Whether you’re hosting a conference or setting up a booth, you need the right swag. Forget about cheap trinkets taking up space in the attendees’ luggage—you want something they’ll appreciate, something they’ll use. More importantly, you want swag that improves brand recall and turns attendees into potential customers and walking billboards.
So, let’s look at the best conference swag ideas to make your next event one to remember.
Everyone loves freebies, but they’re commonplace at conferences. After walking around for a few minutes, you’ll have all kinds of promotional trinkets shoved in your face. Most of them end up in the trash.
Good conference swag is something the attendee actually wants—a crown jewel in a sea of trinkets.
No one attends a conference just to get a goody bag, so swag isn’t going to get them through the doors. However, it can increase engagement when they’re there.
Many events offer apps with scheduling info, guides, and networking features, as well as useful tech and consumables (power banks, webcam covers, hand sanitizer). It means that whether they’re walking around, visiting booths, charging their device, or grabbing a bite to eat, attendees are constantly advertising and engaging with the brand.
Exhibitors can get in on the act by handing out free branded accessories and tech for use during/after the conference. More attendees will visit the booth and engage with the brand and its products/services.
Good conference swag is a long-term advertisement for your brand. Attendees could be walking around with your brand on their clothing, stationery, tech, and bags. They’ll happily be walking billboards for your brand if the products are good.
Most event organizers offer some kind of goody bag, just as most booths give away some kind of swag. Freebies don’t make you unique, but high-quality, customized freebies definitely do.
Whether it’s luxury apparel, durable drinkware, or premium tech, good swag creates positive connotations for your brand. It raises your voice above the crowd.
Hosting a conference? Whether it’s tech, wellness, marketing, or anything else, check out these unique conference swag ideas to engage your attendees.
You can never fail with a power bank. Your attendees will be walking around with phones, tablets, and laptops. They’ll be conducting business, taking notes, and doing a little work here and there. They will need that power bank, and if it saves them in a pinch, it could become their go-to travel power bank.
Durable drinkware, reusable bags, and headphones are also essentials for conferences. You want something attendees will use during the event, but something that still serves a purpose when it’s over.
A classic, and not without reason, branded apparel works best when the brand is subtle. Attendees might be content being a walking billboard during the event, but they’re less inclined once they return home.
Look for high-quality items. Think comfort, not just cost. One hoodie worn regularly by a devoted attendee is worth more than a hundred tees that never make it out of the event.
Those out-of-town attendees may want something to remember their trip, while also experiencing a little local flavor. So, add some local products to their swag bags, including locally produced candies, snacks, beverages, and other delicacies. It’s disposable and perishable, but it’s usually something they’ll consume on the day and then remember far into the future.
They won’t be carrying around your brand, but whenever they think of the time they spent in the city and the time they tried that delicacy, they’ll remember you.
If you’re hosting a booth or simply attending a conference, your budget is probably more limited than the organizers’. Still, a conference is a great opportunity to get your brand in the hands of industry professionals, and creativity can trump cost.
Everyone appreciates a thick, well-made pair of socks in the winter or sunglasses in the summer. Many attendees will be visiting out of town, so they may not be prepared for whatever the local weather has to throw at them.
If you’re welcoming them into a cold northern winter with a scarf and a warm pair of socks, they’ll definitely remember you.
You could fill a landfill a million times over with the pens given away at conferences. However, most of them are cheap. They feel terrible, they write even worse, and while they might hang around in someone’s drawer, they’ll forever be associated with low quality.
A good pen, combined with recycled notebooks, bamboo/sprout pencils, and other sustainable stationery, shows that you know quality, and you’re also eco-conscious.
A portable massage gun is ideal if your attendees are going to be on their feet all day. A Bluetooth tracker will give them peace of mind if they’re carrying around expensive tech. Webcam covers add a touch of privacy while displaying your brand every time they open their laptop.
Good tech swag doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s not just about impressing them with a gift; it’s about giving them something they’ll use daily.
We’ve already discussed some of the items you can pack into a swag bag for your attendees, but there are many more. Just make sure you include swag that is:
The best ideas are often the classics, like apparel, pens, and power banks. However, they need to be high-quality to stand out from other conference swag.
Include useful items that are portable and relevant, and can make the conference experience more enjoyable. Examples include locally-sourced snacks, power banks, and reusable bags.
Contact Foxtrot Marketing, and we’ll help you brainstorm, create, and source the best swag bag for your conference.