Attending a trade show is a great way to gain brand exposure while making connections with industry professionals. With an abundance of attendees and presenters, enhancing your booth and attracting traffic is essential to maximize your reach and appeal. Before you begin ordering “schwag” and promotional products to give away at your next trade show, take time to consider the most useful and practical items that are most likely to resonate with your intended demographics and target audience.

 

1. Pens

Pens are often a staple that is given away at trade shows due to their overwhelming usefulness. Almost everyone has found a need for a pen in their everyday life, which is why pens have become commonplace with tradeshow booths in all markets and industries. Pens are extremely affordable and are highly customizable, optimal whether you are interested in printing your website’s logo in color, black and white, or with a variety of designs.

 

2. Keychain Flashlights

Keychain flashlights are extremely useful for those who do not have a flashlight already attached to their keychain or for those who simply do not wish to use an app on their smartphone. Keychain flashlights provide you with the opportunity to implement your company logo, text, and even a link to your website. Because they are compact and discreet, attendees are more likely to keep them in their possession before putting them to use. Traveling at night or entering a home without light is a hassle without a flashlight, which is why keychain flashlights are highly recommended trade show giveaway items.

 

3. Reusable Tote Bags and Backpacks

Reusable tote bags and customizable backpacks are fun promotional products that help free yourself from mundane or traditional trade show giveaway items. Choose the style, size, color, and material used with the backpack or tote bag you plan to give away. Create a unique and intricate design that represents your business or implement your company’s traditional logo on each bag. One of the advantages of choosing to give away a tote bag or a backpack is that trade show attendees are likely to put them to use immediately.

Collecting promotional items and schwag can quickly become overwhelming when attending a large trade show. Giving tote bags or backpacks away encourages attendees to immediately put them to use while visiting other booths and setups during the tradeshow. When you want to maximize the amount of exposure you are able to get at a local or regional trade show, consider a custom tote bag or backpack promotional gift.

 

4. Branded Water Bottles

Water bottles are another staple that is often found at tradeshows. As tradeshows and conferences can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, participants and attendees are likely to find themselves thirsty and in dire need of a drink. Reusable water bottles are not only useful during the trade show itself, but also at home, at the gym, or even when out and about for the day. Instead of traditional plastic water bottles, consider opting for a high-quality stainless steel alternative to appeal to even more individuals who love receiving free promotional items.

 

5. Miniature Notepads and Sticky Notes

People are always in need of paper and notepads, which is why miniature notepads and sticky notes are great solutions for giveaways. Giving away customized sticky notes and mini notepads is a way to share your brand’s logo and website repeatedly as the item is used or notepads are handed off to others in the workplace. Because of their usefulness and affordability, custom notepads and sticky notes are some of the most popular items to giveaway for any business or brand, regardless of your current size.

 

6. USB Drives

USB drives are one of the most appealing promotional products to give away at a tradeshow, especially if you are attending a tradeshow that revolves around technology, marketing, and new industries. USB drives are not only compact and easy to carry, but they are extremely useful and have a built-in purpose that can come in handy for just about anyone who uses a computer, smartphone, or other digital devices each day. Use your company’s logo on the USB drives you giveaway while also including files, photos, and links to your official website upon inserting the USB device to drive traffic to your website while incentivizing users to learn more about your business.

 

7. T-Shirts

Giving away t-shirts and clothing items can quickly add up in cost, but they can also attract more passersby to your booth setup. Consider hosting a contest or an additional giveaway that includes hoodies, t-shirts, and other clothing accessories to draw attention to your booth without requiring you to overspend. Clothing is a memorable promotional product that helps provide your brand with additional exposure even after the event has come to an end.

 

8. Smartphone Wallet

Attendees of trade shows can quickly become bogged down with handling cash, personal belongings, and all of the free schwag they receive from trade show attendees and companies. Consider giving a smartphone wallet to help with holding mobile phones, cash, credit cards, and even keys to those who attend your next tradeshow or business conference. Smartphone wallets are available in different materials, sizes, and shapes to create a truly stunning and relevant look for your brand. Select the color of your smartphone wallet while putting your logo to use to remind anyone who receives one of your business throughout their stay. Smartphone wallets are affordable, useful, and an innovative way to help your brand stand out from the crowd.

 

Giving away promotional items that are used in everyday life is one way to boost the exposure your business and brand receives. Items that are useful are much more likely to garner the attention of individuals who attend trade shows, regardless of whether they are other industry professionals or attendees who have a genuine interest in learning more about your business. With the right giveaway ideas, create a trade show booth that is unique, memorable, and reminds attendees of your brand and its purpose.