How much swag do I give out at a conference?

By Samantha O'Rourke

If you’re wondering how many items should go in your swag bag, consider your marketing goals—and by extension, how your swag might support those goals. The best promotional swag for general brand awareness will usually be small items that provide practical daily use, but you might consider more valuable items for giveaways and special events. Regardless of what you decide to bring, it’s less about how much you give to people and more about making a strong connection to remember you by.

What do people give out at conferences that can make a lasting memory for attendees? As it turns out, there are a lot of options—especially when you work with a quality provider of company swag. At 4imprint, we offer customizable conference swag items of all types, from stationery to speakers and everything in between. If you’re looking for swag bag ideas for events, we have every item you can think of—and some you probably haven’t thought of yet.

Discover new and classic ideas on what to hand out at an event like a conference or trade show, including some items you could use for unique conference giveaways. First, let’s start with possibly the most important part of swag: giving away things people actually want.

What swag do people want at conferences?

While the answers will inevitably vary depending on whom you ask, there are a few common themes that come up for popular swag items. Here are just a few to consider:

• Clothing: Apparel is almost always at the top of attendees’ lists for popular swag items. Anything from polo shirts to pullover hoodies and even headwear are good options for swag. Clothing offers a variety of ways to showcase your brand’s visuals and key messaging.
• Writing utensils: Another very popular group of items, this includes not just pens but also highlighters and markers. Pen and pencil sets are particularly great for special events. But don’t feel the need to break the bank on writing instruments—as long as they’re quality utensils that attendees can get plenty of use from, they’re a great way to keep your brand in people’s pockets (literally).
• Drinkware: Speaking of items that get plenty of usage, drinkware is yet another way to provide variety in your swag. Coffee mugs and water bottles are a longtime staple, but travel mugs are also becoming more popular. For fancier events, you could even consider premium drinkware, like custom wine glasses! But no matter the conference or beverage type, getting quality drinkware is a great idea for swag bags—especially if you want attendees to use your items in their day-to-day life.

While these are the most popular items for swag, don’t feel limited to just these three options. There are plenty of swag products that are also terrific choices. And if your budget allows for it, you can go big with items like backpacks or wireless headphones. High-quality swag companies like 4imprint offer a wide range of swag products, all of which can be customized with your brand aesthetics.

How much swag should I order for an event?

In general, for smaller events, you should plan to have enough swag for as much as 75% of the total attendees. In contrast, larger events may only require swag for as few as 25% of attendees, though it’s not a bad idea to prepare for higher demand. As you plan conference gifts for attendees, always keep in mind what your goal is with swag—whether that’s to make your brand stand out with unique swag ideas or to form quick, memorable connections with a wide range of newcomers to your brand.

Need conference gifts for attendees? Check out 4imprint.com

If you’re looking for help deciding what to get for your swag bags or for a place to get quality swag products, 4imprint is here to help. We offer a huge variety of customizable swag products for any occasion, budget or giveaway. Whether you’re planning for an annual conference or simply stocking the office, we can provide you with quality branded items to put your logo in peoples’ hands.

And if you’re on a tight schedule, no worries—we still have you covered! Our priority processing service lets you fast-track your order while making sure you get the same high-quality product. With just a few clicks, your items will be on their way by the next business day after your approval—and if they aren’t, they’re on us! Visit our website to look at our catalog, and find the best swag products for your next conference today!