Trade Show Booth Staff Training Expert, Susan Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach

I was teaching an exhibitor workshop recently when a participant told me about this GREAT giveaway item she’d recently picked up at a trade show. It was a can cozy, an insulated foam wrap designed to slip over beverage cans and keep them cold. She thought it was the most amazing product.

“That’s great. Can you tell me what company gave it to you?” She could not.

“And what did you do with the can cozy?” I asked.
“It was so nice, I gave it to my dad!” she promptly replied.

Now, was this a great giveaway item? No. The participant couldn’t even remember who had given it to her. To add fuel to fire, she’d given it to someone completely unrelated to the business. This marketing message definitely failed the “keep it” test!

The purpose of a giveaway is to increase recognition of your company. Make your giveaways memorable and effective by considering these four essentials:

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When times are hard, most companies trim unnecessary spending. All too often, marketing and advertising go on the chopping block, and trade shows, together with trade show training, are considered an expendable luxury. Wrong!

To fight this trend, you need smart strategies and hard facts. Here are four to get you started:

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