Event giveaways are the ideal way to encourage engagement with your trade show booth, but they're only useful if they're organised and handled well. Successfully running trade show giveaways can make or break your attendance, so learning how to do it properly is essential.
To help you make the most of your trade show booths this year, we've created a handy guide using our industry expertise.
We’ll show you how to run cool promotional giveaways that align with your brand messaging and help you meet your business growth goals.
Contents:
The Benefits of Trade Show Giveaways
Planning Your Trade Show Giveaway
Implementing Your Trade Show Giveaway
Custom Branded Product Recommendations
Tech-Focused Exhibition Giveaway Items
Lifestyle-Oriented Giveaways
Fun & Novelty Promotional Products
Eco-Friendly Promotional Giveaways
Make Your Trade Show Giveaway Memorable With Flashbay
FAQs
The Benefits of Trade Show Giveaways
Before we dive into how to successfully run trade show giveaways, it's important to understand why they are so beneficial for your business. Here are some star standouts:
Increase booth traffic: People love free stuff and often stop by a booth just for the chance to win a giveaway.
Increase brand awareness: Offering branded promotional items as giveaways can increase brand recognition and awareness among potential customers.
Generate leads: Giveaways provide the opportunity to collect contact information from interested attendees, making them potential leads for future business.
Create buzz: A well-planned giveaway can generate excitement and buzz around your booth, drawing in more visitors.
Planning Your Trade Show Giveaway
Like anything successful in business, great promotional giveaways are meticulously planned to ensure entrants get a good experience and — ultimately — a strong first impression of your business, which can lead to new clients and a better business reputation.
So, how do you plan a trade show giveaway? Here's our step-by-step guide.
1) Define Your Trade Show Goals: Leads, Brand Awareness, ETC
Your intended goals should always be the starting point of your trade show giveaways. Understanding what you hope to achieve from attending the trade show is crucial for creating an effective strategy.
Are you looking to generate leads, increase brand awareness, or build relationships with potential clients?
Defining these objectives will help you determine how your giveaway should be structured, what items to offer, and how to engage attendees in a way that aligns with your overall goals.
Some common goals for trade show giveaways include:
Lead generation: Collecting contact information from potential customers.
Brand awareness: Promoting your brand and increasing recognition among attendees.
Product promotion: Showcasing a new product or service to generate interest and sales.
2) Choose the Right Custom Promotional Items for Giveaways
Of course, the promotional items you choose as your giveaway prize are one of the most important parts of a successful trade show giveaway.
If the prize doesn't appeal to your target audience, you'll either have no one enter or a ton of dead leads from people who want the custom merch but are not interested in your product.
Instead, you need to pick out items that are both cool and relevant to your brand.
Here are some tips for choosing the right promotional items:
Consider your target audience: Think about what kind of items would appeal to them and fit their interests.
Make it useful: Choose items that will be used frequently, making your brand more visible to potential customers on a daily basis.
Keep it on-brand: The item should align with your overall brand messaging and image.
3) Determine Your Entry Mechanism
The entry mechanism is a key part of any promo campaign and needs to be carefully planned. It’s your first interaction with participants, so it’s important to use it to gather valuable info, like contact details, preferences, or insights into customer behaviour.
This data can help you create more personalised marketing in the future. Just remember, if you’re collecting personal data, you need to follow GDPR and other privacy laws.
Be upfront — explain how you’ll use the data and get clear consent. A well-designed entry mechanism not only builds trust but also sets the stage for strong customer relationships.
The key components of a solid giveaway entry mechanism are:
Simple Entry: Opt for easy-to-enter methods like raffle tickets, contest forms, or social media contests.
Data Collection: Ensure your entry mechanism effectively captures valuable lead information (name, email, company, etc.).
Compliance: Be mindful of data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR) and obtain necessary consent.
Implementing Your Trade Show Giveaway
Once the technical aspects are out of the way, you need to plan how you'll implement your giveaway. Will you focus on only allowing people to enter at the event, or should you open it to your social media following?
Whatever you decide, there are a few steps to help you generate interest in your branded promotional giveaways to make it worthwhile.
1) Create a Compelling Giveaway Display
A great giveaway display can really help your booth stand out in the busy world of trade shows. Bold colours, eye-catching signs, and branded visuals grab attention and spark curiosity, pulling people in to check out what you’ve got.
But it doesn’t stop there — your display can also work double duty as awesome content for your social media.
Snap some high-quality pics and videos of your setup to share posts and stories that hype up your audience before the event. This way, your brand stays memorable both on the trade show floor and online, making the most of your giveaway.
