The Coolest Promotional Products for Your Business

This month, Promotional Products Association International hosted its annual Expo in Las Vegas. The event features more than 12,000 distributors of promotional products aimed at helping businesses advertise their products and services.

You’ve likely seen plenty of promotional products through the years, from logo t-shirts to pens and keychains. But the industry is adapting to offer more personalized items that you can use for corporate gifting, employee engagement, or unique visitor experiences.

Paul Bellantone, CAE, PPAI President and CEO said in an email interview with Small Business Trends, “For most, the first things that come to mind when they hear the term promotional product are generally a branded pen or keychain. However, in recent years the promotional products industry has expanded that train of thought to include a variety of new product offerings and uses.”

Coolest Promotional Products

Here are some of the most popular promotional product categories of the moment, from classic gift items to high tech assets you can use to really stand out.

Personalized Corporate Gifts

According to Bellantone, corporate gifting is one of the most popular categories for promotional products today. When creating items for specific clients, you might go beyond the basic logo goods and also include a monogram or some kind of personalization that’s specific to the recipient. This can include clothing, mugs, or basically any gifts you might buy for a client or partner.

Employee Awards

Bellantone says that employee engagement is another major area where promotional products can help. A simple award or token that is personalized to specific members of your team can let them know that their work is appreciated and help to promote engagement company-wide.

Practical Desk Accessories

Practical items are also popular, especially B2B type items that could work for both employees or business clients. Desk accessories, calendars, USB drives or briefcases fall into this category. You could also opt for industry-specific items like medical bags or first aid kits.

Trade Show Bags

If you’re giving away items at trade shows, it doesn’t get more practical than a bag. This may not be the most innovative item, but its utility is fairly timeless. People need places to carry all of their other items. And a bag also ensures that more people will see your logo as you walk around the venue.

NFC Assets

Not all promotional products need to be physical in nature. Promotional product providers are also finding ways to integrate NFC (near-field communication) technology into promotions. For example, you could design custom stickers or labels that customers can access on their devices when they’re in your store or at your trade show booth. They can then use those items on photos or social media posts to share their experience with others and spread the word about your brand.

AR Games

According to Bellantone, some providers are also finding ways to work AR (augmented reality) technology into their promotions. With this, you could create a Pokemon Go-style trade show game or allow visitors to create branded augmented images using your technology. For example, if you’re at a home goods trade show, you could use the technology to create a virtual showroom that will create the illusion they’re not at a tiny trade show booth.

This article, "The Coolest Promotional Products for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends