Stand out messaging ideas for your branded promotion

In today’s climate, trade shows and promotional events provide an unrivalled opportunity to get your brand seen by relevant audiences. Aside from building awareness, it is your chance to establish strong connections with prospective clients. However, they are highly competitive environments, which is why you must ensure that your company is supported by brand messaging that stands out from the crowd. 

Research shows that companies can see a 4:1 ROI (return on investment) for their trade show expenditures. The right choice of promotional products can go a long way to attracting foot traffic and ensuring that they leave with the intended message in mind. Here’s all you need to know.

What Matters When Building Your Brand Message At Trade Shows

Before deciding on your intended brand messaging or investing in promotional products to express it, you must first understand what makes a successful company message for the event.

Australia’s trade show industry is still growing at a rate of more than 3.1% annually. A brand message that focuses on the following ingredients will deliver the recipe for success;

• Relevance to the company’s overall brand message.
• An understanding of the audience and their pain points.
• A connection to the measurable goals that you’ve set for the event.
• Unique elements that make guests remember your brand.
• Building a deep human connection with the user.

Crucially, the brand message should be clear and unambiguous so that it can guide users towards the intended action.

Stand Out Messaging Ideas Your Audience Won’t Forget (& How To Express Them)

Trade shows and promotional events are your chance to create a lasting impression. While your brand messaging should be clear, it can help visitors leave with several opinions of the business. Here are some of the key messages to shoot for with your promotional products, along with the best ways to make it happen.

Message 1: The Business That Cares & Understands The Client

Showcasing your company’s professionalism is great, but it counts for very little if the brand fails to resonate with the audience. Therefore, using branded promotional products to show that you understand your place in the market and “get” the client should be a priority. If nothing else, it lets guests know that you actively care about providing the best service. 

Understanding brand colours and their emotional impact is a great starting point that can help you target your audience and capture their attention in the hectic trade show setting. Your pitch banners and logos can set the tone while promo products carry it on.

Promotional products can also link to your brand and what customers want from it. If you sell pet food, for example, you could offer branded pet leads to emphasise what you do and your ability to help them achieve their goal.

Alternatively, if you sell camping equipment, branded caps could be a good choice. It offers protection from the sun, making them relevant to your business while also showing that you care for the customer. Whatever it is that your business provides, knowing how to use promotional products to highlight it is vital. Trade show interactions will be more memorable.

Message 2: The Business That Provides Value

Not all customers desire cheap products, but they all want value for money. The trade show or promotion event is a great opportunity to show that your business offers it. You can do this by giving them more for their money and generally exceeding expectations.

Promotional products will gain a positive response from consumers as they create the sensation of getting more value while simultaneously making them feel valued as people. Crucially, given that (52%) of the attendees are attracted to exhibits that offer giveaways or freebies, it is an ideal way to increase your visitor numbers.

The combination of giving them something for nothing and building extra excitement around your pitch can influence the habits of consumers and B2B decision-makers alike. It might not necessarily result in sales today, but it will keep your brand fresh in their minds.

A wide range of promotional products can be used as freebies. Lapel pins, button badges, and other wearables can be particularly useful. Aside from influencing the user, they promote the brand to others. Cups, glassware, and USB flash drives are all good options When people feel that your business provides value, they will return the favour through purchases

Message 3: The Business That’s Fun & Exciting

Before you can express the core values of the brand and showcase its products, you must first get people to the trade show stand. With so many pitches for visitors to choose from, yours should give them an extra incentive. The fun factor is commonly overlooked but can make all the difference. Not least because people buy from brands that they like.

Branded promotional products like hacky sacks or retro toys like slinkies can work very well. They’ll attract children while also bringing a novelty factor that adults can enjoy. Visiting trade shows can be quite hectic, so this relaxed atmosphere will make your pitch more memorable.

It also puts people at ease, which makes it easier to transition into talks about the products you sell. Another top trick is to introduce some type of competition to your pitch. For example, using a ring toss game to see if they can unlock a discount may work wonders. It doesn’t even have to be linked to the brand or theme of the trade show stall.

You can make this more memorable by using branded mini ring toss games as promo gifts. It is shown that 9 out of 10 consumers prefer fun and funny brands. The relaxed face-to-face interactions are an ideal opportunity to show this. And promo products get the ball rolling

Message 4: The Business That Is Responsible

As already touched upon, consumers and B2B clients aren’t only concerned about the products. They want to associate themselves with brands that they can relate to. Showing that your brand is a responsible company is highly advised, particularly as 69% now consider sustainability either “often” or “always”.

B2B buyers will be particularly responsive to this as associating themselves with sustainable brands reflects very well on them. However, consumers looking to do their bit for society will also look more favourably on a brand that shows their responsible approach.

When building your trade show pitch, you can show responsibility by reducing waste and using sustainable materials. There may also be opportunities to educate audiences about the steps you take during the talks you give. Smarter energy choices also aid your efforts.

As for promotional products, a focus on eco-friendly products like bamboo wireless chargers and pens shows your commitment to going the extra mile. Each time a person subsequently uses the item, they’ll remember the brand’s ethos. Banners and displays that use sustainable materials should separate your business from those that talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.

Message 5: The Business That Is Practical

With the way that the economy currently stands, most people are more conscious of their buying decisions. As such, practicality and function have largely overtaken luxury. Your trade show pitch and its associated branded goods can feed perfectly into this.

Products like drinkware and t-shirts are great options due to their frequent use. The branding serves as a regular reminder of your brand and the day itself. Meanwhile, stationery and office supplies are popular for similar reasons. USBs and other items that guests will actively utilise can all be considered too.

When combined with a practical layout for your trade show pitch, visitors will receive the message loud and clear. In turn, they can form a better opinion of the brand and what it has to offer its followers. For both B2B and B2C brands, this is a fantastic outcome as it is likely to fit perfectly with the overall brand message and company mission statement.

The fact that 81% of trade show attendees have buying authority means you have a fantastic chance to convert sales or put people on the sales funnel. When a brand message is one of practicality, the chances of doing this increase. And it can boost your data capture too.

Message 6: The Business That Can Be Trusted

The value of trust in business has never been greater and a 4% slump in recent times shows that companies now have a great opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. In a world where face-to-face interactions are often limited, trade shows and similar events offer the perfect solution. It starts with your body language and communication, but products help.

Branded promotional products can build trust in the brand in several ways. Opting for premium quality promo gifts will see users associate your brand with high quality. So, they will be more likely to place an order. Especially if they’ve seen the product at the trade event.

Promotional goods can also extend to medical products, which are still highly appreciated in the post-COVID era. Aside from choosing the right products, you must also consider the messaging displayed on them. A motto or slogan that is directly linked to your trustworthiness can have a positive impact. This could include quotes or stats 

Trust can also be achieved by making your brand feel more accessible to consumers or B2B clients. So, including business cards or having promotional products that include direct contact details can take the impact to another level.

The Final Word

A successful trade show pitch or promotional event requires a lot of careful planning, and your brand messaging should provide the platform to build your strategy.

If you truly want your brand to stand out from the crowd, though, it’s vital that your promotional products boast the necessary quality to set a professional atmosphere. For all your branded materials, supported by free design services, contact us today.