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Effectively Using Promotional Media
If you are using giveaways for a trade shows, there are many variables to consider in order to support a successful promotion. After all, how many products really do an effective job? How clearly do they get a message across? Is the message sufficiently visible? Is the giveaway useful or unique enough that you would want to keep and use it? All these questions, and more, need to be considered before jumping into the giveaway game.
Everyone enjoys receiving a gift, even if it is “just a little something.” Gift-giving creates a favorable impression. It can build goodwill, be an incentive, communicate a message and create awareness.
When thinking about advertising specialties for your next show, ask the following questions:
1. What do you want to achieve by giving away a premium item?
Giveaway items should be designed to increase a company’s memorability, to communicate, motivate, promote or increase recognition. It is important not only that the message have an impact, but also the premium itself.
2. How will you select your premium item?
Obviously, there are thousands of different items to consider. However, which one will best suit your purpose? To select the right item, determine your objective. Do you want it to enhance a theme; convey a specific message or educate a target audience? A clear purpose should help make the selection process easier. Remember that your company’s image will be reflected in whatever you choose to give away.
3. Who do you want to receive the premium?
Having a clear objective for the premium item will also help you decide who should receive it. Consider three different “quality levels” of gifts for their key customers, prospects and general passersby.
4. How does your giveaway tie into your marketing theme?
Is there an item that naturally complements your marketing message? Have the message imprinted on the item and make sure your company name, logo and phone number appear clearly. An important aspect of any gift is to remember who it was from long after the fact.
5. What is your budget?
The price range for premium items is enormous. Quality, quantity and special orders all impact the price. You need to establish a budget as part of your exhibit marketing plan. Consider ordering the same item for several different shows, so higher quantities drive down the individual unit price.
6. What must visitors do to qualify for a gift item?
There are several ways to use premiums effectively. For example: as a reward for visitors participating in a demonstration, presentation or contest; as a token of appreciation when visitors have given qualifying information about their specific needs; as a thank-you for stopping at the booth. Avoid leaving items out for anyone to take. This diminishes value and has little or no memorability factor.
7. Will your giveaway directly help your future sales?
Consider handing out a discount coupon or gift certificate that requires future contact with your company for redemption. Consider premiums that will help generate frequent visits to customers and prospects, such as calling the client for free refills.
8. How does your premium item complement your exhibiting goals?
Premiums can be used to pre-qualify prospects. One company uses playing cards. Prior to the show, they send “kings” to their key customers, “queens” to suppliers, “jacks” to new or hot prospects. They request that the cards are brought to the booth in exchange for a special gift. When the cards are presented, the booth staff already knows certain information about the visitor. They can then act on their previous knowledge and use time with the visitor more productively.
9. How will you inform your target audience about your giveaway item?
A sufficiently novel or useful giveaway can actively draw prospects to a booth. Help your client send a “tickler” invitation with details of the giveaway, or create a two-piece premium, sending one part out to key prospects prior to the show and telling them to collect the other half at the booth.
10. How will you measure the effectiveness of your premium?
Establish a tracking mechanism to measure the success of the giveaway. If it is a redemption item, code it so that your client knows it resulted from the show. Post-show follow-up could include a question about the premium — did visitors remember receiving it and how useful was the item? After the show, critique the giveaway with an exhibit team: Did it draw specific prospects to the booth? Was it eye-catching enough to persuade passersby to stop? Did customers find it useful? Did it project the right corporate image?
There are plenty of exciting premiums for your customers to choose from if they want to avoid the usual pens, pencils and key chains. Make premiums work for them and they will consider your services a good investment — for many trade shows to come.
Adapted from an article by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, is a Lake Placid, N.Y.-based trade-show coach and the author of “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies.” She works with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and trade-show training. For a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make,” e-mail article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; or visit www.tradeshow-training.com.
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