Episode 21 – 11 free giveaway tips to help you save money and get results

Episode 21 – 11 More Giveaway Tips and Tricks to Help You Save Money and Attract Customers!

We recently interviewed promoter Anthony Gaudio – Episode 18. The value and expertise in this episode is so rich!

Some of the audience asked me some questions about some of the things we didn’t cover in that interview, plus I wanted to share some of my experiences and go a little deeper into how to use giveaways at trade shows. That’s why we have a Part 2 on the topic of giveaways and promotional items! It fills in a lot of gaps and answers a few more questions from our interview.

I’m not going to tell you exactly what to give away. What I’m going to do is help you avoid some common mistakes so that your show is a success and your giveaway does what you bought it for! and not just become something to be thrown away or given to attendees’ kids.

First Before deciding on a giveaway, have a brainstorming session – either on your own or with a team – and decide – what is the purpose of the giveaway? Don’t get something just for the sake of getting something. That’s like throwing money out the window. The giveaway can be high-priced or low-priced. It doesn’t matter – but the important thing is that every item should have a purpose.

Next – Brainstorm ideas on your own or with your team. What items represent your brand? Your promotion? Your booth theme?

Once you have this framework, you can effectively choose the absolutely right items for your upcoming event.

Here are 11 tips to help you get what works best for your goals and brand.

Tip #1 – Make the giveaway fit your business or brand. Think of it as a different type of business card. If you have a car dealership or car repair business or anything to do with cars, what would be more effective after the presentation? A squeeze ball with your logo on it, or a squeeze in the shape of a car with your logo on it?

Tip #2 – Try giving a gift that is unusual or memorable. Think about the gifts you give now or have used in the past. Are they unusual? Are they memorable? Not to say you can’t use a fountain pen or a more common item, but try giving something a little more unique.

Tip #3 – Get samples of everything! Unless you are in a hurry and can’t get samples in time to place your order, do yourself a favor and get samples! Even if something looks great in a catalog or on a website, don’t risk buying something that looks, feels, or performs cheaply.

Some pens may look expensive and high quality in pictures, but feel cheap to the touch. The same goes for handbags, duffel bags, T-shirts, and many other items. Your name and logo will be on the item—make sure your decision to save a few bucks doesn’t negatively impact your brand.

Tip #4 – Be selective when choosing tech products to giveaway. Tech is cool because it has a high perceived value. Something that looks expensive in a picture may feel cheap and break easily. So, whenever you are considering buying a tech product, always buy samples and test them out. Remember – the reason you have these products is that they reflect your brand in some way. Don’t let people assume poor quality when they see your logo on something that doesn’t work!

Also, always check the specs on your tech products. Real life example – as an attendee I was given a power brick and I thought it was awesome! Then I came back and tested it and it only added about 10% more battery life to my phone before the power brick needed to be recharged. That thing is going straight in the trash.

Tip #5 – Make sure the print is large enough to make an impact. I’ve ordered some items from a website that looked huge on the screen but were very small when they arrived. So if you’re not sure, get a ruler and measure it! I’ve seen some that were too small to read. If you’re interested in an item with a smaller print area, don’t try to cram your logo, your URL, your slogan, and your phone number in there!!

Tip #6 – Understand what is included in the price. Different companies have different pricing. Set-up fees, multi-color printing fees, shipping, taxes, etc. Get the final cost. A $1 item can easily become a $3 item when all the other costs and fees are added.

Tip #7 – Understand the delivery time. The website might say 7 days shipping or something like that, but that doesn’t mean it will be shipped 7 days from the time you place the order! Add in the artwork approval time (which can be longer than expected – especially if you have some re-dos) and the production time.

Tip #7-1/2 – Try to order your items at least one month in advance. Last-minute rush orders may incur high rush processing fees and overnight shipping charges. Also, the closer you get to the deadline, the fewer products you have to choose from.

If you have multiple shows over the course of a few months or even a year, place a larger order so you have enough money to cover all of them and get a better price.

Tip #8 – Understand the size of the items you are giving away. Will the boxes take up space in your booth?

Tip #9 – Also understand how they are packaged. The flashlight and batteries are separate. The pens are individually wrapped in plastic. No need to spend precious time at the show putting things together or removing things from packaging.

Tip #10 – If you know you will have clients or prospects coming to the show, have a small number of high-value giveaways for them. High-end travel mugs, fancy pens, or similar items. Hide these items away. Keep lower-priced giveaways on the table for general attendees.

Tip #11 – Promote your giveaways in pre-show marketing. Bring a postcard for a gift. Mention a social media post for a gift. Don’t just leave them sitting there.

There you have it, 11 top tips! Everything you need to know so you can choose the right giveaway in the right way to make it as effective as possible!

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