Admit it. You love freebies. Everyone loves freebies. That's why swag bags are so popular at conferences and other events. Who doesn't love a bag full of free knickknacks and useful little items?
If planned well, swag bags can wow attendees and provide great advertising for your business. Planned poorly, though, it can have the opposite effect. You might even see your promotional items in a nearby trashcan!
What types of items do people really want? How can you make your swag bag stand out from the rest? Have you considered customized golf bobbleheads? Yes, I just said golf bobbleheads. And no, I wasn't kidding. But we'll get there in a minute. First, let's talk about some unique and effective swag bag marketing ideas.
10 Fun Swag Bag Ideas
If you've attended past events, you've probably arrived home with dozens of cheap pens and ugly keychains. Why do so many businesses give away the same boring swag? Because they didn't take the time to think outside the box.
If you're planning promotional items for an upcoming event, you can do much better than pens and keychains. Here's a list of cool swag ideas that attendees are sure to love.
1. Mobile Chargers
Whether they're tweeting, texting, or talking, everyone at a conference is using their phones. Chances are that those cell phone batteries will be halfway drained by lunchtime. If you hand out mobile chargers, everyone will love you for it. They'll also be very impressed that you thought of such a practical swag idea.
2. Specialty Food Items
Sure, we all love chocolate. But you can do better than Hershey's miniatures. There are so many unique and delicious food items available. Think about high-end truffles, caramel-covered popcorn, or gourmet cheese samples. The possibilities are endless!
3. Anything Caffeinated
After a long flight and a night in a hotel room, event goers will be desperate for caffeine.
Gourmet instant coffee or specialty tea bags are sure to win you popularity points. And if you're really going for that "wow" factor, try something totally unique like caffeinated coffee cereal.
4. Customized Apparel
We're not talking about a boring white T-shirt with your company logo across the chest. You need to design something people will actually want to wear. Use a funny quote, inspirational saying, or colorful imagery. Enlist the help of a graphic designer if necessary.
5. Seasonal Items
Old-school marketers have always said to give away items that customers can use anytime. That doesn't have to be the case. If it's summertime, offer attendees items they can use right now. This could include customized golf balls, Frisbees, or flip-flops.
6. Reusable Water Bottles
Who doesn't want to help save the planet? Reusable water bottles may seem overdone, but the idea works. People do use them. And it's a great way to show that your company is thinking green.
7. Moleskine Notebooks
This may seem like another unoriginal idea, but it doesn't have to be. A lot of people still prefer to take notes the old-fashioned way. And studies show that writing notes (as opposed to typing them) actually improves memory retention. Just make sure your notebooks are attractive and high-quality. Think Moleskine instead of spiral.
8. Toiletries
If you expect to have a lot of female attendees at the event, you can't go wrong with personal products. Bath bombs, hand sanitizers, and specialty soaps are good places to start.
9. Bar Accessories
If you're expecting more men than ladies at your event, anything related to alcohol will be a hit. You might consider beer bottle openers, customized flasks, or wine corkscrews.
10. Virtual Swag
Swag doesn't have to be tangible. In today's e-world, everyone appreciates things like e-books, e-gift-cards, and discount codes. Another bonus? It won't take up any extra room in their suitcase. These 10 ideas are sure to be popular with event goers. But if you really want to make an impression, you need to go above and beyond. How can you do that? Read on for the best swag specialty item of them all!
Custom Bobbleheads
For a truly awesome and one-of-a-kind swag item, look no further than custom bobbleheads. Bobbleheads have been a popular novelty item since the 1960s. The first commercial bobbleheads were of baseball players and musicians like The Beatles. On May 9, 1999, the San Francisco Giants offered bobbleheads of Willie Mays to the first 20,000 visitors at Candlestick Park. The promotion was a hit, and this inspired other sports teams to follow suit.
Bobblehead production isn't limited to celebrity figures. As technology advanced, it soon became possible to create fully-customized bobbleheads from photographs. Want a bobblehead cake topper for your wedding reception? You can order one. How about a bobblehead of yourself playing your favorite sport or proudly wearing your military uniform? You can order those, too. These personalized novelty items make wonderful gifts for family, friends, and colleagues. Because they're so unique, they also make a fantastic addition to any swag bag!
Golf Bobbleheads for Swag Bags
Is your company geared towards sports or sports enthusiasts? Does it cater to businessmen or other professionals who play a lot of golf? Are you planning your swag bag for an upcoming event? If so, golf bobbleheads would be the ultimate gift to include in your swag bag. We guarantee that no one else at your conference will think to include something so fun and unique. Don't have the budget to order a large number of bobbleheads? That's okay. Order a few and display them for a giveaway. That's sure to draw interest and attention to your booth! As another idea, you can offer a prize draw with the grand prize being a customized golf bobblehead. The winner simply submits a photograph, you send it in, and the artists create a lifelike golf bobblehead of the winner. Who wouldn't love such a cool specialty item to display on their desk? Bonus: Golf bobbleheads make a great conversation piece. When someone asks where the person got it, they'll be happy to talk about your company. A great swag gift and free advertising? That's win-win if we've ever heard of it. Did you enjoy this article? How have you used golf bobbleheads or other bobbleheads as promotional items? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below!