Promotional products make people happy – that much is self-evident. According to trade show experts, it’s a common trend in the marketing world that consumers have a more favorable view of an advertiser after obtaining a promotional item.
Promotional products at trade fairs open up a whole new world of possibilities for businesses trying to reach out to prospective customers and sell their products, in addition to strengthening a brand’s image in the eyes of consumers.
Companies should, in my opinion, incorporate a promotional product strategy into their trade show preparation because of the numerous advantages that using promotional products at your booth provides.
Don’t be the booth that overlooks the value of promotional things in terms of marketing. Some of the reasons why trade show gifts are vital and necessary for trade show success can be found below reasons:
1. They boost the number of people who visit the booth
That’s all there is to it! According to a survey conducted by Exhibit Surveys Inc., organizations that used promotional gifts at their booth had much more traffic than those that did not. Remember that trade exhibitions need you to compete with dozens of other businesses for leads. Attracting prospects to your booth is the first step in generating a sale, so grab their attention with high-quality promotional items.
2. They aid in the recall of your brand among prospects
When attending a trade show, one of your company’s main goals should be to separate yourself apart from other businesses in a favorable way. According to a survey, a majority of attendees who got a promotional product at a trade show remember the company’s name. This demonstrates that trade fair guests will remember your brand after receiving your thoughtful gift.
Consider things other than your logo. Prospects are typically lured to a brand by its messaging, the “cool” quality of the company culture, or some other distinguishing feature. Promote it on your promotional products if you have anything that sets your company different from the competition.
3. They strengthen the image of your company
Your brand needs all the positive impressions it can get at a busy expo full of exhibitors and attendees! It’s usual for trade show attendees who received a promotional item to have a positive opinion about the company that offered it to them. Using trade show handouts positively places your brand in the eyes of prospects, increasing the likelihood that they are likely to consider your products or services.
Giving just any ordinary promotional item will not elicit such great responses from participants. Make careful to choose things that are practical, high-quality, and valuable. You don’t want to represent your company with a low-cost item that breaks easily and provides no value to the attendees.
When there are so many trade show booths at a convention, it’s challenging to stand out! Giving guests something to remember you by enhances the image of your company. It improves people’s perceptions of you and the way you treat your consumers. Make sure you give free goods that are valuable and relevant to your target demographic. Giving out random items is a waste of time and may possibly send the sense that you don’t care about your clients.
4. Visually appealing exhibits are valued by attendees
If you sell items, you already know that the visual presentation is just as crucial as the product itself. This is true for your trade show handouts as well. According to HubSpot, promotional goods are critical for getting noticed at a trade show crowded with other firms and attendees. Attract visitors to your booth with a well-designed display that includes promotional goods.
It’s not enough to have promotional things on display to attract attendees! According to Trade Show experts, you must ensure that your display is organized in a way that piques attendees’ interest. It’s best to stay away from straight lines when arranging things. When developing your layout, create a visually appealing flow for your prospects.
Trade show gifts are crucial since they can enhance your company’s overall trade show experience. By starting conversations with participants, they essentially pave the way for the sale of items and services. Your brand will be on its road to trade show success once you attract prospects’ interest with giveaways.
5. Keep bringing them back
Relationship building is your goal, which means you’ll need to figure out how to keep them coming back to your business. Giving them coupons or gift certificates is one method to do this.
Both concepts must be redeemed via contact with your organization in the future. Distributing things that provide customers and prospects reasons to return in the future.
6. Boost your return on investment
You can promote yourself by using promotional items. On the other hand, other promotion and marketing techniques are all prohibitively expensive and demand significant investments. Time, money, or both can be used as investments. Suppose you don’t have the cash for print, radio, or television commercials but want to raise brand awareness. In that case, promotional gifts are a great option. You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money deciding which promotional products are best for you. The only problem is that the price is too low when compared to what you’d pay for other types of promotions. And, given the advantages listed above, the investment is well worth it.
7. Generating Qualified Leads is a great way to start
You’ll need to alter your technique drastically in order to generate quality leads. Giving out cotton tote bags, essential lights, or cookie packets isn’t going to cut it! Instead, reward folks who are willing to sit for a meeting or participate in a similar interest-gathering activity with a higher-value item.
The target audience should be notified about the giveaway ahead of time—perhaps via social media—for this reason. When you reach out to qualified leads at a trade show, you’ll usually find that they’ve done some preliminary research. They know what they’re looking for exactly, so you’ll need to be able to persuade them to look you up.
8. Combining a Giveaway with a Sales Promotion is a Winning Combination
By delivering a giveaway that reflects a different kind of reward, you can avoid a traditional freebie entirely. This can be very effective, and because you won’t have to move promotional items, it may also help you save money on shipping.
For example, give a prize in exchange for signing up for a newsletter, completing a survey, or scheduling a product demonstration. Make the prize something that will reintroduce the recipient to you. Consider the following example:
- A reduction in the price of a future purchase
- A gift card that can be used to pay for your services.
- With a purchase or a signed contract, a gift offer is made.
This method may result in fewer visitors than if you gave free promotional products of general interest. However, the visitors who come to your trade show exhibit and what you have to offer are more likely to be genuine. This type of gift can save you time by screening out folks who aren’t potential clients and consumers.
Combining this strategy with a well-planned pre-show publicity campaign is a great idea. When your plan focuses on recruiting visitors with specific intent rather than overall foot traffic, you gain from generating a lot of buzzes ahead of time.
9. Giveaways vs. Prize Drawings
Still, if that isn’t your style, there are other possibilities. One strategy is to hand out hundreds of low-cost trade fair promotional products. Alternatively, you may provide one or more substantial prizes to entice visitors to come to your booth. Guests at trade shows acquire little, low-value key rings, plastic cups, and desk accessories throughout the day. Many of them will be thrown away or given to the kids when they return home. Consider what is truly valuable to your target audience, and then offer them the chance to win it.
iPads and other general-interest items are popular choices, but they may not suit your needs. As a result, most contestants aren’t in your target demographic and are simply looking for a free iPad.
Choose trade show giveaways that are useful to your target audience instead. A product or service that your firm produces or provides can be an excellent fit for this reason. If you own a successful website, for example, give away free ad space; if you offer web design services, give away a free website upgrade; or if you run a home contractor firm, give away a discount on house repairs.
You can ask people to donate something of value in exchange for an entry into the drawing by offering something of worth: their contact information. To enter, have attendees drop their business cards into a bowl or provide their contact information, then host a prize drawing at the end of the day or show. You’ll spend a little more than you would on a significant number of low-cost trade show handouts, plus you’ll have a basket full of individuals to follow up with.
Conclusion
People enjoy promotional things in general. Therefore, make the most of your promotional materials as well as your tradeshow appearance. If you are looking for promotional product professionals in Edmonton, we can help. We specialize in developing, creating, and producing promotional materials that capture the soul of your business and tradeshow. Whatever we come up with will always be in accordance with your objectives.