Match Giveaways to Takers

Pens, coffee cups, key chains, post-it notes and mouse pads simply left on a counter for passersby are only of value to receivers who need a pen or some other type of trinket. Attendees should be qualified before a gift is given.

"Trash and trinkets" are courtesy gifts from the vendor to whoever walks by and looks, said E. Jane Lorimer, president of Lorimer Consulting Group. And they should be given away only under very specific circumstances. "When you give something away, get something back," she said. Qualify attendees, make them take a survey, answer a questionnaire or watch a demo first – and remember, you're there to get leads, not play Santa Claus.

"I do think there is some subtle value in reinforcing brand recognition with such giveaways," Lorimer said. "On the other hand, often a cool giveaway is remembered as having been offered by 'someone mid-way down the aisle.' That's a lost effort for that exhibitor."

There are some events where the audience has been so carefully targeted that in theory every visitor is a buyer. In these cases, courtesy gifts are appropriate. One exhibitor's gifts were so lovely and memorable that even though they never asked a single qualifying question, "I remembered where I got it," said Lorimer.

She also noted that one common giveaway practice is to have visitors register for a drawing for a bigger ticket item (good examples would be PDAs or digital cameras).

Barry Siskind, president of Siskind Training, agreed that nine attendees out of 10 remember the giveaways but not the companies that gave them. But with a bit of care, some thought and a dash of imagination, you can create a promotional product that is the perfect addition to your exhibiting plans.

Studies have shown that attendees who leave an exhibit with a tangible reminder of their visit have a better feeling about that exhibitor than one who left them empty handed. This does not include those attendees who walk up to your booth and just help themselves to the piles of promotional products on your countertops or shelves; rather, it is those visitors who stopped, asked questions, received some information and then were given something to reinforce the visit.

Some exhibitors habitually give away something to everyone and justify it by saying, "My name is on every one. Surely someone will see it and call or visit my Web site." Other exhibitors say, "People really like our giveaway. They come back year after year to see what we have to give away."

Yes, but do they buy?

"When was the last time you found a supplier from the piles of pens that clutter your desk?" Siskind said. "Granted, there is a small percentage that finds business this way, but the number of items given away to realize one piece of business or one inquiry is staggering."

The bottom line is that, if you handle promotional products properly, you will reinforce your product, service or program with a tangible reminder. If you give them away to anyone who walks by, you are doing nothing more than attracting collectors.

With all that in mind, what is a good giveaway?

People are fickle toward promotional products: What's hot one year can be a flop the next. Your business and your visitors' interests are constantly changing. We are all becoming more sophisticated. We are exposed to worldwide trends as they change, and what strikes our fancy must be current, relevant, useful and practical.

Timing is also important. Wait until you've engaged an attendee and qualified him or her before offering a gift. That way, Siskind said, the gift takes on added meaning for the prospect, who can associate it with a face and a company. At the same time, it saves money that can be wasted by indiscriminate and wholesale giveaways.