Tip of the Week #22 - Using Promotional Items at Exhibitions

It’s very common for exhibitors to hand out promotional items at exhibitions to draw show attendees to their stand. An added benefit is that people will tend to think more favourably of a business if they’ve been given something free. But does promotional merchandise really bring in new business, or is it an overused gimmick? Research carried out by the British Promotional Merchandise Association in 2012 found that 56 per cent of respondents felt more favourable towards a company after receiving a promotional item, and 79 per cent said it makes them more likely to do business with a company in the future. Another 87% of respondents said they keep a promotional item for longer than 12 months.

The key benefit of promotional items is that they help keep a brand front of mind. For example if you give out a mouse pad or a pen, there’s a good chance it’ll sit on a client’s desk, in their pocket or bag and be in constant view, acting as a daily reminder of the brand. The merchandise you give away should benefit the customer and be something they will keep and use time and time again as this will give you quite a low-cost communications channel.

You should also consider the environmental impact of your promotional product. A customer’s opinion of a company giving away ethically produced or environmentally friendly gift tends to be enhanced. Environmentally friendly products are also more cost-effective in the long run. For example, a reusable bag may be more expensive to source than a plastic bag, but the customer will use it for longer, which means that your marketing message will also be around for longer. The return on investment is greater and will ultimately outweigh the initial cost.

Promotional items are a great part of the marketing toolkit and can be invaluable to an exhibitor. They can act as a conversation starter, draw attendees to a stand or increase brand awareness. Just make sure that whatever product you choose as a giveaway fits into your exhibition marketing strategy, is within budget and that you get something in return. Gathering attendee’s data in exchange for the giveaway makes it much easier to quantify the effect of a promotion and enables you to more accurately calculate your return on investment.

Before spending your valuable budget on promotional products for your next exhibition, consider the following:

• How does the item(s) fit into your exhibition marketing strategy?
• Can you afford it or does it mean compromising on stand design or other areas?
• Is your chosen item relevant to the message you are trying to get across?
•  Can you get something back in return – such as contact information, an appointment, or even an order?
•  How can you tie in your promotional item to a pre-show mailer or invitation?