Tag Archives: trade show

When is a giveaway not just a giveaway?

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If you’ve ever been to a tradeshow, you know that swag is all over the place. Bags, pens, notepads, stuffed animals, games, and trinkets of all kinds. Sometimes it seems like you’re at a carnival with all the little things you can pick up here and there.

At a recent tradeshow it was apparent that people are running out of ideas when it comes to giveaways. I didn’t see the quantity of stuff that’s normally out there, and what I did see lacked in creativity.

Over the years we’ve had a couple of clients who were firm believers in giveaways. And we agree! They’re more than just trinkets, they are concept builders and memory makers.

Here are two of our concepts that have stood out over the years:

Metrics Inc. used a baseball theme in 2009 to promote their team of scientists and their approach to client work. Each person at the booth had their own baseball card, complete with a picture on the front and stats on the back. We also gave out baseballs (stress balls), peanuts and popcorn in the exhibition hall

The concept was rounded out with:

  • Ads in trade publications (printed front/back – very innovative!),
  • A networking event where we gave out baseball-themed prizes and showed baseball movies and blooper reels on screens around the room, and
  • A creative website implementation.

The concept was a hit and Metrics is still asked about it at shows.



Another good example is from Mulkey, a Raleigh-based engineering firm. Taking from their updated branding color palette, they gave out ice cold bottles of Orange Crush and Mulkey branded bottle openers at events, which reinforced their unique brand and connected them to a Southern favorite that folks were sure to remember.

I was pleased this year when Metrics told me that he’d been told that “Metrics had the best giveaway of the whole show.” Made my day!

Metrics trust message was communicated through a custom backscratcher imprinted with “We’ve got your back!”

Many people see a giveaway as just that, but it’s important to integrate a giveaway into a show or event and make it a memorable branding opportunity.

We’d love to hear how you’ve used giveaways at your shows and events. Tell us in the comments what your favorite was!

Being social with social media

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Here’s a great example of how a BtB company can use social media, not just to communicate their key messages, or put their press releases out, but to actually be social.

Recently at AAPS in Chicago (reference earlier post), Metrics personnel were manning their booth in the late afternoon. It had been a long day, but it wasn’t over yet. Still to come was a cocktail reception on the show floor, followed by a night of entertaining clients.

Everyone was tired and restless, and they were getting a little punchy.

It turns out everyone had also made the rounds and collected quite a few giveaways from some of the area booths. And the favorite item turned out to be a pair of neon green and black Ray-Ban style sunglasses. So we snapped some pics and shared our “gang” with the social folks at AAPS via twitter:

Metrics Tweet

Turns out folks actually READ that stuff! Not much later, a visitor to the booth commented on the cool picture we posted.

AAPS – 10 years running

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I’ve been attending the AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists) Annual Meeting and Exposition yearly with one or more clients for over ten years. This year in Chicago we had three clients at the meeting.

The commonalities: They’re all there to get exposure, make connections, get new leads, catch up with key clients, etc. And of course, they all want to feel like the trip (and the expense) was worth it in the end.

But there are quite a few differences. Each one had a different booth size, different strategy and a very different outlook on the show.

The challenge for me is to support each one with the right amount of attention. And to be there when they need me and to get things done for them. Whether it’s helping with basic booth strategy, troubleshooting structure or booth layout problems, or executing a PR campaign during the show, I really enjoy working with each one and helping them get the most out of the show.

I also enjoy going around and looking at the companies who are new, who have rebranded, or who have invested in a new booth or campaign. And it seemed that 2012 was a year for added expense when it came to booth space and branding. Quite a few companies added to their space with more and bigger structures, or with new creative campaigns.

I look forward each year to assisting in the planning and strategy sessions for AAPS – and to seeing those plans being implemented.

We’re already thinking about next year and what we can do that’s new and different in San Antonio!

Don’t be that guy.

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As Shelley mentioned, we’ve conducted networking training for some clients, helping them adopt more effective strategies for making connections at conferences and tradeshows.

Over the years, I’ve heard clients say, “Oh, we went to that show and we never got any business out of it.” (It’s a variation of the “We put an ad in that magazine and never made a sale from it” complaint, but I digress.) That’s because clients view tradeshows as a one-way chance to “sell” themselves and collect leads. And they judge the show’s success on those rigid parameters.

Attending a trade show with the single goal of finding a hot prospect or landing a big contract is like being a pick-up artist in a single’s bar.

You know the guy. He’s got one goal for the night and it’s telegraphed like a big blinking sign on his forehead. Not interested? Fine. He’ll move on to the next target. He’s oblivious to all the cringing and eye rolling.

Please – don’t be that guy.

A tradeshow is simply an opportunity to meet people with whom you share a common interest.

Yes, MEET people. Talk to. Share a drink with. Introduce a colleague to. Sit beside at a seminar. Stand in line with at registration. Make a connection, however big or small.

Ideally, when you meet someone, you make an effort to remember her. Perhaps collect her business card. Offer to be a resource. Add her to your Linked In network. Follow up with useful information when you get back to the office.

In short, develop a relationship. She may never buy your product or service. But chances are, she knows someone who might.

Redefine your goals for tradeshows. Focus on meeting people, not just prospects. Measure success by the number of people you talk with, not the number of hot leads you bring back.

Have fun. Be approachable. Show interest. Follow up. You’ll build relationships for the long term. And that’s as lucky as anybody gets.