What are some good promo items?

By Samantha O'Rourke

Giving away branded promotional items is a smart way to increase your brand’s reach and introduce yourself to prospective customers. One of the most effective ways to use these products is giving them away at industry events, like trade shows and conferences.

A major advantage of these events is they bring a lot of traffic and attention to your brand, providing you with the opportunity to connect with potential customers who are actively looking for new companies to purchase from.

If you’ve been to many of these events, you’ve probably noticed two things:

• Attendees often walk away with lots of promo items.
• Certain items are more likely to impact attendees’ decision-making than others.

Wondering what the best promotional items to give away are? If you're curious about how your business can zero in on what's most cost-effective and impactful, check out these creative promotional products ideas.

Are promotional items worth it?

Yes, promotional items can certainly have an impact on your business—if you choose the right products to give away. The best promotional items for a small business are those that are useful, unique and made of high-quality materials.

If you’re skeptical or wondering whether consumers actually want to receive branded items from companies—or that those items can influence their buying decisions—the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) recently shared that consumers are, in fact, “hungry opens in new window” for these items. Specifically, PPAI found that “78% of consumers enjoy receiving free stuff from companies and brands they love, and nearly 73% want to receive promo products more often.”

But once these items are in consumers’ hands, do they really move the needle? The research suggests yes, as PPAI’s study also found that “70% of consumers say they’re likely to switch brands if they’ve received a promotional product they really like from a company they haven’t done business with before.”

What makes a good promotional product?

The best promotional products will help an organization increase its brand awareness and achieve various marketing goals, while providing customers with something they’ll actually want to hold on to. As a recent Forbes article puts it, the key is to offer “giveaways, not throwaways opens in new window.” With that in mind, the most effective promotional products are those that are useful, unique and made with quality materials.

At 4imprint, we offer an exceptionally wide selection of useful and unique branded items—including exclusive products—for your business, all produced with the highest-quality materials.

What is the most useful promotional item?

Among the most common categories of useful promotional items that can be customized are:

• Writing utensils: If you’re looking to provide something useful, take note: Pens and pencils customized with your branding elements strike a great balance between being low-cost to produce and highly useful for consumers. While traditional pens and pencils have yet to go out of style, you also might consider offering customized highlighters, markers or writing sets.
• Stationery: Stationery is a popular option for largely the same reasons as writing utensils. Most people appreciate a nice, perfect-bound journal, but notepads, adhesive notes or padfolios are great ideas as well.
• Drinkware: No matter what consumers’ beverage tastes may be, giving away drinkware ensures your promo items will be used—when they’re being used on the go, it amounts to free brand awareness! Items like reusable water bottles, mugs and tumblers and beverage holders are perfect for these campaigns.
• Bags: If there’s one thing almost every conference-goer has in common, it’s that they’re going to be carrying some type of bag—probably containing a mix of personal items, snacks and their inevitable haul of branded promo items. Give them something they can immediately use by offering tote bags, drawstring sportpacks or clear stadium bags.
• Tech: Bring your promotional products into the modern age by offering branded tech and tech accessories. After all, who doesn’t need a reliable charging device, USB flash drive, stylus pen or set of ear buds?

What are some unique giveaway items?

You can increase the impact of your promotional items by thinking outside the box as you narrow your options. The idea here is to either give away something no one else is giving away—or to design and customize your items in a way that’s going to stand out. Remember, at a conference or trade show, the average consumer is likely walking away with dozens of items from a wide range of companies.

Some of the most creative promotional product ideas include:

• Food & candy: Satisfy attendees’ various cravings with salty or sweet treats—either wrapped individually, or packaged in a snack bag, tin or gift box. With 4imprint, you can choose from a wide range of items, including mints and gum, chocolate, cookies and more.
• Outdoor & leisure: No matter the season or temperature, anything that harkens toward pleasant, warm weather can brighten a customer’s day. Consider giving away fun items like sunglasses, beach umbrellas or coolers.
• Toys & novelties: Who says toys are just for children? Not us! If you want to see consumers smile, think about offering flying discs, sport balls or golf products.
• Wellness: Especially within the context of a busy conference or event, plenty of attendees will appreciate hand sanitizer or other personal care items. You might also consider wellness products like lip balm, sunscreen or first-aid kits.
• Desk accessories: Help customers liven up their workspace with products like customized picture frames, desk organizers and memo boards.

Start customizing your items today with 4imprint

When you work with 4imprint, you can truly take your promotional products to the next level, helping to increase brand awareness and make real connections with your customers. Whether your main priority is usefulness or uniqueness, you can choose from products across dozens of distinct promo product categories.

Whatever direction you choose to go, you can also count on our 360° Guarantee_®, which promises that you’ll receive your items on time—and they’ll be made of high-quality materials. Visit our website to start browsing today!