Best Trade Show Giveaway Ideas In 2023

Trade shows are one of the oldest forms of marketing used today and are the most effective. At a trade show, it’s important to stand out. Using promotional items is the best way to stand out and be remembered. 

A giveaway at an event is a great way to create an impression on your target market and increase your brand image. Study results show that event giveaways directly reflect advertising expenditures and create a lasting impression on recipients.

What Are Trade Show Giveaways?

A trade show giveaway is a gift or promotional item that guests receive or win during a trade show. Items such as notebooks, wellness journals, and mugs are examples. A giveaway is designed to increase a business’s visibility and interest. 

Similar to company swag, these items can be purchased from trade show swag vendors. These items can also be given at virtual conferences and during conference breakout sessions. 

Benefits of Promotional Product Giveaways In Trade Shows

The use of promotional products generates both short- and long-term marketing ROI. You can gain a variety of benefits by giving away products at a trade show, including:

Grow brand awareness

Promotional products are highly effective at increasing traffic to trade shows. Research shows participants who gave out promotional items gained 176 percent more visitors than those who didn’t.

Using promotional products at conferences, trade shows, and other gatherings is especially effective in marketing your company. Gifts are taken outside the trade show’s walls and also allow you to advertise to those not attending.

Increase conversions

In nearly 80% of cases, people who receive promotional products are willing to engage with the brand’s products and services. Furthermore, including contact information on your gift allows new or returning customers to find your products and services much more easily.

Keep your brand top of mind

One study found recipients keep promotional gifts that provide value for one to three years. As your company’s branding is consistently displayed to that person, their colleagues or family members will keep your company in mind in the future.

Maximize ROI

Due to the above factors, promotional products deliver a big event marketing punch for a relatively small investment. Promotional gifts are a great alternative to print, radio, and television advertisements if you need more money for them.

What Makes The Best Trade Show Giveaway Ideas?

Most people can create promotional items, but only a few marketers can create the best conference swag. Here are some tips you should consider when assembling your trade show giveaways to ensure quality and effectiveness.

• Quality

Including quality items in trade show swag contributes to the company’s brand image. A high-quality giveaway demonstrates the commitment an organization has to its clients. Recognizing your brand as a manufacturer of quality items can increase brand recognition and attract new customers.

• Creative

Trade shows and conferences are less likely to draw attention to ordinary promotional swag. Corporate trade show giveaways must be creative since there are a lot of competitors during events. 

Color combinations and designs play an important role in attracting potential customers. Please ensure these giveaways reflect your brand’s culture so people can easily recognize and remember it.

• Memorable 

People need to remember your brand even after expos and events. Personalizing your swag and including your logo on each item is recommended to ensure they will immediately recognize your brand.

The people who will use your corporate giveaways, such as shirts, pens, and caps, will be able to instantly promote your company by simply wearing them.

• Usable

Corporate swag must also be used properly to be effective. Ensure the product your company offers is relevant to your services. If you run a tech-related business, you can give gadgets like wireless chargers, speakers, flash drives, and power banks.

If you want your corporate giveaways to be successful, make sure they can be used in homes and offices to expose your brand to the public and attract potential customers.

Top Trade Show Giveaway Ideas In 2023

A trade show giveaway is a great way to promote your business and expose your brand to the public. We have compiled a list of the best conference giveaways, from tote bags to mugs and pop sockets.

1. Mugs

A mug is an excellent trade show giveaway that fits almost any budget. You can easily customize the mugs with your brand’s name and logo. When attendees use the cups for their morning coffee, they will be reminded of your business. 

The mug is a common tradeshow giveaway product, but you can make it stand out by creating a “custom mug box.” Fill it with complimentary coffee, tea, stirrers, mug warmers, cedarwood candles, granola, cookies, or dried cranberries.

2. Plantable Sprout Pencil with a Seed

The plantable sprout pencil is a great sustainable conference giveaway that reduces waste. Seed capsules are used instead of erasers on the pencils. Plant these pencils, and your guests can grow vegetables, flowers, or herbs from the seeds. 

Giving guests plantable sprout pencils as a tradeshow giveaway is a thoughtful and practical way to contribute to a zero-waste goal. You can also print your company’s logo on the pencils to pitch your business.

