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When attending any event as an adult Webmaster you will soon come to find that the goodies are all part of the game. There can be everything from rubber bracelets to pricey items like gaming consoles. There have even been instances of motorcycles and other transportation devices given away although those are typically a one shot deal done in some form of raffle drawing. Collateral can come in all forms and depending on what you lug along to the various events it could very well end up left in the hotel room for the staff.

The very first time you attend an Internext show you will soon discover the magic of the “goodies”. You are given a bag embellished with the logo of some sponsor that has paid for the totes and it will have a few initial things inside like flyers and show guides. But, as you walk the show floor your bag will quickly become heavy. The favorite giveaway is always a T-shirt of some kind with creative slogans or eye-catching graphics on it. It is not uncommon to come away from a convention or trade show with enough shirts to keep you clothed for several months. When deciding what to take to a show though you have to keep in mind that a great deal of it will either be passed over or thrown away long before it serves its purpose of showcasing your company or product and you should take into account the cost versus the effectiveness of the product you are having created to take as a giveaway.

As mentioned above T-shirts are always very popular. The more unique and edgy a shirt is the more apt a person is to keep and actually wear it in public. You don’t want to be too offensive if your goal is to have a person wear it in public because some webmasters are just not ready to take that step. If your goal is to create a buzz on the show floor and throughout the webmaster community and you really don’t care if it’s ever seen again the crazier the shirt is the more it will be talked about and will bring attention to your product or site. But, you have to make a decision about the target audience. If your goal is to make people outside the webmaster community aware you may want to tone things down just enough to make them widely acceptable to wear in public and if your goal is only to attract webmasters you can go balls to the wall and create something that will create a real storm of interest. There have been shirts in the past that proclaim “I Sell Drugs” that were created by a company that sold herbal drug concoctions, some shirts have proclaimed “I Love Boobs” and others have been as simple as putting a URL and slogan on a jersey like “Mr. Skin – Fast Forward to the Good Parts”.

Regardless of your proposed audience, cost can be a huge factor when purchasing collateral. T-shirts can be extremely expensive and difficult to find a printer that is willing to do adult related materials. There have been a few adult specific printers that have come and gone but for the most part you are typically better off finding a trusted printer that is local to you. This alleviates any production problems because you are easily accessible for any modifications or issues that may arise with your order and you are able to pick the order up and transport it with you to whatever event you are attending. If you rely on a printer that is in another location than you the risk is always high that the order will not meet with your approval or shipping problems will arise and your order will not arrive when or where you need it to. If the cost of the shirts and printing has you concerned there are ways to alleviate some of the cost of the process. You can act as your own wholesaler and purchase all the shirts beforehand. But, this isn’t always the cheaper route to go. You can find several outlets on the Internet to order blank shirts from at a price that is very reasonable. But, sometimes the printer has better connections and can supply the shirts at an even lower price. Be sure to ask for a breakdown of cost from the printer to help you decide which option would be better for you and also ask about the possibility of supplying your own shirts. Their actual printing cost may go up or down depending on who supplies the shirts.

There are other forms of collateral that you can have printed. There are things like Frisbees, drinking glasses, golf accessories, sunscreen, towels and even printed literature. The most important thing to evaluate when deciding what inventive and ingenious product you wish to give away is what people will actually take home with them and use. The purpose of collateral is for your company or product to be remembered and if it goes in the trash or in a box full of other useless things your objective will not be fulfilled. Things that are easy to carry and can be used in every day circumstances are always a safe and rewarding item to use. Things like pens, lighters, ashtrays, mouse pads and glasses are always safe items. Everyone uses them and they are light and easy to transport home. Paper materials are easy and cheap to create but often they get thrown away or lost amid the myriad of other items that convention attendees have to deal with. If you are going to utilize paper materials make certain that they are unique and something that will grab the audiences attention or your money and time will be spent in vain because they will often not even be looked at.

There is one piece of printed material that you cannot leave home without and that is business cards. There are a few key strategies to making sure that your business cards stand out among the hundreds that are often received. Have a matte side on your cards so that notes can be made on the back of your card concerning who you are, what you discuss and other important business related details. You also can make personal notes on the back of your card to grab people’s attention. Business cards are the one piece of paper collateral that everyone takes home and reviews after a trip and you want to make sure that when you travel to trade shows or conventions that you have plenty on-hand and aren’t in any danger of running out.

If it is your first time to travel to a trade show and you aren’t sure what to take be sure to use the experiences of others to help you make that determination. Ask on the forums what others have used and tried, what has been successful and what would make the greatest impact on others. But, most importantly do not forget your business cards. They are the sole piece of collateral that you should never leave home without.