Setting up a booth in the trade show may find it expensive to pay for the rental if you choose to participate in the event. In that way you build the brand of your business as part of your awareness scheme to be able for the audience to get to know more about your products and services. Every trade show has a theme that organizers choose and the venue may vary. In my experience, I have attended several trade shows already, either walk-in or registered. The event is interesting as you get to see a lot of booth participants where you see what their business is.

The first trade show I attended was in Macao and web page that was April 2008 where you get to see more than 200 booths displayed at the venue, Venetian Macao. In my experience, several products are displayed, ranging from flash drives, shirts, lanyards, pens, etc. You are given a bag where you can place the flyers and luckily some suppliers will give you samples and that was interesting.

The second international trade show I participated as promotional products buyer happened at Javit Center in New York and that was March 2009. It was hosted by ASI or Advertising Specialty Institute where you can see some suppliers and they too give samples. Here we can see that sample products are interesting as you get to see them first before you buy them.

Going back to marketing and advertising through trade show giveaways, trade shows are an interesting event to participate if you are business owners who decide to get a booth. But the budget can always be the issue to those who are just starting up their business or to those who have small business.

If a business owner decides to participate in the trade show, some giveaways may be needed as this would help you find prospective clients because of the information of your business can be found in the imprinted promotional products, with the name and contact information on it.



In my experience attending trade shows event, there were some promotional items given to those who visit the booth. It's normal to see giveaways items that are cheap; it doesn't have to be expensive at all.

Here are some of the affordable promotional products given away to those who go to the booths and according to the booth participants, they are very much effective:


Promotional Pens - the most common giveaway items that we can see in every trade show as you can buy them below $1. Pens are cheap and effective and with the logo or imprint on it, it gives a lasting impression to your business.

Lanyards - the good thing about the promotional lanyards is that it's easy to carry and you can put it on your neck. Lanyards can be hanged on your wall and could also bring a lasting impression to prospective clients.

Wristbands - I can find the wristbands as cheap and yet wearable especially if the event is about awareness.

Sticky Notepads - what I love about the sticky notepads is small and you can stick it on your wall. With the business information imprinted on it, it can be seen as always and with a short note on it as reminders written on the note pads, readers may be able to see the business information.

Key Chains - I find it effective because when I was given promotional key chains, it's very useful because I always carry it with the keys that I have. I don't have to put all the keys on my bag or pocket, but once you have a key chains you can put all the keys in one bundle.

So these are the promotional products which I think that is cheap and popular for those who participate in the booth but need an inexpensive giveaway items. But promotional products don't really have to be expensive as your giveaways to prospective clients.








Julius is a promotional products consultant for trade show giveaways , please visit us at SayBasic.com.