Using Promotional Products at Trade Shows 

Using Promotional Products at Trade Shows

The use of the correct promotional products at a trade show or convention can be a valuable tool to get a person to visit your booth and see your products or services that you provide.

Selecting the right promotional product should start months ahead of the actual trade show as it is best to know what the theme of the trade show is and if possible to pick an item that will not only enhance your company's image but also lend to the overall theme of the trade show. You will need to know how many of an item is needed based on past experience at the trade show or expectations that you may have for a new trade show exhibit.

You need to know what the goals of your company are to be at the trade show. Is it to show a new product or service or to get new customers or are you just attempting to be in the trade show because you have been at the same show for the last ten years?

The selected promotional price range depends upon how many people will be visiting you at the trade show and the type of service or product that you provide. The general rule of thumb is the more expensive product or service that you provide the better quality item you need for your giveaway. If you are trying to sell a $ 50,000 product you certainly don't want to be giving away an item that has a low perceived value.

If it is a two or three day trade show where you will have the opportunity to see the same people each day you may wish to consider using a different product to give away each of the separate days. This creates an added buzz to your booth as people will want to revisit your booth which in turn gives you another opportunity to bond with current customers or gain more time to chat with potential future customers.

Before the trade show it may be best to contact those people that will be attending the trade show to let them know that you are planning something special this year and to be sure to drop by your booth every day that they are at the trade show. This can be done by a pre-mailing or by emailing or calling them on the telephone and let them know your booth location.

If you ship the selected promotional product giveaways to the hotel or convention center where the show will be held it is most important that they are shipped so they will arrive in ample time at the trade show. All boxes should be marked with the name of the convention and the contact person along with the address of the facility that they are to be shipped to. Also a contact person with a cell phone may want to have that number listed on all of the paperwork that is placed on the outside of the shipping boxes. This eliminates a lot of confusion upon arrival at the trade show destination.

In giving out the trade show giveaways it may be best to keep them under the table and give them out to the individuals that actually take the time to stop in the booth and listen to your presentation about your product or services. So many times if the items are left out on the table people will pick up several of an item and just keep moving onto the next booth without you having the chance to present your product. This can be a very expensive proposition especially if you have high end type products that you are using for giveaways in your booth.

Choose an item that presents your firm's message and is perhaps unusual but also useful for the attendee to use long after the trade show is over thus keeping your message in front of that individual.

For information on trade show ideas and giveaways please
contact us at 206 285-5359
Promotional Products and Ideas
1605 5th Avenue North
Suite 303,
Seattle,
WA 98109
[link=mailto:donace@promotionalproductsandideas.com]donace@promotionalproductsandideas.com[/link]