| > | | | | interest for their audience and have their contact |
| | | | information printed on. No matter what method |
| Shopping for trade show giveaways can be an | | | | you choose, booklets simply don’t cost |
| overwhelming experience. One catalog is jammed | | | | much to produce. They also don’t have an |
| with custom printed pens, another showcases | | | | expiration’ date. One print run can |
| mouse pads. Your boss mentions that last year, | | | | easily and effectively carry you through the show |
| everyone was giving away really nice tote bags. | | | | season and be integrated in other sales & |
| The sales rep really wants you to buy keychains | | | | marketing efforts. |
| that can play MP3’s of your marketing | | | | To get the most use out of your booklets, be |
| message set to popular tunes. | | | | sure to pack them full of common sense, grass |
| But what happens to all this stuff after the show? | | | | roots, basic, practical, how-to information. Your |
| Let’s follow one attendee, a buyer from a | | | | customers won’t turn to a booklet for |
| mid-size manufacturing firm. Tired after spending | | | | dry, theoretical information, so don’t waste |
| three days at the show, he’s returned to | | | | time and money printing up journal articles. Keep it |
| his office. He’s toting two bags | | | | current, relevant, and important. Address |
| jam-packed with trade show tschokes, which he | | | | everyday concerns in your industry. Sometimes |
| upends on his desk. | | | | the silver bullet answer everyone wants turns out |
| All those fancy pens? They get jammed in a cup | | | | to be information that is known but simply |
| on his desk. Mouse pads go into a general office | | | | forgotten. The booklet serves as a reminder and |
| supply cupboard, on the off chance one of his | | | | reinforces your position as an expert in the field. |
| office staff wears their mouse pad out. That | | | | Once you have produced your booklet, you can |
| seems unlikely — two or three are still in | | | | often find other organizations that can benefit |
| there from last year’s show. His secretary | | | | from it. Selling booklets — to your |
| snapped up the tote bag — it’ll be | | | | distributors, for example — can not only |
| perfect for her daughter to carry her ballet | | | | help recoup your production costs, but actually |
| clothes in. And the MP3 playing keychain? | | | | generate new revenue while continually marketing |
| He’s giving it to his teenage son. | | | | your own company. |
| But what’s this? A booklet slides out of his | | | | Other ideas to consider include direct mail |
| tote bag. It’s small — just 3 ½ x | | | | campaigns or licensing the rights to your booklet |
| 8 ½, somewhere between 16-24 pages. It fits | | | | to another company. If you license the rights, you |
| perfectly in his pocket — or in a purse, as | | | | grant the client specific, limited production rights to |
| he discovers when he hands it over to one of his | | | | the booklet manuscript that your company owns. |
| co-workers. The information contained in the | | | | Successful booklets often have to be translated |
| slender volume — tips, techniques, and | | | | into several languages to meet market demand. |
| strategies all related to your products and | | | | Prospects for your booklets include the vendors, |
| services -- is just too good to keep to himself. | | | | suppliers, and manufacturers in your own industry. |
| Of all the trade show giveaways, only the booklet | | | | Each is a marketing niche, with individual, |
| has done its job. Without being overpowering, it | | | | specialized needs. Approach them in a common |
| has educated the buying public about your | | | | sense way. These booklets provide solutions to |
| products and kept your company name and logo | | | | many of their problems! |
| in view. When the buyer needs to make a | | | | Last and definitely not least, distributing booklets |
| purchase, he’ll think back to what he read | | | | helps you garner a better ROI on your tradeshow |
| in your booklet — and he’ll know | | | | participation Some industries, such as the |
| exactly who to call. | | | | pharmaceutical industry, are now making a |
| Giving out booklets heightens your | | | | concerted effort to pull back on money spent on |
| company’s credibility as an expert in the | | | | excessively expensive and inappropriate |
| industry. When prospects read your information, | | | | giveaways with educational value. A booklet is |
| they perceive you as knowledgeable. Booklets | | | | perfect in these situations because is helps you |
| also clearly signal that you’re interested in | | | | create better-qualified leads. This in turn leads to |
| pursuing a business relationship. Giving away | | | | larger sales over a longer period of time with |
| coffee mugs signals that you hope your prospect | | | | well-educated clients. When your company makes |
| enjoys his morning joe. | | | | one more sale because someone reads the |
| Booklets offer a lot of bang for the buck. Anyone | | | | booklet you gave them, the investment of |
| in an industry who is selling or exhibiting at a trade | | | | purchasing or creating the booklet pays off |
| show is a candidate for using booklets as a | | | | handsomely. Buyers are far more likely to make a |
| promotional tool. They are very cost effective. A | | | | purchase based upon information they’ve |
| company can create their own booklets, have | | | | read than upon any number of fancy-printed pens |
| someone else produce them, or purchase | | | | — even if they write with sparkly gel ink! |
| someone else’s booklet on a topic of | | | | |