Episode 018 – Use freebies and promotions for powerful results!

Episode 018: Use Giveaways and Promotions for Powerful Results! with Anthony Gaudio

At every trade show, we see promotional items at every booth! But which ones work, and which ones are a waste of money? Promotional industry expert Anthony Gaudio of Quality Logo Products joins me today to discuss everything you ever wanted to know about giveaways!

Q1——What experience do you have with trade shows?

At trade shows, I am more of a behind-the-scenes person. Most of my experience is with customers. Connecting with customers before and after shows helps me understand which products work for them and which products are less popular. I use this information to help other similar businesses/individuals target products for their respective markets. I don’t just work with one auto body shop, I work with 30. If 24 out of 30 shops are happy with XYZ pen, then I will recommend it to the next auto body shop that’s looking for a pen because actions speak louder than words.

Q2 – What do businesses really need to know about giveaways?

Understand the necessity of giveaways and how they can enhance your promotion and attract attendees to your booth. Have a good promotional product foundation and layer promotional items to further increase exposure.

Giveaways are needed – People love free stuff! In exchange for a little bit of someone’s time, giving them something to show appreciation is necessary in my opinion. It builds a connection with the individual and provides an opportunity to look back and reminisce about the conversation afterwards. The first rule of marketing…the fluffy envelope gets opened first. If you were handed a stack of business cards and a widget with your contact information printed on it…what would you look at first?

Have a good product base and layer items –

1. A solid product foundation: It is also very important to have a good product foundation. Every company should have some basic products that they give away regularly. These products do not have to be super expensive, just some stable products that have built up over time in the market. When you walk into the company, there will be branded pens or mints, key chains, can holders, etc. out front. When people see it, they know where it is from and it aligns with your corporate reputation and overall brand vision. Think of them as fancy business cards.

2. Promotional Apparel – Branding your employees with shirts, hats, jackets, socks, etc… further emphasizes the concept of consistency and quality. It also provides a way to build camaraderie among employees and identify who works there, haha!!!

3. Extras – To further enrich your promotional items, giving away some extras from time to time is also a way to build rapport with your customers and single out those individuals who have been supporting your business. These can be better products, stainless steel tumblers, backpacks, USB drives, and even clothing is great. Just give those people who have been giving back to you a little something extra.

Q3 – What is your most memorable trade show moment?

The first positive moment I remember was my first industry trade show. It was great to meet with the vendors I had worked with over the past few years. It was awesome to be able to shake hands with these people and walk away with some new products to share with my team.

Q4 – What good advice do you have for our listeners?

1) Partner with people who know what they are doing (like me, haha!) and have your/your business’ best interest at heart. Ask the best salespeople in your company. They are top salespeople because they don’t actually sell anything, they provide proactive solutions to their clients.

2) Plan ahead. If you have a show coming up and you know you need to give out gifts… give us a call a few weeks in advance. The more time we have to work with, the more product and printing options you have available. There are also significant cost savings when we don’t have to factor in couriers or rush production.

3) Match your promotional gifts. Don’t overspend and don’t underspend. This will take trial and error. You know your business better than anyone. If the event you’re attending is open to the public, there are no set criteria for entry and no way to qualify who will attend the show before the show. Don’t spend your $2,500 promotional gift budget on $15 stainless steel tumblers. You’ll never see a return on that giveaway. Instead, spend a few hundred bucks on 1,000 lip balms or cheap hand sanitizer to give out. You’ll have a wider reach and spend less money. If you qualify attendees, you can prepare a few nice tumblers to give out. Vice versa, don’t show up at a trade show specifically for doctors and surgeons with a $50 pen. Choose the right promotional items for your program/event.

Q5——What is the most important lesson you can share with our audience?

1) Even the best promotional products cannot exempt you from the effort of marketing yourself, your services and/or products. These items are additive. They are a synapse, a means of triggering a chain of events that ultimately leads to a positive outcome for your business.

2) Don’t be afraid to try something different. I say this all the time, but we in the promotion world are not saving lives. The sun will rise tomorrow. If you make a mistake and the promotion fails, no one will die. For example, if you are in the middle of a heat wave and everyone is handing out fans, then be the one handing out “Iced Hot Cocoa” in a one-of-a-kind, limited edition 11oz c-handle cup with your unique logo on it 🙂

3) Give away items that people will actually use!

Anthony’s Special Offer!!

Enjoy 6% off Quality Logo Products sale items!

Email Anthony directly at anthony@qualitylogoproducts.com and use the code AGLOVE!!

Or visit www.qualitylogoproducts.com and quote Anthony Gaudio in the comments.

How should people contact you?

Please call me at 866-312-5646 x 116

Email anthony@qualitylogoproducts.com

Or you can follow me on my family’s YouTube page. Just google “the Gaudio’s” and we’ll be there!!!