Trade shows, conferences, and exhibitions provide businesses with many exciting networking and marketing opportunities. These events are making a big comeback in industries of all scopes and sizes, drawing dozens or hundreds of attendees looking to learn about the latest trends and build brand awareness.
Given the huge number of people in attendance, standing out from the crowd can be challenging for your business. Thankfully, there are many ways to set yourself apart from your competitors and make the right impression at the next big trade show, including the shrewd use of promotional merchandise.
Why Promotional Products are Important at Trade Shows
A trade show is a great networking opportunity for any business, allowing you to generate leads, drive sales, and generate buzz for your brand. Of course, other businesses in attendance will have similar goals, which is why having some branded products to promote your business can help give you the edge against the competition.
For instance, having some cool branded merch such as custom bottles or logo pens at your booth could encourage people to approach your team, offering the chance to sell your products and services. Promotional products can also help make a good first impression to the many people attending the event. For example, offering giveaways, such as branded drinkware or a tote bag, is a simple but effective way to promote your brand and products.
Moreover, offering promotional items at any trade show, regardless of size, will boost brand awareness. These events are ideal for introducing your business to a wider audience, and nothing quite makes an impact for the brand than free promotional goodies. People love giveaways, and the more they use your giveaway, the longer they’ll be reminded about your brand. Also, if they use the products away from the event, they’ve effectively spread your brand to a much wider audience.
How to Choose the Right Promotional Products for a Trade Show
Make Sure Products Match Your Brand
To make the biggest impact with promotional products, it’s important that they reflect your brand identity, company values, and the services/products you offer. So, make sure to think about your brand and its unique selling points, which you can then integrate into your promotional products.
For example, if your branding focuses heavily on being eco-friendly, then it's best to use sustainable promotional products to reflect this and send an appropriate message to consumers. If you’re a tech-based company, then why not invest in tech-adjacent promotional products like USB sticks or power banks?
Consider Products People Will Find Useful
A simple way to get the most value from your promotional items is to make them useful. For example, stationary is a tried and tested promotional product because most people find pens, notebooks, etc, useful! They’ll not only use them during the event but also at home or work for long periods, providing your brand with prolonged exposure long after the trade show finishes!
The good news is that there are countless promotional items available that offer trade show attendees value, including stationary, travel mugs, tote bags, hats, and more. So, finding something that people find useful while also aligning with your branding shouldn’t be too challenging.
Make a Splash with Something Unique
While sticking with promotional favourites like stationary is never a bad idea due to their practicality and proven effectiveness, they can also be harder to set yourself apart from others. So, if you want to make a big splash and stand out from your competitors, consider a unique branded item with that wow factor.
These unique branded items may require a higher initial cost, but the impact they have on your branding and sales could make them well worth the investment. When looking for branded products, keep an eye out for anything that feels incredibly unique and unlike anything others might have.
Popular Promotional Products for Trade Shows
Using promotional merchandise at trade shows is nothing new, with lots of popular options available. While you’ll find lots of other companies using similar products, they’re still a great way to promote your brand, products, and services.
Here are some popular promotional products that are perfect for a trade show:
Stationary
Pens are a quintessential promotional product. Even in our digital age, people still find plenty of use for pens, as they’re functional, versatile, and long-lasting. They’re also available in a range of sizes and styles, and it’s easy to fit important branding info like a company logo or contact info. Notebooks, sticky notes, planners, and other stationary are similarly useful, making them a classic promotional product for any trade show or conference.
Drinkware
Drinkware like water bottles and mugs are a classic promotional item, thanks to their functionality and wide range of design options. People love practical freebies, so offering them some drinkware like a cup or a reusable bottle provides them with a valuable product, ensuring a great impression of your brand. They’ll also get lots of use for them after the show, providing a lasting source of brand visibility.
Tote Bags
Tote bags are one of the most increasingly popular promotional products used at trade shows and events. Eco-friendly, durable, and highly practical, tote bags are incredibly useful at trade shows as they allow people to carry all the other promotional material they pick up while advertising your brand at the event. They’ll also get lots of use after the show, being a highly visible form of branding for your business for years to come.
Branded Technology and Gadgets for Trade Shows
Branded technology and gadgets can make a huge impression at trade shows, while their increasing affordability means they’re more popular than ever. Here are some great ideas for promotional technology products for a trade event:
USB Sticks
USB sticks are one of the most cost-effective tech promotional items available, making them a good option for budget-friendly marketing at trade shows. A USB flash drive is a useful product for most people, from office workers to students, and can stand out more than products like pens or mugs, despite similar costs.
Power Banks
Given the widespread use of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other portable devices, providing users with a promotional power bank has the potential to make a lasting impact on your brand. Promotional power banks are coming down in price, making them a viable option for marketing at trade shows due to their functionality and overall value. Consider customising a power bank with your company logo so it’s visible anytime someone is charging their devices!
Headphones, Earbuds, and Speakers
Branded headphones and earbuds are always a big hit at trade shows. They’re highly useful, so people appreciate them as a promotional gift, while the fact they’re worn externally offers outstanding brand exposure whenever in use. Similarly, portable speakers will make a huge impression on attendees and remain a great form of brand exposure, as they’ll provide many years of use.
Unique Promotional Product Ideas for Trade Shows
If you’re looking to stand out from your competitors at an upcoming trade show, then consider thinking outside of the box when it comes to your promotional merchandise. Here are some ideas for unique promotional products:
Puzzles, Games, and Toys
Providing trade show attendees with branded puzzles, games, and toys can set you apart from others by offering people a fun and engaging promotional item. Puzzles and games are entertaining and relaxing and encourage problem-solving, so they often have a more lasting impact compared to traditional promotional merchandising.
Whether it’s a jigsaw puzzle, yoyo, frisbee, playing cards, or brain teasers, these promotional products are unique, thoughtful, and very memorable, helping make the right impression for your brand.
Plants and Seeds
Promotional plants and seeds are unique, eco-friendly products that are certain to make a good impression at any trade show. People are more mindful of the environment than ever, so promoting your company with seed packets, plant pots, and growing kits will speak volumes about your eco-friendly brand.
Sweets and Snacks
Promotional confectionary like sweets, chocolates, and mints provide a fun way to promote your brand at a trade show. These events can be tiring work, so being able to reenergise with a few tasty treats at your boot can make a big impact. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a free sweet treat like a bar of chocolate or a bag of sweets?
They’re a simple way to boost branding at events, offering a great-tasting promotional product for a cost-effective price.
Final Thoughts
Trade shows offer the chance to use a range of promotional products to increase brand awareness and visibility. However, it’s important to ensure that your promotional products align with your brand image and company values while reflecting the products or services you provide.
Popular promotional products like stationary, drinkware, and tote bags are affordable and effective ways to boost branding both at the event and long after. You can also opt for technology and gadget promotional mechanisms to make a strong impression or think outside the box with unique ideas like puzzles, confectionary, or plants and seeds.
Choosing the right products can not only boost branding over the short and long term but also build a stronger relationship with clients and suppliers within the industry.