Are Promotional Items at Tradeshows a Waste of Money?

I don’t want you to get the idea that I’m against the use of promotional items, I’ve used a lot of them myself over the years to promote products and services, to build awareness and to ethically bribe people to visit my exhibit area.

However, most companies have no rhyme or reason to their promotional items, they give them away to anyone who wants them and in some cases they force the item upon anyone who comes near their booth.

The time and money spent on promotional items of this nature could be better used in other aspects of their tradeshow marketing efforts. Here are some items that have been used effectively:

• Ceramic tiles with corporate message and key to a puzzle
• T-shirts
• Special 3D glasses
• Gift Baskets
• Newspapers with complimentary label from your company
• Gavels with messages
• Buttons
• Blank Checks

If you are going to use promotional items they should have a specific purpose and you should have a method for measuring their effectiveness.

Your promotional items have their greatest vaule when given to qualified prospects and deserving customers and not to Tradeshow Moochers.

From "How To Be A Tradeshow Superstar" by Michael T. Curtiss, CEO Thunderbird International Group

For additional information on how to be a more successful tradeshow exhibitor go to TradeshowMentors.com

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