Conferences are a company’s time to shine. It’s your opportunity to promote your brand and make a lasting impression.

And what better way to do that than by using some of the most effective promotional products available?

You want visitors and potential clients to remember your brand name and message long after the convention center door closes and the booths come down. Send them away with a promotional bag or other items that showcase your brand name.

Offer products that aren’t just attractive but also practical for everyday use. This way, potential customers will think of your brand each and every time they use the promotional items.

Ready to learn more about the most effective promotional products to optimize your visibility at the next conference you attend?

Let’s get into it!

Characteristics of the Most Effective Promotional Products

Before you lay out thousands of dollars designing and printing promotional products, let’s take a look at what these products should achieve.

Create an Emotional Connection

Appealing to your customer’s emotions is the first step in gaining their trust and creating loyalty. People who trust a company are more likely to become return customers. They’re also more likely to refer your company to friends and family.

When it comes to offering promotional products at a convention, it’s all in the delivery. Engage visitors in conversation as you promote your company.

It’s this conversation that they’ll remember when they look at the promotional product or see your logo elsewhere. You want the sight of your brand to elicit feelings of trust and happiness.

Promotional products help people look back fondly on their interaction with your company.

Be Practical and Useful

Promotional products like bags, travel mugs, and pens are practical. Useful promotional products are some of the most effective.

Customers appreciate an item they can actually use and not one they’ll stuff in their junk drawer never to be seen again. Another benefit for you is the more practical the item, the more often the person will use it.

Over 90% of people admit to having at least one promotional product in their kitchen at all times!

That means your brand will become a household name. Customers are reminded of your product or service every time they use their bag, pen, or mug. This keeps your company at the forefront of their minds, influencing future purchase decisions.

Increase Brand Awareness

The last thing you want is for people to forget your name, who you are, and what your company has to offer. Brand awareness is all about people recognizing and connecting with your brand.

When people see the Apple logo they instantly think of tech products. The Target bullseye is synonymous with good deals. What do you want your brand to say about you?

Once you figure it out, you can create a logo to support your goals. Now it’s time to plaster it on every canvas bag out there and hand them out at the next conference you attend.

While it takes some legwork on your part to market yourself, promotional bags and other products are a great way to boost brand awareness long after the conference ends.

In fact, each time someone hits the streets carrying your bag, it’s reaching another 6,000 people! That’s an impressive ROI. Think of your promotional bag as a walking, talking billboard.

If even 5% of those 6,000 people ask the bag holder about your brand, you’ve just engaged another 300 people without breaking a sweat.

Encourage Visitors to Interact

When you set up your table at a conference or tradeshow, your goal is to interact with and attract potential customers. Promotional products are the perfect way to draw people in.

Once you get them to your table, you’re on! This is your opportunity to sell yourself and your product. The least a person can do is listen to what you have to say when they’re receiving a fashionable tote bag in return.

Promotional bags and other items are perfect conversation starters. Conferences are one of the rare opportunities where business owners get to interact directly with prospective clients. It’s your time to shine and market yourself one-on-one.

Ending the conversation with a firm handshake and a promotional bag with your business card inside leaves a positive, lasting impression.

Why Promotional Products Work

You may be on the fence about spending money on promotional products. Do you think having a table set up with flashy decorations is enough? Think again.

Here’s why promotional products work and why they’re a wise investment.

People Love Free Stuff

Let’s face it – people love free stuff. Even if the appeal of a free promotional bag or mug is the only thing that draws visitors to your table, at least they’re coming over!

And once they’re there, it opens the door to conversation. Promotional products act as your direct “in” to engaging customers.

Did you know that 60% of people who receive promotional items hang onto them for two years or more? And what’s even better is that once they no longer need them, they pass them onto friends and family.

You’ve just reached multiple people through a single promotional item. Talk about getting the most out of your marketing efforts!

They Tap Into the Senses

A Harvard Professor recently reported that 95% of people’s purchasing decisions are made subconsciously. That means once you’ve made an emotional connection or tapped into the customer senses, chances are your brand is subconsciously embedded in their minds.

Even if a person uses your promotional bag 20 times without ever making a purchase, the next time they need the type of product or service you offer, they’ll think of your brand first. After all, they’ve been staring at it day in and day out for weeks or months, even!

Purchasing decisions are also made primarily based on emotion. If you successfully connect emotionally with customers, they’re more likely to choose your company time and again. Promotional products create a sense of appreciation and help customers recall their interaction with you.

If it was a positive one, they’re likely to make a purchase.

