Remember being a kid and attending a birthday party? What was the best part of the party (other than the cake)? Those little bags filled with fun things, of course! Whoever gave the best party gifts had the best party, and it doesn’t stop at birthday parties either. Every wedding guest expects a favor, and every trade show attendee wants something for his or her efforts.
CC Image courtesy of Betsy Weber via Flickr.Plus, handing out some kind of gift to those people that approach your booth is a good way to attract people. Once someone sees another person with a nice bag full of goodies, the word will get passed around, and people will start showing up at your booth. So, what do you put in a bag?
What kinds of things do people want? Here are some great ideas.
1. Things that are not easily attainable. Okay, so you don’t have to add diamonds or other really expensive items to that bag. But, you may want to add things that aren’t readily available in every super store. Hit up local merchants for some clever ideas, or find a company that’s just starting out.
2. Useful items. Consider what your marketing might want to see in a bag. Office supplies are popular, but what about some other items that pertain to everyday work life? Tea for a pick-me-up or small bags of coffee is nice additions too (and you can put your logo on these things as well).
3. Go for inspiration. People like to be lifted up – there’s a whole industry built on it. Small little sayings that hang on a wall or other inspirational items are a good way to connect with people. Every time someone looks at that happy saying, you’ll pop into their head – that’s a good thing!
4. Think about things that people will actually keep. You don’t want to go through all the trouble of creating great swag bags only to have those items tossed in the trash. Choosing quality items is a good rule of thumb.
5. Memberships: do not give people a membership to your newsletter (as tempting as it might be!) But, think along the lines of other membership options. It’s never a bad idea to help people join something, and sometimes this kind of gift is appropriate.
6. Don’t forget your logo. The whole point of giving gifts is to make sure that people remember you, and this only happens if you put your logo, website, and other details on items.
Keep It Nice
It’s easy to pack a bag full of junk, but giving out nicer gifts means impressing attendees, and that’s exactly what you want to do. So, whether you choose to hand out t-shirts or a bag full of candy, keep in mind that everyone likes to get a gift of some kind – but that gift has to be worth keeping.
It’s also really important to make sure that you have enough gifts to go around. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting to a booth to collect a gift, only to find out that they are all gone!
At Blazer, we want to make sure that everything you do at an upcoming show really stands out. That’s why we have gone to extra lengths to provide you with excellent advice and tips on our blog. We also invite you to contact us about any tradeshow exhibit booths or exhibit booth ideas that you have in mind, or to find out more about our additional exhibit booth services.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever gotten in a swag bag? What’s the best thing you ever gave out?
Let us know here or on Facebook, and make sure to connect for additional booth exhibit details.