As BlogHer looms in the near future, a girl’s thoughts turn to… swag.
From the sound of it, I need to leave plenty of room in my suitcase for free goodies doled out at the event. Actually, the event will even have a room full of mailing supplies and some UPS guys, I believe, if you decide it’s cheaper to ship the items home than pay to take them on the plane.
All this started me thinking about what I’d be handing out, which is mostly just info on the company sponsoring me. My sponsor asked if I had any ideas for little things to giveaway, but — and here’s my question — what actually gets used?
It’s my understanding that lots of bloggers do giveaways with the swag. And perhaps I’m just thinking too small. But it seems like most of the items that can be handed out for free would quickly get shoved in a drawer and never again see the light of day.
Of course, having gone to my fair share of movie previews, I am all-too-aware that some people will get abnormally excited about a free t-shirt — even if it’s just a logo on one side. So maybe I’m underestimating the allure of “free.”
The list of items I came up with for my sponsor, though probably too late for this particular year:
- Keychains: They could actually go to use (assuming they’re remotely attractive)
- Bags: Whether the slightly cheap plasticky kind or the regular canvas bags, everyone eventually has stuff to carry. So why not slap a logo on it?
- Halfway decent wallets. Nothing too expensive, nothing too cheap. But the lower-end ones make good wallets for kids, which plenty of bloggers have, and the nicer ones could actually get some use from the bloggers.
There are a couple of other suggestions for always-useful stuff — namely water bottles and travel mugs. But I was vaguely horrified at the cost of the damn things. So I didn’t really think it was that great an idea, even if I’m not passing them out to every single person. (Plus there’s the question of getting the things to New York on the plane.)
Otherwise, really, what freebies are out there that are greatly appreciated by the masses?
- T-shirts and hats could be cool, I suppose. But, let’s face it, the average company logo is just not that stunning.
- Aprons are not terribly useful and, at something like BlogHer, would send entirely the wrong message.
- Everyone I know ends up with at least one too many calendars by the end of the holiday season.
- I don’t know that many people into collecting company buttons.
- And you know we’ll all lose the company pens in mere moments. At least, that’s a talent I possess.
Those are the major items you tend to see offered on personalization sites. But that can’t be it, I’d imagine.
All this leads me back to the question in the title: What kind of freebies do you guys appreciate?
And if you’ve ever been to a convention like this, what kinds of things did you see that really resonated with people?
Inquiring minds want to know — especially so they know how lightly they need to pack!
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
2 swag freebies that I still use are a metal water bottle (granted, expensive on those personalization site), and a soft-sided lunch bag/cooler thing. The lunch bag is just the right sise for 1 or 2 small rubbermaid containers (or several plastic bags) and a drink – perfect for "brown-bagging" my lunch at work!
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Inexpensive ideas that I've appreciated (all had logos printed on them) were individual sunscreen packets – I think maybe 3 came in a packet, perfect for keeping in your purse -chapstick-type lip balm, purell-type cleanser, and hand lotion. A more expensive item I found useful was a small flashlight – it was somewhere between a regular sized one and a key-chain one.
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One of the best things I've ever gotten was a thumb drive with the company logo. I don't know how much they cost bought in bulk.
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I second all three of the above.
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I have to put in a good word for freebie pens. I've bought a box of ballpoint pens for $10 and not a single one wrote as well as the ballpoint I picked up who-knows-where with the name of someone who ran for mayor. Plus, they're really small and allowed on planes, so packing them to go home wouldn't be a problem. I carry my freebie pens all over the place and use them in front of all sorts of people, so the name printed on it gets around pretty well, too.
I really like the ideas above me, too.
Oh and this morning I was handed a chapstick with Verizon's logo on it… I haven't tried it yet but it's a pretty nifty handout.
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I got a small tape measure one time that was awesome. Candy, mints or gum is always good.
Something to bring home for the kids is great – rubber bracelets, temporary tattoos, stickers, postcards, glow sticks, etc. Good luck!
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Have a great time…wish I was going, but the budge just won't allow it. I thought about pot holders, tape measure (for purse), pens, chapstick, maybe a first aide kit with band aide, wipe, etc. (no emergency yet, so it still rides in my purse)…I remember it is from the local hospital
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Pens, lip balms, thumb drives, hand sanitizer or hand lotion/cream, nylon or cotton tote/shopping bags … all great ideas!
The most useful swag I've collected so far: cloth bags, pens, and purse/pocket-sized notebooks (I'm a list-maker).
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I really like to receive chip clips when I go to conventions. I use them all the time!
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About four years ago, my company launched a project that had neon green in its logo. The giveaway that year — in keeping with the launch — was a little backpack style bag in the neon green. Oh, my. Those bags flew off the vendor table. We kept getting asked at the expo booth "Are you the ones with the GREEN bags?"
Beyond that, I think notepads are a practical, but inexpensive giveaway. Put some fun quotes and sayings on them about frugal living.
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I recently obtained a fold-up shopping bag of a nylon-ish material with the U.S. Census 2010 logo. It reduces to the size of a wallet and weighs practically nothing so it's easy to keep in a bag or backpack — but when you stop for milk and bread or find a really great deal, you don't have to take home yet another flimsy plastic bag.
So my vote is for a folding, reasonably strong shopping bag. Every time a person uses it, he or she will think of I Pick Up Pennies.
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When I planned giveaways for events, a couple big hits that I had were GOOD pens, not crappy bic-style (one of them lasted me three years!), customized miniature bottles of hot sauce and business card notebooks like this.
As a convention attendee, I like any kind of notetaking apparatus, reusable bags that scrunch up into a little pouch, mini bottled waters, any kind of candy/gum/mint/edible. One of the coolest things I got was a little umbrella.
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My favorite freebie is a little tape measure with a carabiner clip. My plumber gave it to me – it has their logo on it. I clipped it onto my key ring and have actually found many occasions to use it. Pens and cute small notebooks are fun to get and I second @LittleMissMoneybags…not crappy bic-style pens. I have one of those reusable bags that stuff into an attached pouch. That is so useful. I had to buy it at the grocery store though (has their name on it) but I think it was only $.99, or maybe $1.99.
Or how about a sweet little coin purse that says "I pick up pennies"?
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I second the pens idea. Always use 'em, can't get enough of 'em.
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Pens, tote bags and chip clips are my favorites.
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I got a really cute necklace while at Blissdom that I still wear–as well as a really high quality Lands End canvas bag with Blissdom logo on it. Flashdrives make great swag and I also like the idea of the reusable bag that can compress into a pouch. Smaller is better–especially with airline carry-on bag limits.
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Pens, notepads, totebags…all good for actual use. Some things I have gotten from conventions still languish in drawers.
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