Encourages Word of Mouth and Referrals

Word of mouth referrals are one of the most effective ways to gain new customers. After all, if a friend or family member is recommending your product or service, it must be good.

People trust their friends and loved ones – and if they trust your company, you’re a shoo-in!

Promotional bags and other products help get the conversation started. When a prospective customer lays eyes on your gorgeous bag, they’ll likely ask the person where they got it and what the brand is about. These are the first steps in creating more sales and conversions.

The best part is, a conversation never even needs to take place for your company to gain a new customer from a promotional item. Nine out of 10 people say they remember brands they see on promotional products.

Worried about visibility? Don’t be. Five out of 10 customers claim they come in contact with promotional products for part of, if not during all aspects, of their day.

Reasons to Choose Promotional Bags

Undecided about which promotional product to use at your next conference? Take a minute and discover why promotional bags are one of the most popular and effective choices.

They’re Eco-Friendly

Reusable bags are all the rage these days. With people making strides toward a more eco-friendly way of life, canvas tote bags are growing in popularity.

From grocery stores to retail shops, most establishments encourage patrons to bring their own reusable bags. If you don’t think reusable bags make a difference in the environment, think again!

One reusable canvas bag can last long enough to replace 700 plastic bags. People who chose reusable bags can remove 22,000 plastic bags from the environment over the course of their lifetime.

Offering promotional bags tap into the emotions of environmentally conscious shoppers, as well as those who just enjoy a quality canvas bag!

They’re Practical

Similar to wedding favors, some promotional products are bound to end up in the junk drawer or trash can. Why not use your money on a promotional product that gives back?

People are more likely to pick-up and use practical promotional items with 69% of people admitting they want a product that is useful in some way. People use canvas bags for a myriad of things from buying groceries to packing an overnight bag for their child or heading to the beach!

There’s nothing quite as practical as a tote bag to fit all your needs and advertise your brand at the same time.

They’re Popular

Canvas bags are everywhere! From the gym to the mall and everywhere in between.

Tote bags are both fashionable and functional, making them a popular choice for men, women, and children. Adding to their appeal is that they’re universally popular across large demographics.

It can be difficult to find a promotional product that’s useful for everyone. Non-coffee drinkers are unlikely to use a travel coffee mug. Anyone under the legal drinking or with an aversion to alcohol will have no use for a drink koozie.

Promotional bags are a popular choice thanks to their versatility. Canvas tote bags are especially durable and easy to clean, guaranteeing customers have your brand name on their bag and lips for years to come!

People Can Carry Other Conference Items in Them

As much as people enjoy free stuff at a conference, they can easily get bogged down by countless pens, notebooks, mugs, and mouse pads. At one point they might think how helpful it would be to have a bag to carry all this stuff in.

And that’s where you and your promotional bag come in! You’ve already solved one of their problems and you didn’t even break the ice yet.

When creating your business, your first step was probably to ask yourself what customer problem you were trying to solve. People want answers to their questions and solutions to their problems.

Your promotional bag just offered a solution to a problem they didn’t know they had! Once their loot is securely loaded into your promotional bag, you can start a real conversation about what you have to offer.

Another bonus? Your competitors’ products are now buried at the bottom of your promotional bag with your brand reigning supreme and on display for all the world to see!

Designing Your Promotional Bag

This is where your creativity comes into play. Similar to when you designed your brand logo, you should keep a few things in mind when designing your promotional bag.

First, choose a neutral color combination that’s universally appealing. While it may be tempting to design a neon yellow bag that won’t go unnoticed, this may deter people with a more muted taste.

Try a strong base color for the bag like black, navy blue, or red. Then, display your logo in a lighter, contrasting color. Add your company name if it’s not already in your brand logo.

You can add contact information like a phone number or email to the promotional bag, just avoid creating too much clutter. You want a clean, simple design that is easily visible and read from afar.

After all, your promotional bag might catch the eyes of passers-by on the street or subway. They shouldn’t have to strain to read your message or chase down the bag holder for more information.

Think direct and clear when creating a design for your promotional bag. In many ways, less is more.

Just remember, if your brand already has established colors, stick with them! No one would recognize the Target brand if a promotional bag was black with a white logo.

Don’t break from traditional too much – this supports brand awareness.

Make a Statement with Promotional Bags

Looking for the most effective promotional products? Look no further!

Promotional bags are not only practical for customers, but they’re versatile and leave a lasting impression. You’ll increase your brand awareness while reaching your target audience and beyond.

Are you ready to start designing your promotional bag and optimizing your marketing efforts?

Create an account today and let’s get started!