“What shall we give away to your delegates/exhibition stand visitors/incentive winners?”
This is an age-old question in the events world, and one which answer continually changes depending on the current thinking.
But what is the current thinking?
To swag or not to swag is now the question!
These days people are paying much closer attention to the kind of swag they hand out at events. No one wants their brand associated with cheap, plastic giveaways that end up in the bin before anyone even gets back to the office. And everyone has a surplus of water bottles and pens…
However, there is still demand for gifts and giveaways, but many thoughtful alternatives exist and should be considered.
Even before we became a B Corp we looked at ways to improve an event’s footprint and implemented various options across our events. We have already encouraged our clients to switch to:
- Online event brochures
- Company literature accessed via QR code, enabling data capture
- Plastic-free items
- Recycled items
- Digital branding
- Name badges and menus printed on seeded paper
- Locally produced gifts for incentive programmes
- Branding without dates so it can be reused
Since certifying as a B Corp, we have stepped up our game and our research, we have been speaking to others in the B Corp community. This is enabling us to share ideas and have more in our arsenal to recommend going forward.
Keep these questions in mind:
- If budget allows, provide high quality items and less of them – they will then become more desirable if people know not everyone will have one, they will last longer and quality will become a positive associated with your brand (the opposite is true for something cheap!)
- Be considerate and purposeful with the item – does the item fit with your brand? Does it dovetail with the event’s messaging, does it speak to your target audience?
- How does it limit the environmental impact – what is it made of? Is it single-use? Is it made from recycled or sustainable materials?
- Does it provide real value – will it get used time and again? Does it save people’s time? Does it provide a real convenience?
- How many do you actually need? While tempting, don’t over order especially if items are date-stamped. Surplus will likely end up in landfill after being left at the venue for them to dispose of if you have no further use for it
Do your research and make every touchpoint with your customers and prospects count.
You could always flip it on its head…
- Use the budget to donate to your chosen charity and let people know this is why there are no giveaways
- Or if your event isn’t Carbon Zero, offset it with the budget set aside for swag
- Donate a set ££ value to charity per attendee or per lead capture
- Work with a social enterprise in the event’s location to provide the giveaways or to provide an activity, entertainment or even staffing for the event
- Combine a giveaway with company information – we have printed impact reports and company information on a bar of Tony’s Chocolonely along with a QR code to their company website
Or why give anything at all – it is entirely acceptable to skip altogether! If you would like some additional help with what to offer your guests at your next event, we’d be happy to chat and share some ideas with you.
