Clever Promotional Items?

[Mail Workshop]

Can anyone recommend any clever or innovative promotional items for use at exhibitions?

We currently have the following promotional items, and are looking for something to add to these:

 

[Christine Hough]

Things that hang around are best
I have used paperclips

 

[HazelC]

I know the 'quirky is cool' but actually pens are amazing. I use orange pens (the main colour of my logo) and often clients are using that pen. There are loads of white and 'any colour' but not many all one colour.

Things that people use are the things that people keep.

I went to Cambridge Business Fair and Peterborough Business Fair and got bag loads of 'stuff' - the only things I remember are a £ sign stress ball thing (that the branding has rubbed off of) and lots of pens. The pen I find easily in my handbag is my bright orange one!

 

[MOIC]

USB Stick with your logo on as well as your company information inside which has enough memory for them to add their own stuff.

Practical and cost effective.

Pens with a roll out banner within its case allowing you to print your company main products, contacts etc etc.

Practical and cheap.

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Have to agree with USB sticks, we use the credit card shaped ones as people can keep these on them and every time they use they remember our company details.

Pens can be good but as they tend to be used and then thrown away are only effective in the short term.

 

[MOIC]

Post It note blocks with your logo.

Will keep being used, at least 100 times and your logo on avery note.

 

[MOIC]

Self adhesive address stickers to go onto parcels with your logo.

Tape to seal boxes with your logo, can also act as security tape.

 

[MOIC]

Zipper bag to keep all delivery receipts etc

 

[MOIC]

BTW if you need any quotes feel free to send me a PM or email me directly.

[email protected]

 

[Karimbo]

Usb aren't great imo. The personalised stationary companies generally use cheap generic memory stick to put branding on.

I have a draw full of promotional usb sticks that are dead/have reliability issues. But the branded usb stick I have bought myself are still live and we'll years on.

The USB is a nice giveaway on the day and it will draw crowds to your stand but 1 year down the line it will fail and it will have your brand on it. Do you want your clients to associate your brand with cheap and unreliable usb?

 

[Matthew1983]

The things that we use in our traffic office are calendars, pads, pens and posit notes. If you are a delivery company chances are your customer has an online business so a mouse matt could also work well.

 

[MOIC]

Usb aren't great imo. The personalised stationary companies generally use cheap generic memory stick to put branding on.

I have a draw full of promotional usb sticks that are dead/have reliability issues. But the branded usb stick I have bought myself are still live and we'll years on.

The USB is a nice giveaway on the day and it will draw crowds to your stand but 1 year down the line it will fail and it will have your brand on it. Do you want your clients to associate your brand with cheap and unreliable usb?

It depends on who you use to supply the USB stick. There are literally thousands of factories to choose from, so if you want cheap and cheerful, that's what you will get. If on the other hand you want a quality product, then that costs a bit more and you will have a quality product. It all comes down to the price you want to pay. Its probably best not to use a personalised stationary company to supply these products.

 

[kingblinguk]

USB sticks having logo printed on them, diary, calender or paper weights are also common ideas.

 

[Martina Wade]

Have to agree with the pen suggestion over here - things that are useful will be kept in use and your brand therefore noticed.

Another thing I like receiving is a canvas bag, great as a reusable shopping bag. Not sure how costly they are to produce though! But they are up there with pens in terms of usefulness.

 

[RogerBa]

I guess the simple answer is to look at a few of your customers desks, see what there is that stays there, I looked at mine and besides the computer/keyboard/mouse there is always a mouse mat, coaster, notebook, paperclips, rubber bands, stapler, all the obvious things really but I have to say if the item is poor quality it wont get a place.
I have a large mug full of pens that never get used because I like to write with a rollerball, I write notes in my notebook through the day.

My stapler is a freebie, but it is also a quality built item and has lasted years.
The coaster for my coffee is a freebie and has spent 18 months on my desk.

Wall clocks might be a good one, your brand in the middle and people look at it several times a day

Really I think quality is important, cheap items look cheap, feel cheap and don't last.

 

[Scott_Cruz]

Diary , Pens , Notepads All really depends on budget

Fleece Jackets , T Shirts , Mugs , Lighters , Chocolate Bars

 

[Import Expert]

I order a fair bit of promotional merchandise but to be honest I get bored myself looking through catalogues of our various suppliers as the same stuff is regurgitated over and over again.

One thing I have found to be successful is to theme giveaways depending on things happening throughout the year.

For instance, with Easter coming up we have ordered a load of 'Flat Pack Easter Eggs'. (Picture below is one we used a few years back).

There is also the Rugby World Cup coming up later this year which we have some plans for.

Sure, the old classics will work, but they won't really be 'noticed' as such.

For exhibitions you will be surprised how well sweets go down. Other more expensive freebies tend to get grabbed without anyone having any interested in your stand or what you are offering.

 

[gobi]

USB's
Cotton Bags
Mint Tins
Mugs
Notepads

usually work best

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I know the 'quirky is cool' ....

Quirky can be memorable too.

I distinctly remember a while ago a company sending me a package containing a tea bag suggesting I have a cup of tea on them whilst reading some info they'd sent - I remembered it because the darn thing had split in the post and the contents of the tea bag went all over my desk and floor! Needless to say the leaflet went straight in the bin.

 

[fisicx]

Calendars. People hang them on the wall and see your logo and phone number every day.

None of the three things in you post would be of any use as there is no way to use them to contact you. Ergo: instantly forgettable.

 

[afishinsea]

The key to promotional items is to be front of mind at the time a potential client needs your service... In your industry, if people already use you, I would be looking at things that are useful to them and add value - branded boxes / packaging or tape etc as part of the service - but give these away at point of contact, rather than at expo.

If you must give stuff away, because the stands that are around you are - drinks and mint sweets work well (lots of talking = stinky breath ) and people like a bottle of water - it can be branded, maybe have a glass fronted fridge full of them and your logo in vinyl on the sides. What are you known for - if it is speed, maybe a sports bottle would be appropriate?
You could try little brown cardboard boxes, stacked to look like parcels, with Fragile / logo and contact stamped on the side, with a treat, perhaps with a branded mug inside - creating relevancy and stickiness)

If this HAS to be a sticky item, and therefore be on someones desk for at least 3 months, staplers and calculators are good. They have retention and perceived value and your potential clients may well use them before they fill in Pro-formas / docs that are a requirement of sending . Other standard items like USB's do get collected, but as digital storage is cheap these days, I am not sure they are premium or used so much anymore.

If this is a brand building exercise, then I think the minivans you have are cool and quirky, but will probably be given to the kids when your target gets home...

Hope that helps!

 

[AmarDigital]

Just looking round the office now, the only branded items we have sitting around on desks (from other companies) is foam stress balls and USB sticks, both with logos on.

 

[CWT2k1]

Here in the states we find foam Gridiron (American Football) balls. I think actual footballs would be a great promotional item. Also I've seen many firms use tiny keychain flash lights and everyone loves them!

 

[E-wholesale]

It depends on how much cost you would spend