Why some exhibition giveaways go viral

Most exhibitors spend 90% of their time thinking about giveaways. Don’t make the same mistake.

 

Instead, the most successful exhibitors spend only 10% on giveaways and 90% on creating the right lead magnets. Nevertheless, in this post we will focus on giveaways.

Click on the picture above and have a look at the grandma’s giveaway bag 🙂 What do you think? This picture was taken at ITB Berlin – The world’s leading travel trade show.

Right target group?

Well, it is certainly the wrong target group (the grandma was not LGBT, she told me). However, she became a free advertiser for of the LGBT exhibitors. And the LGBT community loved it! But the grandma was not a free ambassador. She could not have given further information about the product as she was totally unaware. That is too bad!

Perfect giveaway?

Despite the grandma not being the target group, this is well designed giveaway. Bags are always a hot item at trade shows (despite the ‘digital age’). The message is clear and yet subtle: there are no images or rainbow flags. Yet, the target group immediately recognizes it. Most important: it says ‘HALL 12’. So interested visitors know where to find them.

At EXMC, we dedicate an entire chapter on giveaways and lead magnets. Learn more about how to attract the right visitors and how to turn them into buyers.