Did you know that just 21% of all trade show swag is kept past the show? According to a 2019 study by Advertising Speciality Institute, that means ¾ of all swag ends up in the landfill.
This waste does nothing to help grow your brand and damages the environment. However, brand merchandise is essential for trade show marketing.
Swag enables you to attract attendees to your booth, foster lead generation, and show clients your appreciation. Isn’t it time you consider eco-friendly swag options that won’t end up in the trash?
If you have an upcoming convention or trade show in Las Vegas, here are seven eco-friendly swag ideas to consider that will help you protect the planet.
1. Digital Gift Cards
Digital gift cards are the simplest way to offer a gift to existing and potential customers without creating any waste. You can offer digital gift cards for local small businesses or your products and services.
You can also offer coupons, discounts, or other promotions digitally. There are many ways to offer digital gift cards that will help you capture leads. For example, you could collect emails and send them after the show. You could set up a QR to a lead capture landing page where the offer lives. You can also just send the digital gift cards directly via smartphone technology.
All of these strategies will show your gratitude and help capture qualified leads.
2. Seeds
Plant and flower seeds are fantastic eco-friendly swag ideas that make a lasting impact. There are many ways to use seeds as green merch.
You can offer branded seed mixes, seed bombs, or seed starting kits. Giving away seeds as swag embodies sustainability, provides an interactive experience, and has the potential to create a positive impact on individuals and the environment.
Further, seeds have a long-lasting impact as they continue to grow and flourish even after the event has ended. The plants will serve as a living reminder of your shared experience and your brand’s values.
3. Branded Snacks
Branded snacks are one of the best eco-friendly swag ideas.
Make sure to choose snacks from companies that prioritize sustainable and ethical practices. Look for snacks made from organic, locally-sourced, or fair trade ingredients. Then ensure they have eco-friendly packaging options like compostable, biodegradable, or recyclable packaging materials. Eco-friendly packaging further reduces the environmental impact.
Branded snacks can also be a way to showcase your commitment to health and wellness.
4. Sustainable Personal Care Items
People traveling for work often need a lot of personal care items while traveling. Thus, personal care items like soaps, hand sanitizer, and lotions have become very popular at trade shows.
Unfortunately, many of these products are in single-use plastic bottles or plastic bags. Fortunately, there are many options for sustainable beauty products. Bar soap, lotion bars, and bath bombs are all options you can offer without plastic.
You can also choose personal care items made with recycled material packaging.
5. Run A Raffle
Rather than giving out lots of cheap swag that will end up in the garbage, run a raffle for an experience instead.
Las Vegas is the perfect place to run a raffle. You can raffle a gift certificate to a Michelin-rated restaurant, tickets to a show on the strip, or any of the incredible experiences around Las Vegas.
By collecting entries for the raffle, you’ll be collecting leads. You can then host an event where you announce the winner. This event is a great opportunity to also do a product or service demonstration. We can help support a raffle event by providing extra trade show staffing.
6. Donate To A Good Cause
Donating in your attendees ‘ names is an excellent way to make a substantial impact during lead generation. You could also offer to match donations.
There are many wonderful non-profits you can support in Las Vegas. Partnering with one of these organizations is an excellent way to give back and show gratitude to your host city. Further, it leaves a highly positive impression about your brand.
You’ll be able to collect leads while also making a difference. Consider a local environmental charity to ensure you offset the negative environmental impact of trade shows.
Fun tip: Attract visitors to your booth by creating messaging that ‘each person who visits’ we donate $XX to a charity of choice.
7. Professional Photos
Professional photographers are the perfect environmentally-friendly option. They are an ideal way to capture the energy and excitement of the event. Hiring a professional photographer adds credibility and creates interest.
Consider a green screen background to put the event, event logo, or your brand’s logo as the background. You can also offer a more aesthetically pleasing background, like a plant wall. Photos can be sent onsite or emailed later as a lead capture strategy.
Expo Ease has professional photographers that can help you plan and execute this swag strategy. You can also consider hiring a professional event videographer.
Expo Ease’s Eco-Friendly Event Services
Our team at Expo Ease is committed to improving the sustainability of trade shows in Las Vegas.
Choosing these eco-friendly swag ideas isn’t the only way to ensure your trade show is more eco-friendly. Another way is to plan to make your exhibits eco-friendly as well. A beautiful and eye-catching way to do this is by incorporating live plants. Live plants contribute to cleaner air, reduce carbon dioxide levels, and add a natural touch to the event. In addition, our plants are rentals, so they further support waste reduction as we can reuse them rather than throw them away.
To learn more about all of our eco-friendly options, explore our website. Then contact us to get started. Our event team is always happy to answer any questions and help you plan an eco-friendly corporate event.
Bring sustainability, beauty, and relaxation to your trade show booth with live plants.
