Swag 101: Top 5 Tips for First-Time Trade Show Exhibitors

By Harry Ein

Conference and trade show season is upon us, and across all industries budding companies are leveraging their industry’s annual event to launch their products or services to the public.

These first-time booth holders are eager to drive traffic to their booths and leave lasting impressions with potential new colleagues and customers that they meet along the way. All too often, though, they rely on stale promotional strategies and giveaways—pens, candy, and stress balls—that are simply ineffective.

From small startups to top global brands, I have guided many companies through the process of choosing promotional products that grab attention and leave a lasting impression. For those just starting out, here are my top promo tips for conference and trade show success:

1. Less is more

High-quality gifts in limited quantity will draw traffic to your booth and raise your company’s visibility. Instead of stocking your booth with unlimited $2 to $3 dollar items that are available to all, consider investing the same dollar amount into a limited quantity of top-notch gifts, such as branded Bluetooth speakers, which will be desirable to everyone who passes by. Make it fun and create a game around your giveaways, such as a spinning wheel, that will award a small percentage of players the top prize, while others might receive a discount on a product or service your company offers.

2. Consider the event's location

When you attend an industry conference or event, most attendees, like you, are out-of-town visitors. Plan ahead and choose promo items that might help your audience enjoy their visit. If you're going to a conference in Florida, for example, sunglasses, flip-flops, or beach games would be great promo items to consider. If you are heading to Colorado in the winter, consider high-quality branded scarves, gloves, or even socks—everyone loves new socks!

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3. Not all T-shirts are created equal

T-shirts are a classic promotional item, but the key which many companies overlook is giving away a tee that people actually want to wear! If you’re going to invest in apparel, invest in a high-quality fabric; skip the cheaper, hard cotton blends and go with soft or super-soft cottons that feel good against the skin. Putting your logo on a favorite or higher-quality T-shirt brand will result in more people wearing your company’s logo, and less people using your shirts as rags!

4. Give away a tech item

Many promo companies recommend USB drives imprinted with your company logo, as they have long been a popular swag item at industry networking events. However, if you want to stand out, consider giving away a tech piece that can be put to use immediately and still leave a lasting impression: portable mobile device chargers. During a long day at a conference, attendees will be looking for outlets and other means of keeping their mobile devices charged up. Giving away branded on-the-go chargers will be a greatly appreciated gift that will come in handy and create a positive association with your company during the event and beyond.

5. Reach out to attendees before the event

Plan ahead and send personal invites to the attendees you want to meet. When you purchase your booth, ask the event organizer for a list of registered attendees. Then do some research to find out who might be interested in your product or service, and send out customized postcards inviting people to meet with you at the conference.

Postcards that have unusual shapes stand out, leave a greater impression, and are less likely to get crumpled up and thrown in the trash. When you design your postcard, leave blank space for writing a personalized message; people, no matter how tech oriented, always recognize and appreciate a handwritten note. If time at the conference will be an issue, limit your personal invites to the top 10 to 20 attendees. Also make sure to include your booth number so people know where to find you.

RELATED: Get Noticed! 5 Tips for Marketing Your Idea at a Trade Show