[boostindoubles]

I've been the owner of a small business for almost a year now. People always love getting swag. I see everyone slapping brands on all sorts of crap and handing them out.

I like my YETI mug and have a pile of knives from contractors and vendors. I like bic lighters also.

My customers want stuff from me too but I don't move on it quickly sometimes.

I've got a couple logos I designed and am planning on a run of hi vis class 3 sweatshirts and t-shirts.

I've started going through all my shirts looking for the brands that I think wear the best. I think I'm going to buy a run of shirts and pull over sweat shirts and have them screen printed locally.

Besides shirts what is some of the best swag you've come across?

 

[Nick]

I recently got a collapsible tote for the back of the car that sits flat and holds shit (groceries, etc) and also a very nicely equipped first aid kit.

 

[jimmydean]

I'm a sucker for shirts and hoodies, but not much else. I finally ran out of my RMSS shirts (I think I have a couple stashed), those were epic.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Getting consumers to pay you to advertise your product is the American way.

 

[gonefirefightin]

well whats the business and your customer demographics, lets start there.

 

[canadmos]

Stickers and quality magnets?

 

[stevew]

something you can hide your weed in

 

[boostindoubles]

well whats the business and your customer demographics, lets start there.

Industrial refrigeration - UV light based device that detects ammonia vapor.

Customer base is refrigeration operators and company owners.

 

[gonefirefightin]

Industrial refrigeration - UV light based device that detects ammonia vapor.

Customer base is refrigeration operators and company owners.

View attachment 225287

In that case I would do the three levels of pricepoint

I always did branded swag on three levels, cheap big wall calendars were what I considered my business card for the year on the wall in all possible customers' shops or offices. when they use it all the time your brand gets engrained.

The middle-level swag is an inexpensive but useful device, in your industry, I could see it being branded flashlights, tape measures, infrared thermometers, etc. I always gave these types of swag to all the paying clients no matter the price of the contract or invoice.

The third level of swag is something I would always send during the holidays as a thanks and would be something to reflect the year of patronage. These can range from branded multi-tools/pocket knives, compact tool sets etc. Considering about every town has a laser engraving service its all pretty easy to get just about anything branded nowadays.

I am sure you have some better ideas of the useful things that your customers would carry and use, but you get the idea.

 

[OGRipper]

GFF has good ideas. As someone who gets shwag often, I'd say useful shit with minimal obnoxious branding so it has a better-than-average chance of staying out of the landfill. I find that shirts and hoodies rarely fit right so they usually end up in the donation pile. Things that are one-size-fits-all might be better.

What's a refrigeration professional need on the daily? We talkin' like walk-ins and refrigerated rooms? Instant read thermometers?Gloves, beanies, warm socks?

Also pint glasses (glass or stainless). Pretty much any sort of cup or mug but sure, Yeti if you want to spring for it. Cooler bags. Corkscrews (preferably with a knife blade). Multi-tools.

 

[jonKranked]

i got a yeti coffee tumbler for a project i worked on a few years back. it has the brand name on of the product on it, which is funny when you consider its a special polymer cage you pack aspirated bone marrow into, then implant back into the patient the bone marrow was harvested from.

 

[Pesqueeb]

I love stickers, and pint glasses are always a favorite. I like T-shirts too, still have your hops shirt, but what others have said about sizing is fair and at least for me context is definitely important. I've gotten dozens of shirts from the airline/faa and I'll be damned if I ever wore one.


But if you had a branded bong, I'd definitely want one.

 

[Montana rider]

I love stickers, and pint glasses...


But if you had a branded bong, I'd definitely want one.

Porque no los dos

 

[Pesqueeb]

Porque no los dos

View attachment 225293

 

[Westy]

Be memorable

 

[boostindoubles]

I could see small pocket knives, pocket screw drivers, those key chain spinny AC testers too. OR used to make a single layer beanie that was better than anything but it was discontinued years ago.

Operators and contractors are required to wear hi vis stuff in lots of facilities and should wear it everywhere. Is it trendy to wear class 3 yet?

Swoopy Bois Orange Hi Vis Hoodie

Compliant, comfy, and conversation starting. The Swoopy Bois Orange Hi Vis Hoodie is the perfect combination of safety and warmth, designed with love here at TradeMutt. The Swoopy Bois Orange Hi Vis Hoodie is cut for a neat fit.

trademutt.com

 

[boostindoubles]

Be memorable

View attachment 225297

Do you stick that in the freezer and stir drinks with it?

 

[Westy]

Do you stick that in the freezer and stir drinks with it?

You could...


I wouldn't.

 

[sunringlerider]

I hand out a lot of swag. We have nice dry fit t shirts, pull overs, vests, coats of varying thickness, lots and lots of hats, seed depth gauges, tumblers, ceramic coffee cups probably forgetting something but farmers love hand outs.

I think a his and hers fleshlight and suction cup dildo would be memorable set.

 

[MonkeyGut]

How about a pocket come along?

 

[Westy]

I think a his and hers fleshlight and suction cup dildo would be memorable set.

Don't presume traditional relationship structure. Butt plugs are gender neutral.

