Best Promotional Products for Corporate Events
If you are organizing an important corporate event, there are probably a million things on your to-do list. One of your priorities is likely to select and order promotional products for guests.
Promotional products not only indicate to your guests that your company is doing well, but they also show your appreciation for their presence while providing you with a fantastic marketing and brand awareness opportunity. The question is, what is the perfect item to give away? Not all promotional products are created equal and you don’t want to give off the wrong message by choosing something cheap or off-brand. This guide will help provide you with the insight you need to when it comes to choosing the perfect promotional item for your corporate event.
Creativity is Key
When thinking about what you want to give your guests at your event, it is important that you make the item memorable. That means putting some creative thought into the concept/design. Having a high-priced item isn’t the only way to wow your guests. If your promotional product makes your guests smile, if it makes them take a second look, or best yet, if it becomes a conversation piece during the event then you know you have done your job. That’s why, at CustomUSB we don’t just slap your logo on our products, we have a dedicated creative team that thinks about your business and strategy – in order to come up with the perfect creative design.
Cadillac used these hot chocolate stir sticks as a clever promotional item for an event. Not only did they use a play on words (a stirring performance), but the chocolate sticks are also unique enough to garner attention.
CustomUSB has commissioned many creative pieces; one that we found particularly charming was a custom made USB for the hair product company American Crew. This custom shaped flash drive was not only functional but designed to be a visually impressive replica of their flagship product.
Keep it On-Brand
A corporate event should ooze your brand identity. The entire event should be cohesive, and your guests should walk away knowing exactly what kind of company you are. That means that the promotional product you choose to give away needs to follow this pattern.
If you consult with a promotional product company like CustomUSB they will be able to help you match your company brand with a useful tech product that makes sense for your business. The last thing you want your guests to think when they look at what you have given them is ‘random’.
A great example of an on-brand promo product is a dog food company giving out branded fire-hydrant shaped disposable bag holders. Every time their guests use the item, which will most likely be frequent since they came to an event associated with animals, they will also think of their dog-food brand.
Aside from making sure that the items you choose are aligned with your industry, you also need to make sure that they fit with your brand standards. If you are a wealth management firm, it may appear tacky if you hand out branded plastic sunglasses or keychains. If your brand is associated with luxury, wealth, or technology you will want to present items that do not come off as cheap. Items like a sleek custom flash drive might be more appropriate.
Promotional Items Must be Useful
If you want your corporate event giveaways to actually serve as reminders of your business after the event is over then you need them to be useful in the long term. According to ASI, promotional items like mobile chargers, USB drives, and umbrellas are all kept on average a year or longer. You don’t want your corporate gifts to end up in the trash when your guests get home, you want them to use them and to have them on display to their friends.
To accomplish this, you need to understand your guest demographics. You need to make sure that your swag giveaways aren’t too cheap, and you need to consider factors like the current season. Understanding your guests is paramount to choosing a successful promotional item for your corporate event.
Take a look at your guest list and do some demographic research. Are your guests younger or older, primarily male or female, and what is their interest in your event? The answer to any of these questions can help guide you on the type of product you choose to provide.
For instance, a young Silicon Valley crowd may be much more interested in wireless branded headphones as opposed to a branded writing utensil.
Another important consideration is the season. Even though you may be planning in the spring, the event may not actually happen until December. That means the umbrella that seems like such a fantastic idea during the rainy springtime may actually be pretty useless come wintertime.
Utility is everything because if your guests don’t find your items useful than not only are your items shining a bad light on your company, but you will have wasted your money.
Top Products for Corporate Events
The Promotional Product Association International found that tech products were one of the top 5 trending promo items in 2018. This is no surprise, because tech items are so incredibly versatile. They are high-end enough to be given away at luxury corporate events but are affordable enough that most companies can include them in their giveaway packages. For corporate events, we suggest sleek USB drives like our custom spin drives. Not only are they useful, but they appeal to a large demographic of people. If you are looking to appeal to a young fun group of guests, our branded headphones and custom wireless earbuds are a fantastic choice. Another extremely useful promotional tech item that guests get excited about is our custom mobile chargers. These are made to show off your brand through a technology that people will use on a regular basis.
Determining which promotional product to give out at your next event can be a stressful decision, but if you follow these simple suggestions you will be able to pick out the perfect corporate giveaway. If you are looking for a customized, creative, and tech-friendly giveaway for your next event, get in touch with our team at CustomUSB today.