When thinking about promotional items in general it is important that you are not simply offering the freebies for the sake of offering freebies. For instance, as marketers we are charged with constantly thinking of new ways to bring positive attention to the brand we represent. When you are considering what to put your companies name and logo on a giveaway item, you shouldn't feel as though you need to work against whatever current marketing campaigns you are currently running.

Swag, Tchotchkes. Trinkets. Freebies. Whatever name you give them, promotional items have been a go-to tactic for marketers probably as long as trade shows and events even existed, with companies plastering their logos on everything from tote bags to rain ponchos to squeeze balls in hopes of boosting brand awareness and generating leads.

In recent years, drawings at trade show booths for high-end items such as iPads have replaced some of the more time tested tchotckes, but even with such big-ticket items, how much brand-building power does promotional swag carry? What happens to the swag after the trade shows are over? Do the recipients remember the brands behind the loot fondly? Are the giveaways generating leads or gathering dust?