Promotional Merchandise - what it is and how to use it at a trade show or exhibition

The average person sees 4000 adverts a day, television, radio, billboards, on trains, buses, on your phone on your computer, they are everywhere - but how many do you remember? Now look around your desk or office, how many products can you see branded with a logo or message? Promotional merchandise, usually given as a gift of some form, is at a few pence per impression, one of the cheapest forms of advertising; everyone loves a freebie and it's the positive feeling of receiving a gift that makes promotional merchandise so successful.

How to Use Promotional Merchandise At A Trade Show

A busy trade show may seem like the best place for lead generation and sales, however people can be easily distracted by show events, and competitor stands. The right promotional merchandise will help you to stand out and attract more people to your stand.

Everyone loves a freebie - data shows that event attendees are 52% more likely to visit your stand if you have appealing promotional items to give them.

What kind of promotional products are most effective? The list of items available is endless, printed bags, pens, powerbanks, notepads and endless gadgets. What is most important is to make sure you choose products that are consistent with your company image and relevant to your target audience.

The first thing to understand is the expected footfall at your event, so you can decide on the quantity of freebie products you will need. A good idea is buy cheaper items to give away in larger quantities and keep higher value items for people who spend longer at your stand and have the potential to become customers. 

Work with a professional distributer, discuss your target audience think about how they spend their time, and what age group they are, your supplier should be able to recommend giveaways that appeal to this demographic. Ideally your gifts will be kept and used in your potential customers' home, car or office, so it is important to spend some time selecting an appropriate product. 

An exception, which works well at exhibitions, are branded sweets or ice-cream. If you have the budget these can be great giveaways, ice-cream in particular can help draw people to your stand - everyone wants a sugar boost on a busy day. 

Giving Away Giveaways

This is not as straightforward as you might think. Your merchandise has cost you money, and you want to make sure you some return for this investment. It is important to give your products away effectively, personally, and with a perception of value. Do not display your entire supply of giveaways for people to grab as they walk past. 

Think about what you want in exchange for your gift, or what you want to give alongside it. If you can, try and talk to everyone who visits your stand, ask for a business card, or have a form for them to fill in so you can gather basic contact information. Maybe you want to give a brochure or leaflet along with your gift. If you have the budget, make up a goodie bag ahead of time (branded of course) which can hold your business card a brochure or two, as well as your giveaway. 

Giving a gift personally increases the perceived value and is more memorable to the recipient than something taken in passing.