If you’ve ever exhibited at a trade show, you’ll probably know this feeling: You’ve invested a chunk of budget, spent hours planning, sorted travel, designed banners, ordered literature, organised your team and now you’re standing on your beautiful stand watching people walk past with bags full of competitors’ freebies or giveaways the same as yours.
Events are brilliant opportunities, but also hard work. And when you’re putting that much time and money into being there, every element has to earn its place, including your branded merchandise.
Merchandise is more than “something to hand out” or a box that needs ticking. Used intentionally, it becomes of the most effective sales and marketing tools at your event. It can help you:
- Attract the right people
- Start meaningful conversations
- Qualify leads quickly
- Strengthen your follow-up
- Create long-lasting brand recall
This guide explains exactly how to do that using a simple, proven approach.
James explains how low-cost items help you qualify leads, and how higher-value gifts create more effective post-event follow-up moments.
Why Merchandise Should Be Part of Your Event Strategy
Physical products create small but valuable moments – a reason for someone to stop, a way to open a conversation or a reminder that stays with a prospect long after the exhibition ends.
When merchandise is chosen and used intentionally (rather than as an afterthought or a last-minute add-on), engagement improves, lead quality increases and follow-up becomes significantly more productive.
As we explored in our event merchandising tips blog, branded giveaways work best when they support your wider event objectives, not when they sit on the corner of your stand waiting to be taken by trophy hunters.
This is where a tiered approach makes all the difference.
A Three-Stage Approach to Smarter Event Merchandise
The most effective event merchandise strategy works before, during and after the exhibition. Having 3 levels of merchandise is a tactic we have championed for many years to our customers, and it continues to deliver great results today.
1. BEFORE THE EVENT: Set Objectives & Choose Your Product Mix
Before choosing any products, get clear on why you’re attending the event:
- Generating new leads?
- Meeting existing customers?
- Launching a new product?
- Promoting a specific service?
- Setting appointments or demos?
- Increasing brand visibility?
Once you understand your goals, selecting the right merchandise becomes far easier and more strategic.
Could this help? How to Choose Branded Products: Our 3 Step Shortlist
2. DURING THE EVENT: Use Merchandise to Qualify Visitors
Level 1: Low-Cost Items (your conversation starters)
This type of event merchandise help break the ice and quickly identify whether someone is a potential customer.
Examples:
- Pens
- Lip balms
- Keyrings
- Mints or sweets
- Air fresheners
A simple interaction, supported by a small giveaway helps your team ask: “Is this visitor genuinely relevant to us?”
If yes: move them forward. If no: you’ve still had a positive, low-cost interaction.
Quick Tip: Keep these items inside the stand. This prevents “grab-and-go” behaviour and encourages actual conversations.
Level 2: Medium-Value Items (your engagement boosters)
These items are ideal for visitors who spend time exploring your offering.
Examples:
- Mugs
- Power banks
- Executive pens
- Smartphone stands
- Travel cups
- USB drives
This works brilliantly when your team frames it naturally: “We’re giving one of these to anyone who spends five minutes with us on the stand today.”
It helps people feel valued while buying your team more time to understand a visitor’s needs. This aligns perfectly with our event planning checklist, which emphasises structured, purposeful on-stand engagement.
3. AFTER THE EVENT: Strengthen Follow-Up With Premium Gifts
This stage is one many businesses overlook, but it can be the most valuable.
Level 3: High-Value Items (your follow-up power tools)
These corporate gifts shouldn’t even be brought to the stand in bulk. They’re reserved for:
- Hot leads
- Follow-up calls
- Proposals
- Post-event “thank yous”
- New partnerships
- Long-term relationships
Examples include:
- Premium umbrellas
- Laptop bags
- Leather folders
- High-quality, UK-made notebooks
- Embroidered apparel
- Higher-end tech items
As James explains in the video:
“A high-value item used after the event leaves a lasting impression — and supports the sales team as they follow up.”
Thoughtful, premium gifts help your brand stand out long after the event ends.
Explore Luxury Corporate Gift Ideas.
How Many Items Do You Actually Need?
It’s sometimes hard to know just how many branded items you need to order. Planning quantities based on ratios, rather than fixed numbers, gives you flexibility for any event size.
A reliable ratio is:
70% – Level 1 items: Your low-cost conversation starters (pens, lip balm, sweets, keyrings). These are the items you’ll use most, helping you qualify visitors quickly.
25% – Level 2 items: Your medium-value engagement boosters (mugs, tech accessories, smartphone stands). Used for prospects who spend time on the stand.
5% – Level 3 items: Your high-value follow-up gifts (umbrellas, premium notebooks, bags). Reserved for hot leads and post-event follow-up.
Example (for illustration):
If you took 1,000 total items:
- 700 would be Level 1
- 250 would be Level 2
- 50 would be Level 3
This ratio ensures you have the right type of merchandise for every stage of the visitor interaction, without over-spending or running out too soon.
What Makes Event Merchandise Truly Effective?
From years of supporting clients at exhibitions, we’ve noticed that the best-performing merchandise is always:
✔ Practical
✔ Relevant
✔ Good quality
✔ Aligned with your brand
✔ Easy to carry
✔ Simple in design (not overloaded with text)
✔ Connected to a clear call-to-action (QR codes, links, contact details)
If sustainability is important to your organisation, or your clients, consider exploring UK-made, recyclable or eco-certified products. Our recent guide on avoiding greenwashing explains how to choose items that genuinely match your environmental goals.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Giving out premium items too freely
❌ Running out of giveaways on day one
❌ Choosing products based on personal preference
❌ Overloading artwork with information or too-busy designs
❌ Not planning the follow-up process
Avoid these, and your merchandise will instantly work harder for you.
FAQs
What’s the best merchandise to take to an exhibition?
The best merchandise to take to an exhibition is anything that is genuinely useful and easy for visitors to carry. Practical items such as pens, mints, lip balms, tote bags and simple tech accessories tend to create quick engagement and long-lasting brand recall.
How much merchandise should we take?
The amount of merchandise you should take depends on expected footfall, but a 70/25/5 ratio is a simple and effective guide: 70% low-cost items, 25% medium-value items and 5% premium follow-up gifts. This ensures you have the right item at each stage of the visitor journey.
How do we stop people taking freebies and walking away?
The best way to stop people taking freebies and walking away is to keep your merchandise inside the stand rather than on the outer edges. This encourages people to step onto the stand and speak with your team. Use low-cost items to start conversations, and reserve higher-value gifts for visitors who show genuine interest.
Are premium gifts worth it?
Premium gifts are absolutely worth using, but they are most effective when saved for post-event follow-up rather than being handed out on the stand. High-value items such as umbrellas, quality notebooks or laptop bags help reinforce your message, support proposals and create memorable touchpoints with warm leads.
How do we choose the right items for our brand?
Choosing the right merchandise for your brand starts by understanding your event goals and your audience’s needs. Focus on items that are practical, aligned with your brand values, good quality and appropriate for the type of event. If sustainability matters to your organisation, consider eco-friendly or UK-made options to reinforce that message.
Final Thoughts: Merchandise Is More Than a Giveaway
Smart event merchandise is about strategy, not freebies. When you use products deliberately – before, during and after the event, they become powerful tools for:
- Qualifying leads
- Improving engagement
- Strengthening follow-up
- Helping you win more business
Done well, merchandise stops being an expense and becomes an investment that supports your wider event and marketing objectives. You can read more about Why you should use Branded Merchandise here.
Need guidance choosing merchandise for your next event?
Our team can help you select the right products, plan quantities and develop a strategy that supports your goals.
Get in touch for expert advice and tailored recommendations.
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