3. Custom Keychains

Keychains make excellent conference and tradeshow giveaways. Custom keychains with your brand logo can continue to promote your business long after the event has ended. 

Keychains can be made from leather, plastic, wood, or metal. Your business logo can even be incorporated into the hanging part of the keychain. Adding attractive designs and colors to keychains will make them more eye-catching. Another fun option is to give out functional keychains like USB drives, bottle openers, multi-tools, and phone holders.

4. Toiletries

Trade show giveaways that provide immediate value to recipients, such as toiletries, are excellent options.

Here are some toiletries items you can give away:

• Pocket-sized shampoo and conditioner
• Pocket-sized hand lotion
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitizer
• Towel papers
• Nail clippers
• Pocket-sized bar soap
• Comb and hairbrush
• Towel

You can also package the toiletries in a travel pouch. It will be especially helpful if your conference attendees come from other locations.

Some companies will produce a customized kit for you. It is a great giveaway idea for companies that manufacture these goods.

5. Screen Cleaner

A screen cleaner makes a great trade show giveaway idea. Many guests spend hours in front of devices for work, research, or leisure. Your logo might be seen several times a day if you give away clothes to clean these gadgets.

6. Conference Notebooks

Your company’s notebooks can leave an impression on attendees for a long time. Your brand exposure will increase with these long-lasting promotional items, which are also valuable to your guests. 

Notebooks come in a variety of sizes and designs. The books can stand out if they have fancy designs and eye-catching colors. The notebooks can also be included in a stationery gift box.

If you print the journals, include information about your organization, its services, address, phone number, photos, and mission statement.

7. Free Service or Products

Offering complimentary services is one way to make your conference giveaway special and unique. Your guests can take advantage of an exclusive free trial if you run an online business that requires a subscription. 

You can also give guests small samples of your company’s products if your company makes certain products at your conference. You can attract potential customers by offering a free service or product giveaway, allowing attendees to experience your offerings first-hand.

8. Portable Juice Blender

A portable juice blender is one of the high-end giveaway ideas for conferences, especially multi-day international conferences. Guests can make fruit juice in their hotel rooms using portable blenders.

A blender may seem like an unusual conference giveaway. It is, however, easy to move around, and portable blenders are durable. Additionally, you can add stickers with your business logo to the blenders.

9. Fitness Activities Products

Your conference subject matter could revolve around fitness so that you could give away fitness products. Fitness is also an important aspect of wellness so you can give fitness products away at conferences related to health. 

You can use these fitness activities as conference giveaways.

• Customized towel
• Fitness planner
• Stopwatch
• Customized resistant band
• Water bottle
• Customized fitness apparel

It’s an excellent promotional idea to give your business branded fitness products. Furthermore, the products will enhance the quality of life of attendees.

10. Customized Apparel

Providing attendees with customized apparel at a conference is a great way to promote your business. Your business will be indirectly promoted by those wearing these garments. 

You can give away a variety of custom apparel, including jackets, t-shirts, sweaters, scarves, etc.

11. Stylus Pen

Stylus pens are small instruments you can use on touchscreen devices for writing, drawing, designing, and playing games. These pens are perfect for trade show giveaways. 

A pen is valuable since most attendees use touchscreen devices. It is advisable to give guests stylus pens that work with all devices, as some models are device-specific.

12. Healthy Snack Hamper

Guests will appreciate healthy snack hampers as an outstanding giveaway idea that will sell your business.

Here are some healthy snacks you can include in the hamper:

• Assorted nuts
• Air-popped popcorn
• Dried cranberries
• Oatmeal bars
• Oats biscuit
• Dark chocolate
• Whole wheat cookies
• Kale chips
• Canned fruits in their juice

The snack basket can be branded with your logo, or you can work with a promo company to create specially branded packaging.

13. Conference Cocktail Kits

Cocktail kits allow your guests to prepare delicious mixed drinks on their own time. 

Giving away cocktail kits at virtual conferences is also a great idea. Virtual cocktail kits can be sent through a cocktail-making company. Once the number of attendees has been determined, order the kits accordingly.

As a final step, deliver the kits to guests via their residential addresses so that your business will remain in their minds every time they use them. Cocktail kits can also be customized with your logo and name.

14. Desk Accessories

Giving customized desk accessories is a great way to get your business on your customers’ desks. Make sure you invest in accessories that have bright, high-quality colors and designs.

