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TradeShow Giveaway Ideas

Title Brothers Mana Wynwood Real Estate Show 2021
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💡 In this guide, you will get to know the best trade show giveaway tips.

Trade shows are an important part of a company’s marketing strategy. Making a lasting impression is crucial for success in any trade show. One efficient and proven way to do this is through the use of giveaways. Giveaways provide your company with an opportunity to leave your mark, while also providing your potential clients with a useful item that serves as a reminder of your brand.

Read on to get more Trade Show Giveaway Ideas!

❗ Check our list of trade show exhibitor tips.

Importance of  a TradeShow Giveaway

A trade show giveaway is a promotional item given away to attendees of a trade show.
Tradeshow giveaways are useful for drawing attention to exhibitors’ booths and creating brand awareness.

It usually consists of items that have been branded with a company logo or slogan. Common types of giveaways include t-shirts, hats, mugs, pens, USB drives, keychains, magnets, and reusable bags.

You may also offer free samples or product demonstrations as part of your trade show promotions. The purpose of these giveaways is to build relationships between your business and your target audiences. 

By distilling complex messages into easily digestible materials such as logos or slogans printed onto promotional items, your business aims to create memorable experiences that will hopefully convert into long-term customer loyalty.

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Types Of Tradeshow Giveaways

It is important to understand the various types of promotional activities and giveaways when planning a successful trade show.

The following details some of the most popular tradeshow giveaway methods:

  1. Contesting – this is offering prizes or discounts for customers who enter contests held during trade shows. This method allows you to engage with your target audience while creating an exciting atmosphere at the event.
  2. Sampling –  this is giving out samples of your products or services in order to entice potential customers into making purchases at a later date. This type of promotion helps create awareness about your company’s offerings and can help shape customer perceptions before they make any decisions regarding purchases.
  3. Packages –  this promotion is putting together packages consisting your multiple products or services that your customers can purchase all at once for convenience purposes. These packages often come with exclusive discounts and deals which makes them attractive options to consumers.


Understanding which type of promotion works best in combination with certain types of giveaways is key to having a successful trade show experience for both exhibitors and attendees alike. 

Jacaero MRO Europe
Jacaero MRO Europe

Popular Tradeshow Giveaway Item Ideas

When it comes to trade show giveaways, you can opt for promotional products as a cost-effective method of advertising.

Some popular items include pens and pencils with the company logo, t-shirts and caps featuring the brand name, and USB drives that can be preloaded with marketing materials or product information. Customized mugs and water bottles are also popular giveaways, as well as keychains. 

You may choose to offer one type of item or create an assortment package that is customized to your target audience.

❗ Check and learn how to plan a trade show.

Other common giveaway items include:

  • Lanyards
  • Stress balls
  • Coasters
  • Reusable bags
  • Notebooks
  • Magnets


These types of gifts are usually inexpensive while still being useful enough to remind your potential customers about your business long after they have left the event. 

Other most common tradeshow giveaways include:

  • Technology-related items such as wireless speakers and power banks. These are often preferred by attendees due to their portability and convenience factor. 
  • For more unique options, there are always custom-printed flashlights or phone stands which appeal to tech-savvy audiences who frequent trade shows. 
  • You can also give out edible treats like chocolates or mints in branded packaging – this adds a personal touch while providing something memorable that people can enjoy immediately.


It is important for you to consider all aspects when deciding on what type of giveaway best suits your needs before investing in any promotional products or services. With so much competition at events, it could mean the difference between success and failure for successful branding efforts. Proper planning along with careful selection will help ensure maximum return on investment from any promotional activities undertaken during a tradeshow event.

❗ Don’t miss our trade show booth design tips

Tradeshow Giveaway Ideas: Product Samples

Product samples are another effective way to engage customers and increase brand awareness at a trade show. It provides potential customers with an opportunity to experience the product firsthand and develop a more personal connection with your brand. 

