By 4 p.m. on the second day, the bowl on your booth table is empty. You gave away 400 pens. Tomorrow you'll be back at your desk, and you won't be able to name one person who took one.
The short answer. Split the budget. Put something cheap in the bowl for foot traffic, and spend real money only on the people you actually talked to. The giveaway people keep is a useful everyday item, like a tumbler or bottle. It works best engraved with their name and sent the week after the show.
By Chen Deng, founder, LAMOSE, Calgary, Alberta
What the research says people keep
The largest study on this is ASI's Ad Impressions Study, which surveyed nearly 5,000 consumers in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe. The 2026 edition found:
- 78% of people keep a promotional product because it is useful. Not because it's clever, and not because of the logo.
- For branded tumblers, mugs and bottles, 87% said they'd keep one for its usefulness. More than three-quarters said they'd use it at least weekly and keep it for at least a year.
- That works out to about 1,300 lifetime brand impressions for a single piece, one of the highest counts for anything that isn't clothing.
So the question isn't "what's cheap enough to hand out." It's "what will they use on a Tuesday in March?"
The two jobs a giveaway does
Most booths ask one item to do two different jobs. That's why most booth budgets get wasted.
Job one is stopping people. Someone walking the aisle needs a reason to slow down. Mints, stickers and pens do this fine. They cost little, and nobody expects them to last. Don't overspend here.
Job two is being remembered. The person you spent ten minutes with, who has a real project and a real budget, needs to think of you in six weeks when they're ready. A pen can't do that. Neither can a tumbler handed to 400 strangers, because it ends up in hotel rooms and airport security bins.
Our view: job two deserves most of the budget, spent on far fewer people.
Trade show giveaways, compared
| Giveaway | Job it does | Who should get it | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mints, stickers, pens | Stops foot traffic | Everyone | Nobody remembers where they got them |
| Tote bag | Stops traffic, carries everyone else's giveaways | Everyone, at large shows | Most attendees already have five |
| Power bank, charging cable | Useful on the show floor | Qualified visitors | A cheap one that fails reflects on you |
| Logo tumbler handed out at the booth | Kept and used | Qualified visitors | Heavy to carry home. Some get left behind |
| Tumbler engraved with their name, sent after the show | Kept, used and tied to a conversation | The people you'd follow up with anyway | You need their mailing address, and a week of lead time |
Why send it after the show
The week after a show, every attendee's inbox fills with "great to meet you" emails. They all look the same.
A box on their desk with their own name engraved on a tumbler does not look the same. It arrives when they're back in their routine, not when they're juggling a lanyard and three tote bags. It also gives your sales follow-up a reason to exist: "Did the tumbler arrive?" is an easier first line than "Just checking in."
It's also cheaper per real lead. You're buying 40 pieces for 40 conversations, not 400 for anyone who walked past.
How to run it
- Decide your number before the show. How many conversations would you actually follow up on? Be honest. It's usually far fewer than your badge scans.
- Collect the name as it should be engraved. Badge scans get you an email. Ask for the spelling they actually use. "Kate," not "Katherine."
- Send the list the Monday after. We make a free digital proof before anything is engraved. Production is 1–3 business days once the proof is approved, then it ships.
- Follow up when it lands. One short email, one sentence about what you discussed.
What it costs
With real prices from our shop, before bulk pricing (which starts at 12 pieces):
| Piece | Price each | 40 qualified leads |
|---|---|---|
| Peyto 12 oz tumbler, sliding lid | $27 | $1,080 |
| Grouse 16 oz tumbler, flip lid, 6h hot / 12h cold | $35 | $1,400 |
Engraving is included, whether it's your logo, their name or both. Shipping to individual addresses is quoted with the order.
Get it priced
There's no minimum order, and bulk pricing starts at 12 pieces, all engraved in our Calgary workshop. Send us your lead count and show date, and we'll send back a proof and a price. Get a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best trade show giveaways?
Useful everyday items people keep, such as tumblers, bottles and quality chargers. ASI's 2026 study found 78% of people keep promotional products because they're useful. Save the cheap items for foot traffic and spend on the visitors you'd actually follow up with.
What are some inexpensive trade show giveaways?
Mints, stickers and pens are the cheapest ways to stop people at your booth. They do that job well. Don't expect them to be remembered, and don't spend your main budget on them.
How many giveaways should I bring to a trade show?
Two numbers. Enough cheap items for the expected foot traffic, and one good item for each conversation you'd follow up on. That second number is usually far smaller than your badge-scan count.
How long do people keep promotional tumblers?
In ASI's 2026 Ad Impressions Study, more than three-quarters of people said they'd use a promotional tumbler, mug or bottle at least weekly and keep it for at least a year. That's about 1,300 brand impressions per piece.
Is there a minimum order for custom trade show giveaways?
At LAMOSE, no. The minimum order is one piece, bulk pricing starts at 12, and production takes 1–3 business days after you approve a free digital proof.
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