We participated in an oilfield show held in Corpus Christi in September. This is our first time to be involved in this kind of show, which related closely to oil field operation.

Upon returning, our engineer shared the experience with us. “Our giveaway is more popular than our software. People picked up our giveaways (PVI rulers) more than our brochures.” I could not help laugh out loudly. Maybe a little bit disappointed, but this mere fact was quite amusing.

I did not do any market research, but I suspect that it is probably true to many exhibitors that the giveaway is attractive.

We are living in a world of promotions. Every day, we are bombarded with e-mail messages full of best deals, with TV commercials, with flyers or brochures, etc. Among the different types of advertising or promotional strategies out there, one that reportedly gives you a high rate of success when it comes to it being effective is through product giveaways, especially in exhibitions.

The main reason behind the success of these giveaways is quite obvious and simple: everyone loves free stuff. People do turn their heads upon the sight of those freebies. Product giveaway has always been a popular marketing method to get people’s attention on which you can offer so that they can be interested in you products and your business.

I have been had good experiences of picking giveaways in those big shows such as OTC in Houston. Some of the promotional items were quite quaint and worth of keeping. I even took some photos of the promotional items with a wood status of my art collection (“Thinker”) and made some stories. See the pictures at the bottom.

One great thing about giveaways is that those who have heard and received your freebies will eventually pass the word of mouth to others or keep them in the office so other people can see them. You don’t have to pay a great deal of money to do the advertising. Your freebies will, hopefully, simply walk the talk for you.

Companies who always use giveaway must have done a good deal of market research on the cost and return prior to come up with the promotional items, at least the cost and returns are balanced.

I do not know what the best promotional giveaway item is for a drilling software company like us, but I certainly enjoy collecting some very eye-catching, innovative giveaways in trade shows. From the qualities of giveaways in trade show, one can even sense our industry’s wellness. As long as the oil price tends to be high, freebies are more likely to have clever designs at higher cost…