Product samples should be high quality and tailored towards a specific target audience in order to create meaningful connections and ensure that they will actually use the item.

Here are some helpful tips for handing out product samples as tradeshow giveaways:

  • Provide product samples that relate back to your business (e.g. mini-sized lotions or lip balms for skincare products)
  • Consider giving away coupons for discounts on future purchases or other incentives
  • Be cost-efficient when selecting product samples (i.e. opt for smaller quantities of higher quality items)
  • Have unique printed materials (e.g. leaflets, brochures, postcards) to maximize impact and further branding opportunities
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Tradeshow Giveaway Ideas: Unique Concepts

When it comes to selecting trade show giveaway ideas, there are many options available that can help ensure maximum visibility and promotion of the brand.

  1. Promotional Items
    These types of items often feature the company logo and contact information in order to increase brand recognition. Promotional products have been proven to be effective at generating leads and increasing customer loyalty. In addition, these types of giveaways are relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising yet provide long lasting value beyond the trade show itself ( t-shirts, hats, mugs, keychains)
  1. Custom Printed Items
    Customized goods allow you to add your own creative touches and stand out from competitors. Furthermore, these items can serve both practical purposes for attendees while delivering personalized messages about the company’s services or products (pens, flash drives, or USBs).
  1. Digital Media
    This tradeshow giveaway idea provides attendees with instant access to content including videos, articles, and images related to your business. This allows visitors not only to learn more about what your organization has to offer but also provides them with something tangible that will remain accessible after leaving the event venue. 
  1. Interactive Games or Contests
    This is a creative strategy and an excellent way to entertain guests while introducing new products or services in an engaging manner.


By incorporating unique concepts into trade show giveaways, you can maximize your presence among potential clients while reinforcing key messages throughout your audience base.

❗ Are you new to trade shows? Learn how to prepare for your first trade show.

Tradeshow Giveaway Design Considerations

When designing a trade show giveaway, there are several considerations to take into account:

  • The design should be eye-catching and memorable, with the company logo and message prominent.
  •  It is important to ensure that the giveaways can fit within any budget and still have maximum impact on attendees. 
  • Depending on the size of the event or booth space restrictions, it may also be necessary to consider how many items need to be produced in order to cover all potential customers.


Here are some helpful tips for choosing the materials for your tradeshow giveaway:

  1. The material used will affect both costs as well as durability of the item. 

Popular materials include plastic, paper, glass, and metal depending on what type of product is being created. For example, if creating t-shirts or mugs then cotton or ceramic would be most suitable respectively. Promotional items such as pens or keyrings could use less expensive materials like acrylic or rubber without compromising their effectiveness as giveaways.

  1. Different printing methods can also help make an item more effective at communicating a brand’s message.

Screen printing is often used for apparel while embroidery works better for hats and bags due to its ability to create finer detail than other techniques. Vinyl cutting allows intricate designs onto hard surfaces like laptops and phone cases which can add a unique level of personalization for recipients.

Laser engraving offers permanent customizations in high resolution onto almost any material making them ideal for awards or commemorative gifts where longevity is desired over affordability.


Though the visual appeal is paramount when selecting a giveaway item, the practicality must not be overlooked either; If it serves no purpose beyond getting thrown away after one use then it will not serve its intended purpose of increasing brand awareness among attendees effectively enough to justify its expense. 

Title Brothers Mana Wynwood Real Estate Show
Title Brothers Mana Wynwood Real Estate Show

Tips For Choosing The Right Tradeshow Giveaway

When selecting the most appropriate tradeshow giveaway item to represent your business or brand, there are several factors that must be considered. It is important to select an item that will not only appeal to your recipients but also effectively communicate the message of your business and attract potential customers.

Below are four tips for choosing the right trade show giveaway:

1. Determine Your Budget
Before beginning your search, it is essential to determine how much money can be budgeted for giveaways as this will help narrow down suitable items and vendors.

