It’s time to speak the truth… Product placement permeates this world everywhere from action movies to inside the bathroom stall that you get stuck having to use after eating one too many bean burritos. Not that having to go to the bathroom and action movies are connected per se, though explosiveness can be associated with both. At any rate, nobody can hide from advertising. This can start seeming like the unwanted uncle that shows up at holiday parties and eats the last slice of pie. He’s always the guest who doesn’t bring anything to the party. You don’t want to be that guy. Your business can outshine the “uncles” in the professional world by bringing something to the table. With the overwhelming amount of businesses clamoring for their customer’s attention, you need an edge over competitors by promoting your company with practical promos at your next trade show.

Practical promos are a way to both expand your brand and be less annoying to the general public because people will actually be able to use your product. Think about it. There’s not a practical purpose for a customer to own a billboard, and a Rolodex of business cards is too old school. And no one keeps a closet full of social media posts or web banners. On the other hand, everyone uses pens and stress balls. Give your customers something that they’ll actually use. At the very least give them something. You don’t want to be known as the cheap and boring booth that doesn’t provide giveaways. In other words, you don’t want to be the Scrooge McDuck of the business world. However, you do want the opportunity to dive into a pile of solid gold. Offering freebies at your booth makes you the big table on campus and can inherently make you feel more confident about proudly displaying your brand voice. Once you find your groove and your practical promos fly off the table, it’ll become easier to face the immensely intimidating amount of people. Get ready to win over the crowd with useful giveaways.

Practical Promos for Giveaways:

Tote Bags – Consider all of the free stuff that people will be carrying around at trade shows. If they are juggling too much then they might not bother stopping by your booth, and you won’t get a chance to display your business pride. Tote bags are a great solution to this crisis. They leave your customers hands free to check out your perks and give you a high five. Isn’t that totes amazing?

Candy—Treat your audience to some sugary sweetness and offer them bite-sized delights to take home. Adults may try to disguise it, but they are actually genuinely excited about free candy. Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is a dream world that we all want to visit. Give your customers something close to the golden ticket, and they will run to your business as fast as they can!

Air Fresheners— People have busy schedules and are constantly on the go. Sometimes we don’t have the opportunity to clean out the inside of our car. As a result, there is an overwhelming odor caused by children’s baseball cleats and smelly carpool buddies. It’s difficult to always commute wearing a gas mask. An air freshener helps us conquer the stench so that we can have a pleasant commute to wherever we need to go…like your trade show table!

Cell Phone Holder—People take their cell phones with them wherever they go because a day without Snapchat filters and Spotify is too unimaginable and excruciating to think about. Offering unique phone holders such as one with suctions or one disguised as a comfy armchair will set you apart from competitors.

Hand Sanitizer— Look around and you’ll see a zombie ridden world where people are hacking, coughing, and sneezing all over the place. Break the infectious spread by handing out portable hand sanitizer at your booth. This plays into your hands because everyone’s looking for a solution to battling a germ-ridden world. It’s beneficial to give out a portable way to survive the apocalypse.

It’s possible that these practical promos aren’t a good fit for your business. But that’s okay! We have so much more to offer to fit any brand on our website. You can choose the right product for your business by asking yourself:

• What are people looking for? Think about what your business offers and stand proud of your niche in the market. And if that doesn’t work, give people free stuff. There are some staples that are guaranteed to not disappoint like pens, keychains, and stress balls. But if you’re trying to appeal to a certain audience, choose a product that best reflects their needs. For instance, if you want green thumbs to be interested in your company then offer them a flower pot with seeds

• How can I spice up my booth? Many of your competitors are going to have booths at the trade show. And they will all likely hand out free items from their booths. Make sure you’re memorable by handing out interesting freebies. You need to be adventurous so don’t be shy about having a fog machine or a mariachi band at your booth. You want people to come over so that you can discuss your business.

• How do I spread the word? This is a great opportunity to take a picture of your products and share it on social media. It will only aid your business in further promoting your services and showing how generous and cool you are for giving away free things. Take pictures of your products and add a caption so that people know that they are missing out on great freebies and a chance to get to know your business. Better yet, get your audience involved and encourage them to share pics as well. The more fun they have at your booth, the more likely they are to share their experience on social media.

Whether you’re giving away tote bags, candy, lip balm, air fresheners, cell phone holders, hand sanitizer, or any other practical promo that floats your boat, the main takeaway is to show your customers that you are willing and available to make a connection. Even better, make them remember you through interesting perks. If you offer an incentive, your customers will remember their experience at the trade show, and in turn, your company. It’s time to shake off the nerves and expand your brand!