The trade show giveaways that you offer your booth visitors play a key role in your success during - and after - the event. If you integrate them within your broader trade show marketing strategy, you'll enjoy a larger volume of booth traffic. What's more, you'll also set the stage for following up with leads and customers long after the trade show has ended.

Exhibitors often make the mistake of giving attendees cheaply-made promotional items. "Inexpensive" is fine, but "cheap" items are often quickly discarded. They do very little to give attendees confidence in the exhibitor's ability to meet their needs. What's worse, they offer no long-term promotional value. To help you avoid making the same mistake, here are four trade show giveaway ideas that can boost your booth traffic and promote your company months down the road.

#1 - Fill A Practical Need

The most effective trade show giveaway ideas fill a practical need for your visitors. For example, consider the piles of marketing collateral that attendees struggle to carry during the show. Within an hour of walking the aisles, they are practically overwhelmed by the volume. Offer your booth visitors a durable tote bag in which they can carry literature and other items. Not only will you generate enormous goodwill, but the tote can also promote your company's name and marketing message.

#2 - Consider Your Giveaway's Staying Power

Imagine the promotional value of trade show giveaways that attendees keep over the long run. These products follow your booth visitors to their homes or offices, and earn a place on their desks, walls, and shelves. They continue to keep your company's name in front of your leads and customers throughout the year.

The most potent trade show giveaway ideas are so because of their staying power. A stainless steel thermal bottle has the potential to be used for years. So too, can sturdy travel mugs become permanent companions for your booth visitors. As they fill a continuing need, these trade show giveaways support your company's brand while promoting your products.

#3 - Offer A Promotional Item To Every Visitor

A common objection exhibitors pose regarding trade show giveaway ideas is that the best promotional products are too costly to provide to every visitor. To be sure, the highest-quality items should be reserved for your qualified leads and customers. But, that doesn't preclude offering something of value to each person who visits your exhibit, especially if that item can fill a need while promoting your company.

For example, you could offer your best customers convenient and durable wide-mouth thermal bottles. Qualified leads who have yet to become customers could be given less-expensive, though still high-quality, thermoses. Meanwhile, other booth visitors can receive inexpensive t-shirts imprinted with your company's name and trade show marketing message.

#4 - Use Imprinted Trade Show Giveaways

In order for trade show giveaway ideas to provide long-term promotional value, they must carry your company's name, contact information, and marketing message. We've mentioned tote bags, thermal bottles, and t-shirts; each can be imprinted with your phone number so attendees can contact you after the exhibition. Other trade show giveaway ideas include staplers, calendars, alarm clocks, and customized notepads. Not only can they be imprinted with your company's name and phone number, but they are likely to be used long after the trade show ends.

Choose High-Quality Trade Show Giveaways

The importance of offering high-quality trade show giveaways to your qualified leads and customers cannot be overstated. They carry a high perceived value and tend to last longer, which means they'll promote your company over the long run. On the other hand, cheaply-made promotional products can damage your brand and reduce attendees' confidence in your company.

Having said that, durable trade show giveaways that offer lasting value to your booth visitors need not be expensive. They can often be ordered early and in bulk at a price that fits easily within your trade show marketing budget.

The right trade show giveaway ideas are an investment in your long-term success. They can increase your booth traffic, improve product awareness among attendees, and promote your company months - even years - down the road.

About the Author:

Jonathan Edelman provides helpful trade show marketing ideas, including prize wheels, customizable scratch-off cards, and trade show giveaways. With years of experience in the trenches, he is an expert on booth displays, lead generation techniques, and networking with trade show vendors to build a referral-generating system that leads to a boost in sales and revenue.