2. Choose Items That Are Relevant To Your Audience
Trade shows typically target specific audiences so giveaways should reflect products and services related to those interests.
For example, if attending a tech conference, smart speakers or power banks would make great promotional gifts.

3. Consider Branding Options
When selecting merchandise, consider which branding options best suit each individual product; whether it’s screen-printed logos on apparel or printed labels on water bottles, these details matter when trying to create a lasting impression with customers.

4. Think About Quality Over Quantity

While cost-efficiency is always beneficial, try not to sacrifice quality in order to cut costs; higher end materials such as stainless steel mugs and ceramic tumblers convey more credibility than plastic alternatives and may have better staying power over time amongst consumers.

❗ Here are our trade show attendee tips.

Trade Shows Giveaways Budget Considerations

When planning a trade show giveaway, there are numerous factors to consider. Budget is an important consideration as it will determine the quantity and quality of items that can be given away. It is essential to identify how much money your organization has available for giveaways before deciding on what products to purchase.

The cost of giveaways varies significantly depending on the type of item selected. 

For example, items such as pens, keychains, or mugs may have low individual costs but require additional expenses for branding and shipping if they are being purchased in bulk quantities. 

On the other hand, more expensive items such as electronics or apparel may entail higher individual unit costs but typically do not need additional expenses associated with them.

Here are some helpful tips for you to consider:

  • You should factor taxes into your budget when purchasing promotional items
  • Research different vendors to compare prices and get the best value for their budget
  • Be aware of hidden fees associated with ordering large quantities of items, such as setup charges and delivery fees


Taking time to explore all options available helps ensure your organization gets the most out of its resources without compromising the quality of service or product selection. 

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Tradeshow Giveaways Customization Options

Trade show giveaway items can be personalized to meet the specific needs of your organization or event. You may choose from a variety of customization options, such as printing logos on products, including branded packaging, and selecting colors that match their brand identity. 

Depending on the product chosen for promotional use, certain features may also be customized – like size, shape, materials used in construction, and design elements. Embroidery is another popular choice for apparel-based giveaways.

Customized trade show giveaways help your business stand out at events by presenting your unique message to your potential customers and partners.

Here are the benefits of having your tradeshow giveaways customized:

  1. Customizable gifts are an excellent way to promote your company’s logo or branding without having it physically appear on a product itself. For example, if you opt for eco-friendly reusable bags you could choose custom tags with various messages printed on them instead of directly imprinting the logo onto the bag itself. 
  2. Creating one-of-a-kind trade show giveaway items helps increase engagement with potential customers and can even lead to increased sales down the road when recipients remember who gave them the item. 
  3. By offering customizable solutions, you can target multiple audiences while remaining true to your own brand identity.
  4. This type of subtle messaging keeps consumers engaged while still conveying a powerful message about the company’s values and mission statement.

TIP: To ensure these ideas fit within budget considerations, careful planning must take place prior to purchase decisions being made regarding trade show giveaways.

❗ Learn how to have a successful trade show booth with this guide. 

Benefits Of Tradeshow Giveaways

Giveaways are an effective way to increase brand awareness at trade shows. Providing giveaways can also create goodwill between vendors and customers, as it is seen as a gesture of appreciation for their patronage. 

  • Items with company logos serve as reminders of the vendor’s presence long after the event has concluded.
  • Giveaways offer a low-cost method of marketing compared to other options such as print advertising. The cost per impression decreases significantly when more people receive an item than if they had only viewed a printed advertisement. 
  • Tangible goods have higher perceived value than digital advertisements which often go unnoticed in favor of interactive content like music and videos.


The success rate of any giveaway is dependent on its appeal to potential consumers who will be attending the tradeshow. By choosing appropriately themed items for specific audiences and events, you can better target your message and maximize return on investment from each giveaway campaign.

❗ Don’t miss our trade show booth design tips

Tradeshow Giveaway Distribution Methods

It is important to determine how best to distribute the trade show giveaways. 

