It's been discussed in the past, but perhaps others working on conference might benefit from revisiting this one.?ÿ I'm working on the committee for Kentucky's state conference.
I would appreciate any input to the question of what are conference give away or "swag" items with logo for registrants that you actually like to get and would keep/make use of when you go to conferences?
Following are the current proposed and/or usual items:
- Padfolio
- Sports drink bottle
- Sunscreen/insect repellent/etc. travel kit
Thumb drives are a frequent one and we've done various backpacks and attaches in the past.
note pads (graph paper with logo at header), pens, small drafting stencils, mini field books....
I've appreciated the flash drives loaded with the presentation materials that the Surveyors Historical Society has given out.
Spectra Geospatial handed out some branded double ended USB sticks.
They are ordinary USB one end and USB-C the other.
Really useful if you use more than just TSC7 controllers
To be honest, I used attend conferences yearly in multiple states and I have so much of that stuff that I just never use and is sitting in a box somewhere.
How about upping the swag game, maybe following Mr. Oklahoma's suggestion of a classic book, but limit the giveaways to first time attendees, new society members, and freshly licensed PLS's?
Ahem...........matchbooks labeled Sleezy Joes Strip Club, home of Rosy Cheeks.............
I'm an amateur arsonist and these would come in very handy. Besides, they would be fun to share with those who didn't get to go to the conference.
On a serious note, T-shirts clearly labeled with the event and logo, are kind of nice. People notice those when you are standing in line to pay for your beanie weenies and Gatorade at the convenience store. Great conversation starter. I have one with a large plumb bob that points towards my nether region that my wife thinks I shouldn't wear in public.
How about a copy of Boundaries & Landmarks?
Personally, I would be very in favor of this idea as I love books and like to have reference material to look into. I'll definitely mention this idea at the committee meeting.
To be honest, I used attend conferences yearly in multiple states and I have so much of that stuff that I just never use and is sitting in a box somewhere.
Same. There just seems to be too much ease to fall back to the same old things and it is just so much easier from a committee standpoint to just get something that is broadly 'agreeable' to most attendees.
Ahem...........matchbooks labeled Sleezy Joes Strip Club, home of Rosy Cheeks.............
Well, I guess I better get to work collecting those matchbooks. I think they only give out one matchbook each visit and we have about 250 attendees, roughly 6 months to conference this might require some dedication to accomplish.
That should be a rewarding plan of action. However, I would just contact a novelty firm that prints on matchbook covers to arrive at several thousand on hand. They will go quicker than ice in Saudi Arabia once the word gets out at the convention.
I'm running low on refrigerator magnets. Nearly all the sunscreen and lip balm out there is useless to me because I'm irritated by the 21st century ingredients. I do well with zinc oxide.
Better yet don't give out anything cheesy and reduce the fee to attend instead.
Nearly all the sunscreen and lip balm out there is useless to me because I'm irritated by the 21st century ingredients.
I'm glad you posted this, because lip balm and sun screen were suggestions from someone at a committee meeting this past week. Reactions to ingredients was not something even thought about.
Better yet don't give out anything cheesy and reduce the fee to attend instead.
It's one of those issues where we (organization) just can't seem to let go of the past. The cheesy stuff given away is pretty minor in the overall fee structure (±$20/person), but since those things have been given in the past we continue to do so and (some) attendees have the expectation of getting those things.
