Trade exhibitions are the ideal self-promotion vehicle for small businesses. Here is our guide for choosing the perfect branded promotional products for your next trade show.
Promotional merchandise is a powerful tool for businesses looking to build brand awareness, foster customer loyalty, and increase visibility. When preparing for an upcoming trade show, choosing the right promotional merchandise requires careful consideration. Here’s a handy checklist to guide you in selecting and designing the perfect products with Fast Pens.
Branded items are essential as promotional giveaways
Non branded promotional giveaways are not an option at trade exhibitions – for potential customers and/or clients to remember your brand, they must leave your stand with something that bears your name, logo and contact details. Company branded merchandise is vital.
At Fast Pens, we supply branded promotional stationery throughout the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. With over 40 years’ experience in the printing industry, we are your ideal partner for all your promotional merchandise needs.
Ensure promotional products are practical and functional
The best promotional items are those that recipients will actually use. Commonly appreciated products include items that will serve a purpose in the recipient’s life – your brand will not be brought to mind if your merchandise is in the bin! Stationery ticks every box so customisable notebooks, promotional pens, and branded pencils are ideal.
The Fast Pens’ entire range of branded stationery is practical and functional and includes metal pens, plastic pens, and eco-friendly products, as well as personalised notebooks and much more.
Promotional products should reflect your brand
Your promotional merchandise should embody your brand’s identity. Substandard items will damage your brand image so only choose quality products that are well made, durable and visually appealing. Moreover, your chosen products should be capable of carrying your logo and brand colours, plus a clear message. Consider your brand credo too – for example, an environmentally-conscious brand might opt for eco-friendly products.
All our customisable products at Fast Pens are of the highest quality and include a variety of styles to suit every taste. Every item offers a generous print area and all pen products can be printed/engraved on both sides.
Set a budget for branded merchandise
It is important to set a budget and stay within it! When deciding, take into consideration item costs, minimum order quantities, as well as printing or engraving costs and delivery charges. Wherever possible, balance cost-effectiveness with quality - opting for cheap, throwaway items might save money upfront but could harm your reputation in the long run.
At Fast Pens, we impose no minimum order quantity and all prices shown on the website include your design printed or laser-engraved onto the item. Where dual sided print is required, please contact us for prices.
Evaluate branding space
Consider how much room the product offers for branding and always choose products with a prominent space for your logo that will be sufficient to avoid cluttered designs that make your brand look unprofessional. You should also have room for useful details like website URLs, slogans, or social media handles.
All our products have a generous print space, with our best-selling pen offering a digital print area of 60mm x 6mm.
Test branded promotional products before committing
Before placing a large order, request samples to check the product’s quality and durability, and to assess the item's functionality and user experience. A sample will also enable you to judge how much information the product will carry.
We understand customers appreciate being able to try before they buy and sample packs are available to customers with a company name, company email and company delivery address.
Selecting the right promotional merchandise is an art and a science. By following this checklist, you can ensure your products are impactful, memorable, and aligned with your marketing objectives. When done well, using personalised pens to advertise your business will leave a lasting impression on your audience.
How to contact Fast Pens
Online quotes are available and our sales team can always be contacted by email. Alternatively, for new customer enquiries please call 01790 729833, while existing customers should call 01790 755833.
