Event marketers have gone through a lot over the past couple of years. For starters, they had to adapt to a whole new online environment when live events were shut down. Learning how to keep their attendees engaged even from afar was no easy task, but industry experts succeeded anyway. However, now, marketers have to face a new challenge: the hybrid event.
While in-person events are slowly returning, some virtual components are here to stay. In fact, many conferences now have both physical and virtual attendees. As a result, event marketers have to come up with engaging ways to entice attendees without neglecting a single soul.
To help you overcome this new set of challenges, we’ve created a list of some of the best branded promotional products for hybrid events. These gifts will captivate your attendees, whether they are in-person or remote. And best of all, they’ll also spread your message, effectively increasing your brand awareness. But first, let’s learn more about the difficulties that come with trying to cater to both types of audiences.
The Challenge of Catering to Both Audiences
The biggest challenge with hybrid events is finding a way to connect both audiences. When it comes to in-person events, engagement is easy enough to achieve through regular human interactions. In contrast, online attendees require a different approach which often involves fun activities and interactive presentations. But how can you do all of that at the same time?
Promotional conference giveaways can help as long as they are used accordingly. For instance, sometimes you’ll want to give away similar, if not identical, branded products to each group in order to bring them together. In other cases, you’ll want to select different gifts to make each side feel appreciated.
Giveaway Ideas for In-Person Audiences
Hybrid event attendees that are physically present are most likely excited to be out and about, networking and travelling with their peers. Therefore, when choosing a gift for this audience, think of products that will make their experience easier and more enjoyable.
Here are some interesting ideas that will impress your in-person audience:
Branded Bags and Backpacks
It goes without saying that in-person attendees will need something to carry all their stuff. Regardless of whether they are travelling by car or plane, a branded bag or custom backpacks can help visitors stay organised with all the goodies they’ll receive during the event. Not only that, but these branded items will also generate exposure after the event when people use them in public.
When shopping for promotional bags or backpacks, it’s important to consider how they will look when branded with your design. Try to choose items you can add a full-colour custom design, as that will definitely make your merch stand out. The goal of your promotional items is to attract nearby guests to your venue.
However, you should avoid cheap products at all costs. Keep in mind that they will represent your brand during and after the event, so you don’t want to showcase your company in a negative light.
Printed Health and Wellbeing Products
In normal circumstances, we would advise you to stay away from PPE products, as they can bring back memories of the pandemic. However, people will still try to avoid germs, especially during crowded in-person events. You can take advantage of that by giving away health products that your audience can use at the event. Try to avoid disposable items like face masks, as they will most likely be thrown away after one or two uses. Hence, you should stick to more practical products such as antibacterial pens, anti-microbial mugs, and antibac drinking bottles.
Branded Travel Items
In-person attendees have to travel between their homes and the venue. So, why not make their trip more enjoyable with some branded gifts? Don’t rely on just custom travel bags and luggages; try to find products that will make the experience memorable.
Most marketing experts recommend stylish items like toiletry bags for travel, which your audience can use to pack their essentials. Or maybe a cocktail kit that can be used on the plane or during networking cocktail hours. And if you truly want to make your audience’s trip much more comfortable, then a branded blanket or personalised travel sets which includes sleep masks, neck pillows, earplugs, and travel socks is the way to go. Just remember to customise them with your company’s name, logo or other unique design to increase your brand awareness.
Giveaway Ideas for Remote Audiences
As previously mentioned, engaging your remote audience during hybrid events can be a challenge. That’s because your main mission will be to make them feel included. Swag items that promote networking and virtual experiences can help bring together your remote attendees.
Furthermore, you should pick items that won’t distract your audience too much. Don’t forget that watching an online event from home can already be pretty distracting. So choose promotional products that will help your attendees focus on the main event along with your brand.
But if you are not sure which product to choose, take a look at these ideas:
Branded Tech Items
The number of people that are switching between a home office and an in-person workspace is constantly increasing. These employees are always on the run and can sometimes find themselves without the right printed tech items at the right time. So, why not help them stay connected by gifting custom headphones, personalised power banks and other tech gadgets?
Branded Apparel Products
When people watch sports on television, they often like to wear a custom T-shirt or branded hat that displays their favourite team. Not only does that make them feel immersed in the experience, but it’s a way of being part of the crowd, even while at home. Printed clothing have the power to make people feel involved in social events, so make the most out of them.
Fortunately, there are a lot of branded apparel products that you can rely on. However, similar to backpacks, you should choose items with large customisation options. That way, you’ll allow virtual attendees to show off while also making your brand more noticeable. Even though branded swag can entice any type of attendee, including those who are physically present at the event, it is extremely effective at making virtual audiences feel included.
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Products That Encourage Virtual Experiences
Finally, marketing events are all about providing attendees with unique experiences, regardless of their location. Unfortunately, virtual audiences will miss out on in-person networking opportunities. However, you can make up for that by using gifts that encourage virtual engagement and remote connections.
You can tie these gifts to fun social activities like a cocktail hour or coffee break. Or, you could organise events that are exclusive to remote attendees, which can include virtual cooking sessions or even ice cream parties. Branded items like BBQ sets can blend perfectly with breakout sessions and make the experience more fun without losing sight of the event itself.
Giveaway Ideas for Both Types of Audiences
Sometimes, you might want to choose a gift that works for both remote and in-person audiences in order to make them feel related to each other. For instance, you could send out a swag box before the event, which includes items that can be used during and after the presentation. Or, if you want to promote a healthy lifestyle, some in-between conference snacks are always a great idea.
Event Swag Boxes
Conference swag boxes can help you incorporate other brands that sponsor your event while keeping your company’s name at the forefront. Additionally, by relying on your sponsors, you can reduce the expense of putting together the box yourself. Start by asking each of your sponsors to pick a product and bundle them into an elegant package. And since sponsors always love to showcase their brand, you can expect to receive some interesting and attractive swag.
These boxes will help remote attendees receive the booth items that they would miss out on by not being physically present. Your in-person audience will also be amazed by your pre-event gift, which will generate even more excitement and buzz about the event itself.
Healthy Snacks
No matter if your audience is remote or in-person, promotional healthy snacks are essential. Far too often, people who attend events forget to pack their lunch and are too busy networking to grab something to eat. And while some booths offer food, it is rarely a healthy menu. It’s time to make your booth stand out by bringing healthy snacks that in-person audiences can enjoy.
But don’t worry, your remote attendees can also participate thanks to the event swag boxes that were previously mentioned. Just remember to include a snack break in your agenda, so your virtual audience can interact with others while munching on their nutritious snacks.
Sustainable Promotional Items
It comes as no surprise that everybody loves eco friendly branded merchandise, whether they are attending the event physically or online. By sending some custom sustainable products, you show your audience that you care about more than just your products. It’s important to note that today’s customers want to align with companies that support bigger causes, such as the environment. We recommend promotional items like eco friendly bags, recyclable pens and even eco friendly sweet boxes.
Using Branded Items to Connect Your Audiences
At the end of the day, while coming up with effective giveaways for both audiences can seem like a daunting task, the rewards are definitely worth it. By being careful with your gift-giving strategy, you will create a memorable experience that both in-person and remote attendees can share. And as a result, they will spread the word about your brand and what it offers for months or even years on end. So, don’t neglect the marketing power of giveaways; get inspired by our recommendations and use them to level up your event.
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If you have any more questions about personalised merchandise, you can contact GoPromotional. You may call us at 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today. We have been in the business for years and know the ins and outs of the industry better than anyone. Give us a call, and let’s talk about all things kitchenware!