 

[jstuhlman]

dude whoever made the hollingberry hops tshirt i got for rmss...that shit has lasted and the logo stayed on. my rm t shirt from a few years back lost the logo after some washes and wear...

otherwise, yeah, tumblers, coffee mugs, small edc...shit people actually use

 

[boostindoubles]

Promotional Dream Girls (Topless) Calendar | Everything Promo

Get more people to know about your brand with this Dream Girls (topless) calendar! It goes up to 12 months and features provocative photos of topless women. The...

www.everythingpromo.com

You guy reminded me about my favorite swag calendars growing up around the trades and mechanics.

 

[Jm_]

Your own energy drink. With questionable non-regulated chemicals.

 

[stoney]

I have collections of mid- to low-grade tools with corporate branding, that I don't use, because it's low quality stuff. Same with marketing materials "stuff". I have no idea who gave me those things at this point, unless I dig through a drawer or cabinet to go find it.

What I do know and remember are the higher quality things, that I will use regularly - and USE regularly is important.
- Yeti can cooler from a local real estate agent - not branded, but would still use if branded
- four or five Corksicle wine cups from three different real estate firms Wifey works with - branded
- A NorthFace light pack from a local financial firm - branded
- An Igloo cooler bag from another financial firm - branded
- A real Leatherman from a local plumber that I referred somebody to - not branded, but would still use if branded

There are more, but those are the ones which we use the most.

I will send clients branded items, but branded items that are cheap (<$15) are usually junk and get disposed of because the branding cost $5 of the cost. When I still saw people in-person, I had heavy, branded, metal pens that cost about $4 each. I would regularly see those as primary pens on people's desks afterwards, because a nice, heavy pen is preferable for a lot of people. Otherwise, if I'm providing branded materials, it will be for decision makers and I will spend upwards of $35-50 for the item.

 

[sunringlerider]

Don't presume traditional relationship structure. Butt plugs are gender neutral.

You are correct. We all have holes. So a butt plug and dildo set.

 

[jonKranked]

have you considered giving out meth?

 

[Rockland]

have you considered giving out meth?

Too commonplace. Hows about branded logo blotter?

 

[Westy]

Too commonplace. Hows about branded logo blotter?

Business cards with score lines

 

[Rockland]

Business cards with score lines

Sky's the limit here

 

[DaveW]

Been a few goodies over the years, the Orbea puffer jacket is one of my faves.
But there's a few breweries when I still get free beer on site, or bellow wholesale price beer to take away, if I happen to stick my head thru the door to say hi.

 

[jonKranked]

silipint glass

 

[6thElement]

Nothing that's just landfill fodder. The suggestion for blotter from @Rockland is a good one. Even if they just get used for the household grocery shopping list, that gets your name in their face.

 

[boostindoubles]

We're trying to hand out experiences, not junk that will be thrown away.

Small screw drivers are excellent at poking holes in apples.

 

[jonKranked]

We're trying to hand out experiences, not junk that will be thrown away.

Small screw drivers are excellent at poking holes in apples.

Mescaline is quite the experience from what I hear

 

[Rockland]

Joking aside. I've got alot of junk swag over the years (metal working industry). Much of it is trash bound. Even the items that seem meaningful flashlights / pocket knives are wasted $, because people already have them, and usually are quite particular.

The things I've kept around are simpler, but useful that often get lost. Small pocket rules, metal thickness gauges, fishtail gauges, ect.

Something that ties into an aspect of what you sell. Keychain thermometer..

 

[Westy]

silipint glass

Silicone has its applications, but seems silly to make a chunk of synthetics that will end up in a landfill forever and probably full of toxins when a basic chunk of glass/ceramic/metal will do the same thing.

 

[jonKranked]

Silicone has its applications, but seems silly to make a chunk of synthetics that will end up in a landfill forever and probably full of toxins when a basic chunk of glass/ceramic/metal will do the same thing.

i've picked up a few silipint for use in the hot tub and around the pool to avoid the potential for broken glass.

 

[Da Peach]

I went nuts for my project team a couple of years ago:

Nice Helly Hansen Odin poof jackets with small branding on the sleeve. Paired with an Outdoor Research lightweight Goretex Active shell with similar branding logo on the chest.

Crews got waterproof insulated Carhartt jackets with the same logos.

The food truck safety lunches were getting old so spruced things up a little.

Got everyone a Leatherman Wave at Christmas break too… I wrapped them all myself!

(and this was not in place of a bonus)

gosh I’m great..:

 

[HardtailHack]

Business card and decent service.
I hate swag, here it's always far east $2 junk.

Our work got some branded drink bottles that stank like a chemical factory so I threw some straight in to the recycling bin and told customers to just throw them out because they smelled like poison.

I guess I'd be pretty stoked with some small mouth 1L Nalgene bottles, but not much else, I hate throwing out unused things.

EDIT- This mob does American made Stainless drink bottles but I couldn't find anyone outside China that did insulated bottles-

LIBERTY ORIGINALS

NEW, IMPROVED DESIGN • SCREW OFF CAP AND A WIDER MOUTH FOR ICECUBES

libertybottles.com

I don't want one coz I'm not that soft but I was interested to see if anywhere else in the world was still able to make something as fancy as a vacuum drink bottle.

Double Edit, this is a swag, so I was expecting suggestions for swags big enough to make babies in.