The 5 Most Useful and Cost-Effective Gifts to Give Away at Your Next Event

Everyone loves free stuff. People would do some insane things for them, and that’s exactly why big companies love giving away their products for free. They understand the potential ROI that giveaways can bring. After all, brand recognition is the difference between a company that thrives and one that merely survives.

Don’t think you can compete with the big guys because of your tiny budget?  No problem. Giveaways are all about choosing the right products that promote your business and provide value to consumers at the same time. If you’re stuck on ideas, here are five of the most useful and cost-effective gifts to give away at your next event.


1) Custom T-shirts

Wanna hear of a genius marketing move that’ll get your brand out there with minimal cost and effort? Custom t-shirts. Seriously, people (especially men) love free shirts. And who wouldn’t?
T-shirts let your customers do the marketing for you. It’s quite simple: The more t-shirts you give out, the more people will wear them, leading to more interest in your business and more opportunities for you.

2) Tongue Scrapers

If there’s one common theme in almost every event out there, it’s food. And too often, it’s smelly food. Sure, those onion fries and garlic bread might smell amazing, but what’s not amazing is garlic breath. 

Thank goodness for tongue scrapers. They’re small enough to fit inside your pocket and work fast so that users can run to the restroom, scrape their tongue, and return to your event in no time with fresh breath. The best part? They’re only $1. So save your event from the embarrassment of being known as “the dragon breath event,” and give away some tongue scrapers. 

3) Portable Phone Chargers

The average American checks his/her smartphone up to 80 times a day. 80 times. We use them for everything – directions, fitness, social media, photos, job search...and even sex. 

What this means is that just about everyone needs a recharge or two throughout the day. Take advantage of this opportunity to create brand awareness by giving away promotional portable phone chargers. This gift combines form, function, and convenience – and your customers will love you for them. 

4) Custom Calendar

People might be using their smartphones more, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy crossing off days until a wedding anniversary or a tropical vacation. Calendars occupy important parts in homes and offices, and much like portable phone chargers, they are great functional gifts that will keep your brand visible all 365 days of the year. 

5) Reusable Totes

Want to promote your brand long-term and feel good about going green at the same time? Branded reusable totes are just the eco-friendly swag you’ll want to give away at your next event. Not only can they be carried just about anywhere and last for years, they send a message to your consumers that you care about the environment. 

Giveaway items at your event can be great marketing tools that will generate business leads and help attendees remember your company long after the show. Picking the right items can be challenging especially when you’re on a budget, but by focusing on a combination of brand promotion, functionality, and convenience, you’ll be sure to wow your attendees and run a successful event. 

5 Things You Might Forget to Pack When You Travel (... Don't)

Packing for a trip is always a huge ordeal – just how are you supposed to fit your entire wardrobe, 5 pairs of shoes, 10 books, an ultra-fancy first-aid kit for every potential emergency situation, a laptop, a tablet, and extra batteries for your cellphone in that tiny suitcase?

While there’s no blog post or YouTube video with a perfect list of things you’ll absolutely positively need when you travel, here’s a list of 5 things you should pack first:

1) Passport

This is a no-brainer if you’re traveling out of the country, but carrying a passport is something you should consider even when you’re traveling domestically. You would never want to be stuck without a passport in the event that you need to take an impromptu trip out of the country, and it can also serve as a second form of identification if your first form is ever lost or stolen.

A word of precaution: Never carry your passport in the same pocket as your cellphone and wallet. Keep it in an inside pocket or in a bag that you can keep in front of you at all times.

2) Wet Wipes

Let’s face it -- flying is dirty business. Between the deep-cleanings that occur every month (or two), planes can become germ fests. With hundreds of people moving in and out of the confined spaces of a plane, you’ll most likely end up sitting in someone’s germs. Yuck. Take some wet wipes in your carry-on bag and make sure to wipe down your seat, your armrest, and definitely your tray table. 

3) Tongue Scraper

Traveling can expose your body to all sorts of new bacteria and toxins in the environment, drinks, and food. But before you go ahead and buy yourself a human-sized inflatable bubble on Amazon, there is an easier and cheaper way to help your body stay healthy: tongue scraping. 

Regular tongue scraping can help your body cleanse itself of toxins, stimulate your internal organs, and clean your taste buds to enhance your sense of taste. After all, there’s no fun in travel if you can’t enjoy all the delicious food, right?

4) Jacket

Even if you think you’re traveling to a warm location, a waterproof, windproof jacket is an item you’ll always want to include in your suitcase. Hot days can quickly become frigid nights, so you don’t want to be caught without a jacket to keep you dry and warm.

5) Condoms

Yup, you read that right. Condoms. They’re an often overlooked travel essential, but you’d be surprised at how hard it is to obtain condoms in some parts of the world. So be safe and always have a few condoms available because sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. 

Packing for a trip doesn’t have to be an anxiety-inducing experience. If you find that you under-packed for this trip, keep a list of those items on your computer so you won’t forget them next time. Have fun and stay safe!