The Ultimate Guide to Custom SWAG Bags: Creating Personalized Event Experiences

What’s the marketing power of a SWAG bag?

It’s huge!

 

 

As promotional products, swag bags are 2.5 times more likely to leave a positive impression regarding a business or brand compared to the ad impressions of online advertising.

 

Better still, advertisers who use promotional items to make their audience feel special create a lasting memory in 85% of their consumers.

Research also shows that valuable event giveaways lead to a higher probability of spreading word-of-mouth product marketing by attendees.

 

But you’ve got to package your gift bag right, so we want to save your bacon by giving you the ultimate guide to custom swag bags.

Whether you have or have not tapped into the marketing power of swag bags before, this post has all you need to create a personalized event experience for your audience and customers.

 

Ready to create that ultimate SWAG bag?

Let’s get to it!

 

Creating a Personalized Event Experience with Custom SWAG Bags

 

 

The easiest part about designing the best swag bag for your events is probably the meaning of SWAG.

In popular slang, swag denotes the stylish confidence a person wears to show satisfaction with their dressing and whatever else makes part of their apparel.

 

In the business world, the smartest brand owners and event managers bank on the popular meaning of SWAG to promote and market their products and services.

 

They know that the “Stuff We All Get” bag shows the brand’s effort to create a personal connection with their customers.

So, how do you personalize your event experiences with swag bags?

 

Here’s your 5-point comprehensive guide to the ultimate swag bags.

 

Work with Your Marketing Goal

 

 

A marketing goal is a measurable objective that you work with to achieve the overall business or brand goal.

 

Your brand’s marketing goal has 4 functions:

1. Create or increase brand awareness.
2. Generate converting leads (turn prospective customers into actual buyers).
3. Appreciate the value customers place in your product or service.
4. Increase customer referral rate for your product or service.

The best swag bags align with your business brand to achieve your marketing goal(s).

If not, the gift bags count as money thrown to the drain.

 

Know your Target Audience

 

 

The number one rule in marketing is knowing your target audience.

 

That translates to knowing what pleases those you want interested in your product or service.

As you must know, a happy customer is more likely to convert a lead into a purchase.

 

So, if you are creating a customized swag bag, would you give a tote bag full of foodstuffs to top business managers attending a corporate meeting?

 

Even if the meeting is on food sustainability, the promotional intent of your swag bag would be a complete flop.

For that, before designing and stuffing your swag bag with gifts and goodies, apply some consumer psychology to satisfy your customers' preferences.

 

Fill Swag Bags with Stuff that Makes Lasting Impressions

 

 

I’ve gone to events where promotional products are left scattered everywhere at the convention venue.

If you don’t want the same fate for your swag bag, be sure to stuff it with valuable promotional items that make a “cute” impression on your customers.

 

Here’s a tip.

 

Outerwear makes lifetime impressions as promotional products.

 

So, start with a cute bag, then stuff it with gift items like hoodies, jackets, t-shirts, polo shirts, rain slickers, hats, and caps.

Other promotional items that leave a lasting impression on your customer and are likely to market your product or service because they are kept longer by customers include:

 

1. Branded mugs and water bottles.
2. Office stationery like branded pens and bookends.
3. Umbrellas.
4. USB drives and portable charging devices like power banks.
5. Calendars.

Some sample crackles from a sponsoring company won’t last the entire event period.

But they could be the cherry on the cake that will leave a memory in your audience.

 

Gratify your Customers’ Swag

 

 

Your customers or event attendees will not appreciate a gift bag that makes them look old-fashioned or unstylish.

Instead, the goodies bag must create an air of confidence and importance.

 

So, go for a swag bag that pleases your audience’s sense of confidence with features like:

 

1. Appeal (attractive and trending patterns).
2. Comfortable carriage (the long straps of a tote bag or the padded panel of a backpack).
3. Ample space, enough to make attendees use the bag beyond the event.
4. Special utility features like zippered pockets.

Follow the same customer-pleasing rule when choosing the stuff in your swag bag.

 

Customize Swag Bags Within a Budget

 

Customizing a swag bag isn’t just about the audience or customer.

It’s also about your brand. After all, what would a business gain if it broke the bank to please customers?

 

To strike a win-win situation with your swag bag, research the best swag companies and compare their pricing plans to see which one gives the best bang for your buck.

Some swag companies may work with a “more items for less” plan, while others may use monthly or annual subscriptions that help you save money.

 

When on a tight budget, it’s best to ensure you get enough swag bags for all your event attendees, even though there are fewer high-quality promotional items inside the gift bag.

 

Concluding Thoughts

 

Are you planning an event and wondering how to create a personalized event experience while achieving your brand’s marketing goal?

Consider creating custom swag bags.

 

These gift bags create a tangible interaction with your customers and leave a lasting, positive impression of your product or service.

No wonder swag bags are a more powerful marketing tool than online ads.

 

Sources

1. The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI): 2019 Ad Impressions Study
2. American Marketing Association (AMA): What Are Promotional Products? Plus, How to Use Them
3. HubSpot: The 9 Goals to Consider When Creating a Marketing Strategy
4. Quality Logo Products, Inc.: What is a Swag Bag? Ideas for Putting Yours Together
5. Pinnacle Promotions: What Does “Swag Bag” Mean and What Items Should you Include?
6. ScienceDirect: “A cute surprise”: Examining the influence of meeting giveaways on word-of-mouth intention
7. Linkedin-ForestNation Talks: Elevating Your Brand: The Power of Event Giveaways
8. Webex Events: Creative tips, tricks, and ideas to build memorable swag bags for events
9. Avada: 5 Best Swag Companies Available | Top-Choice Options
10. The University of Southern California: What Is Consumer Psychology?
11. MARTECH: What is personalized marketing and how is it used today?