| The secret to using promotional gifts at exhibitions | | | | While people attempted to get the stress ball into |
| successfully, is simple. The products you give away | | | | the hoop, he and his staff chatted with them. They |
| need to be products your customers will want to | | | | wanted to establish whether the person was a |
| use. Products such as promotional pens, clothing, | | | | decision maker and possible customer in need of their |
| stress balls, mugs and stationery are all products that | | | | products and services or just a time waster. The |
| if chosen carefully will give you the best return for | | | | time waster were pushed through quite quickly and |
| your promotional gifts budget. The word | | | | waved on their way with their free stress ball which |
| ‘carefully’ is the key word here. So many | | | | they were happy to receive. The qualified decision |
| people purchase cheap pens and t-shirts thinking they | | | | makers were taken aside after their three attempts |
| are getting more items for their money and hence | | | | which usually ended without a goal being made. |
| getting more return for their marketing budget. This | | | | They were shown the company’s products and |
| is the wrong way to look at it. Our landfills are | | | | serviced, given a brochure and eco friendly printed |
| already over full of tacky t-shirts and dried up biros | | | | jute carrier bag and the t-shirt they had failed to |
| that never worked well in the first place! You need | | | | win. |
| to source good quality products that will continue to | | | | |
| sell your brand over time. | | | | It is important to note that everyone left the stand |
| | | | | happy. They either left with a printed stress toy or |
| If your company is exhibiting at a trade show in the | | | | they left with information, a bag, brochures and a |
| future, I recommend looking for inexpensive gifts | | | | t-shirt. My customer only took business cards from |
| such as a good quality plastic pens or stress balls and | | | | qualified visitors so that they did not waste time |
| also nicer more expensive gifts that you will give to | | | | doing follow up calls on people that were not good |
| qualified visitors to your stand. One of my key | | | | prospects. The unqualified visitors also served a |
| customers took my advice and he has permitted me | | | | valuable purpose. They helped make the stand look |
| to tell you how he used the promotional gifts on his | | | | exciting by being part of the crowd and making it |
| stand. | | | | look like an interesting and lively stand to visit. |
| | | | | |
| He purchased 500 stress ball basket balls printed with | | | | After the show, when the follow up calls were made, |
| his logo and details. He also purchased 250 good | | | | it was easy to remind the target customers who |
| quality heavy t-shirts which he printed on the front | | | | was contacting them. They had several nice usable |
| and left sleeve with his logo. On one of the walls, | | | | gifts and they remembered the basket ball |
| he put up a small basket ball hoop and then invited | | | | competition. My customer is now looking for ways |
| guests to have three goes at getting the stress ball | | | | to better the success of that show through |
| through the hoop. Winners would receive a t-shirt | | | | promotional gifts. I have a lot of ideas for him. |
| as a prize. | | | | Watch this space! |
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