Give-Aways Otherwise Known As Tchotchkes

Wikipedia defines Tchotchkes as “small toys, gewgaws, knickknacks, baubles, lagniappes, trinkets, or kitsch. The term has a connotation of worthlessness or disposability, as well as tackiness, and has long been used in the Jewish-American community and in the regional speech of New York City. The word may also refer to swag, in the sense of the logo pens, key fobs, and other promotional freebies dispensed at trade shows, conventions, and similar large events.” The value of the tchotchke is basically determined by what new business it can bring to the advertiser. Why else would companies spend millions of dollars a year purchasing these items to give them away?

The big question is still – ‘Are they worth it?’ Do they actually assist in bringing in new business. If bought for the correct use and purpose and distributed to the correct audience, they can help bring in new business. To me, the whole purpose of giving away these items is to keep your company’s name and contact information in front of your potential customers so that if they need something you sell, they will immediately think of you. So you first need to determine - who are your customers? If you are selling parts to maintenance people, you want items they will keep on their person, such as small flashlights, pens, tape measures. They don’t spend much time at their desks and it helps to keep your name and phone number or web address close at hand. If your customers are engineers who spend most of their day sitting behind a desk, you may want to use items such as pens, pen holders, notepads, or other desk-type accessory. I advise against giving away toys. Trade show attendees love to bring them home from the exhibitions to give them to their children to play with. Your customer never sees it again as it is in their children’s toy box. So before purchasing tchotchkes for your next show, make sure you have a specific audience targeted and the right item to give away.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at http://www.neminc.com/.