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Giving out free gifts to your exhibition stand visitors can be an incredibly effective marketing tool, provided you approach it logically. Giving items away can certainly be lucrative for a business. Freebies can encourage visitors to reciprocate a nice gesture through forms of customer loyalty, interaction or word of mouth. It is a great way to boost brand visibility, attract potential clients, leave a lasting impression, and spark excitement.
Here are a few important factors to bear in mind:
Usefulness
Handing out freebies is all well and good, but people don’t want to go home with items that they will never use. They are less likely to appreciate or even remember items that serve no practical purpose in their daily lives. This also helps to eliminate waste and reduce the number of products heading straight to the landfill. Pens, mugs, notepads, and T-shirts are all good examples. Items that feature your company logo are a cunning way of planting your name in the mind of the consumer, even after the event is over.
Relevance
In addition to usefulness, free gifts should also be relevant. The effectiveness of your promotional products is determined by how well they align with your business and messaging style. For example, a pet food supplier would do well to dish out (no pun intended) branded pet bowls or leashes. On the other hand, mouse mats or USB drives would be the ideal choice for an IT company. Relevant gifts have a far greater impact than non-relevant ones will and help to reinforce your brand message every time the item is used.
Originality
In a crowded environment, standing out is crucial. While traditional items like pens and notepads have their place, they are likely available among a hundred other stands. Consider also offering something more unique to grab attention. This could include custom eco-friendly products, unique tech gadgets, or even experience-based gifts like discount vouchers.
The key is to think creatively and offer something unexpected. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds and you’ll be surprised by what ideas you can come up with. Unique gifts not only capture attention but also enhance the likelihood that people will remember your brand over others. Being memorable in a sea of competitors can boost your chances of converting interest into sales.
Exclusivity
On a practical level, giving items away will cost money and the whole business of freebies can often become far more costly than you anticipated. This is why it is prudent to restrict your gifting to visitors who look as though they are genuinely interested in your stand to begin with. This approach not only helps control costs but also adds a layer of exclusivity to your gifts, making them more desirable and the talk of the exhibition hall! Here you create a win-win situation where potential clients feel valued, and you ensure that your investment is valuable.
By considering these factors—usefulness, relevance, originality, and exclusivity—you can turn free gifts into a powerful tool to drive brand awareness and foster meaningful connections with customers. Those who fail to consider these factors risk a poor return on investment and fail to receive beneficial value. So next time you are planning your exhibition stand, don’t forget to consider whether you can make promotional gifts work for you.
