Gain More by Giving Away
Coming up with unique, yet useful, trade show giveaways is difficult. Getting those items to entice prospective clients to learn more about your brand seems even more so. However, with the right plan, you can gain engagement both at the show and afterward.
Tie it together
Trade show attendees are prone to stop for free items, but having those items is not enough. The items should tie into your brand and the style of the booth you have at the show. Think about it: if your booth is a colorful display of your company’s capabilities as a sports gear manufacturer, should your giveaway be a black pen with your company logo? People might take the pen, but it may not be memorable, and it’ll leave them with no connection to your colorful booth.
Instead, this company should consider giveaways such as stress relief balls that look like baseballs, desktop basketball hoops, or helmet-shaped notepads—all are useful items in the office and tie into the brand and booth.
Unique gifts don’t have to be expensive either: ear buds, travel shampoo and conditioner bottles, reusable shopping bags, and one-of-a-kind mouse pads are budget-friendly items that people will use—and they’re easy to take on the road as you go from show to show. Or, consider custom-designed posters, magnets, coasters, and hand towels.
Focus on Generation “Yes”
Much like the products and services your company sells, trade show giveaways should cater to your audiences’ needs. According to Pew Research Center, millennials now make up more than one-third of the workforce at 35 percent, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years.1
As a generation that grew up with the rise of the internet and the emergence of smartphones, millennials are more likely to engage with giveaways tied to the technologies they use regularly. Tech accessories serve as great giveaways since they are attractive, relatively inexpensive, and easy to transport. Such useful accessories as PopSockets, microfiber cloths, portable phone chargers, and mobile smart wallets carrying your company’s logo will help potential clients in everyday activities and help them remember your brand.
Use culture to your advantage
Another way to attract audiences of every generation is nostalgia. Say your company creates software for smartphones. Developing giveaways that showcase the stages of the technology can create positive feelings for customers and remind them of the forward movement of the industry: USB ports shaped like a ’90s cell phone, portable chargers shaped like cassettes, mini Bluetooth® speakers that look like answering machinesÉ the possibilities are endless! Even simpler items such as bubbles, puzzles, and Rubik’s Cubes can help bring back those warm feelings.
No matter the route you choose to take, just make sure the giveaway isn’t the end of the conversation. Send tweets about your booth, include hashtags on the product, and track social media engagement after the show. Follow up with the people you met and remind them of the benefits of working with your company.
What are your most memorable trade show giveaways?
SOURCE:
1 https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/
