Promotional Items for Corporate Gift Bags

Whether hosting a special event or running a booth at a trade show, there is an art to choosing promotional items for corporate gift bags. From the Oscars to sports playoff games to trade shows, swag bags make an appearance. These bags of goodies are designed to make attendees feel special and spoiled, while promoting a brand with a little well-placed advertising.

Tips for Choosing What to Include in a Corporate Gift Bag

The range of promotional items for corporate gift bags is nearly limitless. There are so many different options to choose from that it can be challenging to choose which items are best for the intended audience.

However, there are some steps companies can take to help them choose which items will be best for their corporate gift bag:

Go to similar company conferences. Make an effort to swing by the corporate gift bag table and checkout what types of promotional items they are including. This is an excellent comparison tool. To take this effort the extra mile, keep your ears open at the conference to hear what recipients are saying about their gifts. Is there one item they think is silly and would never use? Is there another item they are thrilled to have in their swag bag? This can be instrumental in choosing promotional items.
Do online research. Whether you do this in addition to attending a competing company conference or instead of, take some time to research swag bag favorites online. By searching hashtags, you may be able to learn more about what some people find to be fabulous promotional items and which items fast track it to the garbage can.
Know your audience. Some companies already know their audience and choosing which promotional items for corporate gift bags is not a hard decision. For others that are less sure, it may be helpful to do a pre-event survey in which you ask questions like do they prefer tea or coffee or if there is a certain item they forget to pack when traveling for business.

Depending on the nature of their business, some companies may choose to give away a themed corporate gift bag. Themes might include categories such as technology gadgets, lifestyle, office supplies, clothing, leisure, etc. If using a themed swag bag, ensure that every promotional item included supports the overall theme for continuity’s sake.

Be sure to skip items that are hard to pack in a carry-on bag. Many business travelers do not check their luggage, but rather travel light with a carry-on which has limited room for anything but the necessities. For this reason, it can be a good idea to guarantee whatever items you include in your corporate gift bag are relatively small and will easily fit into one of these bags.

Do not include gifts that require spending. A coupon that requires someone to pay a certain amount of money to utilize the gift is not a good idea. For example, giving someone a “Save $10 for every $50 you spend” at a store or website, is frequently seen as an inappropriate item to include because it is not truly a gift without strings attached.

Secrets to Success for Utilizing Branded Promotional Items

Generally, most promotional items for corporate gift bags are branded either with the presenting company’s logo and/or that of suppliers and partners. However, there is a way to tastefully brand an item so that a logo does not overwhelm it.

Remember to use quality items. No one wants to open a corporate gift bag to find a bunch of items that are sure to break within their first use. Show your event attendees that they are appreciated by using quality items comprised of quality materials. While items do not have to be top of the line, they should be well-constructed and reliable.

Be strategic in your use of the company logo. While it is a helpful marketing tool, the logo does not have to be huge to make an impact. Consider placing it in a more discreet manner. For example, instead of putting the company brand across the entire front of a shirt in large lettering, consider including the logo on a much smaller scale and placing it where a breast pocket would normally be.

Be intentional about color usage. While a company’s color may be a bright neon orange, an event attendee may not have an interest in carrying around a bright neon orange umbrella that draws undue attention. This does not mean the company color should be abandoned. Rather, consider using a neutral color for the umbrella as a whole and then simply place the neon orange logo along the handle.