12 Fun Promotional Material Ideas for Events

Whether you're holding a charity dinner, presenting at a virtual conference, or visiting trade shows, you need to have promotional items on hand: they increase brand awareness and build goodwill between your company and attendees.

However, it can be tough to figure out the right event giveaways and how to use them, as what makes a great gift is highly subjective.

Struggling to generate some swag ideas? 4AllPromos has got you covered! Read on to hear about perfect promotional items for your next event.

What Makes a Good Giveaway Item?

Great promotional items are fun, functional, and topical. You should consider who is at the event, what they're there for, and what kinds of problems you can solve for them with your giveaway items.

The more that someone wants and needs your item, the more they will appreciate it - and therefore, the more that they will associate your company with a good deal.

With all that being said, let's take a look at nine amazing giveaway ideas for events that are sure to wow attendees at any event.

Tote Bags

The humble tote bag is a cheap promotional idea that's sturdy and versatile. The large surface also means bigger logos and better brand recognition, which is why it has been one of the most popular promotional items for decades and is perfect for event giveaways.

Tote bags can also serve as a memento of a special event like a charity auction or company picnic. Attendees can reflect fondly on the fun they had while they tote groceries, meaning you will never be far from their minds.

Suggested product: Customized Convention Tote Bag

Sticky Pads

Your attendees' everyday lives are super hectic, so provide them with what they need to remember it all! At event giveaways for academicians or college students, this is a showstopping choice.

Suggested product: Imprinted Sticky Book with Three Pad Sizes.

Bottle Openers

A bottle opener is one of the best possible promotional products if you work in the beverage industry: it's free advertising with every pop of a bottle top! It's one of the most popular giveaway items because it's small, cheap, and convenient for event attendees to pop onto their keys.

Suggested product: Customized Slim Bottle Opener

Power Banks

Those who are always on the go need their power banks to ensure that their devices are always charged up. If your target audience is full of phone fiends or the tablet-savvy, this makes an excellent addition to swag bags, as it's compact and affordable - exactly what you want for a great giveaway.

Suggested product: Custom Span 1200 mAh Power Bank

Lip Balm

For those attendees who are chapstick devotees, this is sure to make a positive impression. Given that people might use the same tube for several months, you'll increase brand awareness for the long term while also associating your company with thoughtful gestures.

Suggested product: Custom All Natural Lip Balm

Travel Mugs

As branded items go, travel mugs is one of the best giveaway ideas. They're incredibly convenient, so your attendees are likely to take them everywhere for years at a time.

Suggested product: 16 oz Custom Blue Monday Travel Tumbler

Infuser Water Bottles

If your customers are very focused on health and wellness, they definitely understand the importance of hydration (opens in a new window).

An infuser water bottle adds an extra touch of class to one of the mainstays of promotional items, which will make recipients feel like you're going above and beyond to woo them.

Suggested product: Promotional Tritan Infuser Bottle-20 oz

Beanies

T-shirts are great, but you have to order them in multiple sizes, which can be difficult if you want a few high-quality promotional items. This is why hats are a fantastic choice for a conference giveaway because they're usually one size fits all.

Product suggestion: Custom Knit Beanie with Double Stripe

Hand Sanitizer

Associate your brand with good health by handing out bottles of hand sanitizer at your next event. Customers will feel that you care about them and their particular needs.

Suggested product: Custom 0.5 ounce Hand Sanitizer Gel

Glow Sticks

Glow-in-the-dark promotional items are a wonderful way to make a positive impression on children and parents alike. This is one of the best giveaway ideas when you're setting up a brand stand at a local festival.

Suggested product: Promo Light Up Yo-Yo

Bubbles

Speaking of funky swag ideas, everyone loves to have a bit of fun from time to time, which is why many companies are adding blowing bubbles to their arsenal of promotional items. These are great for people of all ages, associating your brand with levity and play.

Suggested product: Custom Bubbles-1 oz-Assorted Neon Colors

How should you vary your items between in-person conferences and virtual events?

Every brand knows that they need to stock the right promotional items for in-person events like trade shows or a conference giveaway, but they might believe it's not as important for a virtual conference. When planning promotional events, it's important to consider the different dynamics and requirements of each format.

That point is exactly why it's essential: because your competitors won't think to send out swag bags to people they never met face to face. This is easier for smaller events that you've had a hand in organizing, as you'll be able to get physical addresses from registration information.

Popular giveaways that work great at conventions might be harder to pull off when mailing away, so you might want to collect swag ideas that are specifically for online events. For example, focus on smaller, lighter items like key chains, pencils, t-shirts, and wristbands, as these won't cost too much to mail.

When you send swag after an online-only event, you cement your brand as a thoughtful company that goes above and beyond for customers.

Finally, remember to adapt your messaging and communication style to each event format. While in-person conferences allow for face-to-face interactions, virtual events require clear and concise communication to capture attendees' attention in a digital environment.

Final Thoughts on Swag Items for Events

When it comes to event giveaways, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the bonanza of options available to you, especially when working with a supplier like 4AllPromos, which has a vast selection of goodies.

However, remember that a great giveaway is going to look different by industry: you should think about exactly what your consumer base usually wants and try to provide it for them.

We have experience with companies in a variety of industries and are always happy to help!