Here are some helpful tips for giving out Tradeshow giveaways:

  • Choose booth locations strategically to maximize visibility
  • Hand out free items (t-shirts, hats, water bottles, pens, etc.) to generate interest
  • Dress professionally and engage visitors with product/service offerings
  • Explain why particular products were chosen and highlight unique features
  • Offer demonstrations/provide one on one customer service to engage potential buyers
  • Create unforgettable experiences that leave lasting impressions
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Best Way To Track The Success Of Your Trade Show Giveaway

Tracking the success of a trade show giveaway is an important part of any promotional strategy. It can help you measure customer engagement and determine what type of products are most effective in generating interest. 

There are several methods for tracking the success of a tradeshow giveaway, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

  1. Surveys and Questionnaires

Surveys and questionnaires are useful tools to gather customer feedback and measure satisfaction with giveaways at events. It allows for more detailed information to be collected and questions to be tailored to specific aspects of the experience. However, it may not be feasible if there are large numbers of attendees or limited resources.

  1. Post Event Analytics Software

Post-event analytics software can provide useful insights into how customers interact with a product during an event. It allows you to compare different giveaways, helping you make informed decisions about future promotions. However, this type of software requires access to sophisticated technology, which may not be affordable or accessible.

  1. Website Tracking Metrics

Tracking metrics such as website visits after an event can provide useful feedback about customer interest levels in a particular item. You should pay attention to who visited your page after receiving a free sample and look for ways to convert those visitors into paying customers later down the line

By utilizing these strategies together, you will have better visibility into what types of products work best for your target audience and how successful your overall promotion was at driving sales conversions.

❗ Check our trade show guide

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What Is The Cost Of Having Items Printed With A Custom Logo?

    The cost of logo printing will vary depending on the type of item being printed, the number of prints desired, and the type of ink and material used. Additionally, setup fees, production timelines, shipping charges, and material/ink selection expenses should all be taken into consideration when determining the cost of logo printing.

  • How Can I Make Sure My Giveaway Stands Out From The Competition?

    You can make sure your giveaways stand out from the competition by using vibrant colors or interesting shapes that catch the eye, providing something useful like branded pens or USB sticks, producing limited edition items, creating unique gifts such as custom-made products with logos printed on them, utilizing creative packaging methods, and engaging activities such as competitions or games.

  • Are There Any Legal Considerations To Keep In Mind When Giving Away Products?

    When giving away products, you should ensure that you are compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, be aware of any local ordinances that may apply, and make sure that you have permission from the rightful owner before offering products featuring protected images or designs. You should also review product safety standards to ensure that the items being given away do not pose a risk of harm to consumers, and provide proper disclaimers on any promotional materials related to the giveaway event. Furthermore, familiarize yourself with relevant consumer protection statutes such as those governing sweepstakes and contests.

  • How Can I Ensure That My Giveaway Items Are Delivered To The Right Attendees?

    To ensure that giveaway items at a trade show are delivered to the right attendees, it is important to plan ahead and create a list of desired recipients with all relevant information. It may also be useful to assign staff members with specific roles in regard to delivering these items. Additionally, having methods in place that allow exhibitors to track who has received their giveaways, such as offering digital codes or QR codes which can be scanned upon entry into the exhibition space, or having attendants manually check off names against guest lists, is crucial.

Wrapping Up

The success of a trade show giveaway depends on careful consideration and planning. When selecting items to give away, the cost of having them printed with a custom logo must be taken into account. 

It is important for you to make sure that your giveaways stand out from those offered by competitors. To do this, unique designs and materials should be considered as well as any legal considerations related to the product being given away. 

Tracking the success of the giveaway requires you to measure how many people received your item, who they were, and if they responded in some way afterward. 

Ensuring that the correct recipients receive your giveaway items can easily be accomplished through pre-registration or tracking systems built into promotional products.

In conclusion, making smart choices when deciding on what type of trade show giveaways to use will guarantee an increase in business exposure while providing value to attendees.



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