo Shirts

• Promotional polos are kept at an average of 13 months.
• 76% of women report keeping their promo polos because they find them attractive.
• A promo polo that costs $10 will have a CPI of only 4/10 of a cent per impression!
• Promotional polos generate 2,300 impressions over their lifetime.
• Gen X’ers own 3 promo polos whereas millennials own only 1.

>>>You may want to check these items for polo shirt options<<<

3. Drinkware

• 78% of consumers own promotional drinkware.
• A promo drinkware that costs $7 will have a CPI of only 1/2 of a cent per impression!
• 84% of baby boomers own promotional drinkware.
• 71% of Gen X’ers are more likely to do business with the advertiser who gave them promo drinkware.
• A promotional drinkware is kept at an average of 12 months.
• Promo drinkware generates 1,400 impressions throughout its lifetime.

>>>You may want to check these items for drinkware options<<<

3. Desk Accessories

• 64% of consumers own promotional desk accessories.
• Promo desk accessories are kept at an average of 13 months.
• 67% of millennials have a more favorable opinion of an advertiser who gave them the promo desk accessory.
• 56% of consumers use promotional desk accessories weekly or more often.
• A promo desk accessory that costs $5 will have a CPI of 3/10 of a cent per impression! 
• Promotional desk accessories generate 1,450 impressions over their lifetime.

>>>You may want to check these items for desk accessories options<<<

4. Bags

• 73% of consumers own promotional bags
• Promotional bags are kept at an average of 11 months
• Promotional bags generate 3,300 impressions throughout their lifetime
• A bag that costs $5 will have a CPI of under 2/10 of a cent per impression! 
• 50% of consumers are more likely to do business with the advertiser that gave them the promo bag
• 84% of baby boomers report owning a promotional bag

>>>You may want to check these items for bags options<<<

5. Pens

• 89% of consumers own promotional writing instruments.
• Promotional writing instruments are kept at an average of 9 months.
• A pen that costs $1 will have a CPI of less than 1/10 of a cent per impression! 
• Writing instruments generate 3,000 impressions throughout their lifetime.
• 20% of consumers own more than 10 promo writing instruments.
• 51% state that they would be more likely to do business with the advertiser that gave them the promotional writing instrument.

>>>You may want to check these items for pens options<<<

6. USB

• 58% of consumers own promotional USBs.
• A promo USB that costs $5 will have a CPI of only 7/10 of a cent per impression! 
• 43% of consumers keep a promo USB drive for 2 years or longer.
• On average, promo USBs are kept for 13 months.
• 47% of consumers would give away the promo USB drive if they didn’t want it.
• Promotional USBs generate 700 impressions over their lifetime.

>>>You may want to check these items for USB options<<<

(Data indicated above is according to ASI’s Global Ad Impressions Study 2019)

With proper execution, you can maximize your trade show success with the right promotional products. If you want to learn more about booth traffic generation, attendee engagement and qualified leads, Contact Greco Promotions.

Partner with Greco Promotions and we will help you get the most out of your trade show ROI!