2) Promote Your Giveaway
While your booth display materials can make a great visual means of promoting your giveaway, it shouldn't be the only way. In fact, the more you promote your giveaway, the more leads it's likely to generate and the more brand awareness you'll get.
A classic way to promote your giveaway is to send an email blast to your current clients, telling them about the giveaway and how they can enter.
But don't stop there! Use all of your marketing channels to get the word out, whether it's social media (Instagram and LinkedIn are both great options), blog posts, or even targeted ads.
3) Manage Your Giveaway Effectively
Running a giveaway? Managing it well is key to making it a great experience for everyone and leaving a positive impression on your business.
Keep participants in the loop with updates like milestones or any changes — it shows you’re professional and builds trust. Let them know exactly when the winner will be announced to keep the excitement going and avoid any confusion.
And don’t forget to be clear about how you’ll use their data — transparency goes a long way toward showing that you care about privacy and ethics.
By staying on top of things, you’ll not only create a fun and smooth experience but also boost your brand’s credibility and connection with your audience.
Custom Branded Product Recommendations
To give you some extra inspiration for your branded promotional giveaways, we've picked out our top product recommendations for a range of businesses, industries, and target audiences.
These items are awesome for giveaways — they’re super practical, high-quality, and get used every day, which means your brand gets noticed more!
Tech-Focused Exhibition Giveaway Items
Tech-focused items make fantastic giveaways because they cater to the modern lifestyle, ensuring your brand stays relevant and useful.
Products like portable speakers and headphones, such as our Mambo Headphones or the iconic Aqua waterproof speaker, are in high demand as they address everyday needs, whether at home, in the office, or on the go.
Wireless chargers, like our sleek Edge model, are another popular choice among busy professionals.
Their practicality and universal appeal mean they are likely to be used frequently, giving your brand consistent visibility.
Tech items are also often associated with innovation and quality, which can elevate your brand's image. Giving away well-designed, functional tech gifts emblazoned with your logo ensures a positive and lasting impression on your target audience.
Lifestyle-Oriented Giveaways
If you want to connect your brand with health, wellness, and sustainability, lifestyle giveaway items are the way to go.
They also help cut down on single-use plastics, showing your commitment to the environment. These are the kinds of items people use every day, keeping your brand front and centre while promoting good habits. It’s a win-win!
Fun and Novelty Promotional Products
Fun and quirky promo products are a great way to keep your giveaways light and enjoyable instead of feeling like a pushy data grab.
These little items help your brand feel approachable and leave a positive impression without the typical marketing pressure. Mixing practicality with a bit of fun is an easy way to make your brand stand out authentically.
Eco-Friendly Promotional Giveaways
Eco-friendly promo products are on the rise, and it’s no surprise why. People are prioritising
sustainability, and businesses are catching on.
Offering items made from recyclable, biodegradable, or sustainably sourced materials shows your brand cares about the planet — something that really clicks with eco-conscious customers.
It also doubles as a great way to build loyalty and stand out from the competition. These products don’t just look good; they send a clear message that your values align with your audience.
And let’s be honest; who doesn’t love practical, purpose-driven merch?
Make Your Trade Show Giveaway Memorable With Flashbay
At Flashbay, we offer a wide range of customisable giveaway items that are perfect for showcasing your branding. From USB drives and drinkware to bags and stationery, our products are designed to leave a lasting impression.
Using professional printing methods, we ensure your logo and message are displayed with precision and quality, helping your brand stand out at any event.
Explore our full range and get a free quick quote today.
FAQs
What is the Most Popular Trade Show Giveaway?
The most popular trade show giveaway items are practical and portable, such as branded USB drives, tote bags, and reusable drinkware. Attendees highly value these items, which provide lasting visibility for your brand long after the event.
What Should I Hand Out at a Trade Show?
Consider handing out useful and memorable items like branded notebooks, pens, key chains, or tech accessories. These practical giveaways ensure your brand stays in attendees' hands, promoting continued engagement and visibility even after the event concludes.
What Items Should I Not Hand Out at a Trade Show Event?
Avoid handing out items that are bulky, overly expensive, or lack practical use, such as large posters or generic flyers. These are less likely to be kept, reducing the effectiveness of your promotional efforts at the trade show.
How Many Freebies To Order for a Trade Show?
Order enough freebies to cover at least 75-80% of expected attendees. For a trade show with 1,000 visitors, 750-800 items should suffice, accounting for high interest while minimising excess inventory. Adjust quantities based on past event data.
Auteur:Sarah Roberts