Desk accessories that make good giveaways include:

• Personalized pen
• Custom paperweights
• Fancy desk calendar
• Custom notebooks
• Custom mouse pad
• Desk organizers

15. Personalized Desk Organizers

Conference attendees will find personalized desk organizers useful. It is easier to locate desk items with these organizers. You can also promote your business with these logo-branded holders.

Invest in a desk organizer of good quality that will last a long time for a trade show giveaway. Attendees’ impression of your business is impacted by the quality of the organizer you give them.

16. Picture Frame

A picture frame is a great conference giveaway because people notice photo displays on walls and desks. When someone looks at the image in the frame, they see your business logo every time. 

Furthermore, recipients can display photos of family, friends, and pets within the frames, giving the gift sentimental value. Use a unique and eye-catching design for your logo on the frame. If you want to splurge, you can provide digital picture frames or use fridge magnet frames instead.

17. Pop socket

You can use pop sockets to boost your company’s visibility and put you ahead of your competitors. You can give away Popsockets at your conference to make it easier for users to grip their phones.

Popsockets are an inexpensive conference giveaway that won’t cost you a fortune. If you want people to see your business logo, use an eye-catching design.

18. Giveaway Bags

Conference attendees love to receive bags for carrying their belongings, and they make great giveaways for the event.

Provide guests with a bag that they can easily carry, such as:

• Tote bags
• Drawstring bags
• Backpacks
• Laptop bags

Bags with your brand’s logo will help you promote your business.

Pro Tip: Also, include other promotional items like notebooks, PopSockets, and pencils in your conference bags so that your attendees will remember your conference fondly.

19. Reusable Water Bottles

Water bottles that can be reused are excellent sustainable conference giveaways since they reduce the use of plastic. You can carry these bottles on trips, gym excursions, or to work.

Guests won’t throw away the bottles after using them, so your logo can remain visible for longer. Various designs, colors, and materials are available for reusable water bottles. If you want to impress your guests, consider Hydro Flasks or collapsible bottles.

20. Branded Umbrella

Giving out umbrellas is a great way to maximize your company’s gift budget. Several companies use umbrellas as promotional gifts to increase the visibility of their names and logos. 

In addition, umbrellas protect guests from the scorching sun on a sunny day and rain during heavy downpours. Branded umbrellas are a great way to expose your brand. When a user opens the umbrella, your brand logo will be displayed. 

Make your business more visible by choosing umbrellas in bright and flashy colors.

21. Wellness Journal

The purpose of a wellness journal is to keep track of your well-being. Journaling about your mental and physical health helps you practice mindfulness. 

Giving these journals to conference attendees will demonstrate your concern for their well-being. Guests will remember your business every time they use the journal if the first thing they see is your eye-catching logo. 

This gift can also be bundled with complementary items such as colored pens, sticky notes, highlighters, tea, and candles.

22. Table Clock

A table clock is perfect for a work desk or bedside table. A table clock is useful for checking the time and keeping track of your schedule.

The more users check the time on these clocks, the more they see your logo. Your brand will be more visible if you give a table clock at a conference. 

Choose high-quality clocks. Nobody wants a watch that will last for a short while before breaking down.

23. Discount Coupon Giveaways

It is a great idea to give away discount coupons at conference booths. You can give coupons if your business is young and you hope to attract clients. Coupons are also great for attracting customers to your booth during trade shows. 

It is awesome that coupons can be easily given out to others even if the holders don’t need them personally.

24. Power Bank

Tech conferences often give away branded power banks. Branded power banks are portable, practical, and indirectly promote your business. 

Make sure the power bank is of good quality and safe for guests. Make your brand stand out with a unique power bank design. To make the power bank unique, it can be shaped like your business logo, have a keychain, or have an LED light.

25. Can Cooler

A branded can cooler makes an excellent giveaway because it’s lightweight and easy to travel with. You can put your logo over your drink’s logo any time, and people will remember your company as they enjoy their drink.

Conclusion

Creating awareness and attracting target customers can be achieved through trade show giveaways. It is important to provide trade show guests with durable and high-quality products to ensure they last as long as possible.

The attendees will also remember your giveaways for a long time if they are reusable. Thus, if used judiciously, giveaways enhance the branding of your event by giving attendees an experiential way to engage with it.