Need Ideas for Promotional/Giveaway Items

massdreams

I work at a college business school and I need to order a mix of branded items to have on hand next year for alumni gifts and thank you gifts for guests and speakers during the year. I'm looking for fresh ideas beyond travel mugs and luggage tags. What have been some items you've received from companies or at conferences that you thought were pretty cool, or that you've actually used?

[Deleted User]

We do nice canvas totes (think ll bean style), leather coasters with the logo embossed, leather business card holders and padfolios, etc.

I do work with high end donors though so that may be out of your budget.

CarrieB.

Can you do a food item like chocolate or coffee?

ccam

I'll always use nice water bottles, t-shirts and quality tote bags. Other good ideas are umbrellas, flash drives and cooler bags.

ashleysbf

I am all about the reusable grocery bags and water bottles. I live in a county where grocery stores charge $0.10 for every bag so I am always scrambling for one.

lifeinthedreamhouse

Whatever you get just make sure it's not junk. That's why most stuff gets tossed. I got a water bottle once that I really liked but the straw broke the next day.

eyenigh

What's your budget? That makes a huge difference in what I'd suggest. I also order for my organization and I try hard to not order tossable crap but I don't have a huge budget for promotional items so I try to wheel and deal with vendors when I can. Some of the biggest hits for donors/alumni were golf umbrellas (folding and full-size), quality BPA-free water bottles and flash drives. 

litzo27

I've gotten canvas totes (only good when they are roomy, some are more shoulderbag type - worthless), umbrellas (love it - never have enough and it was a good big one), insulated coffee cups (some very good and some very bad), t-shirts (almost never soft enough for me to like), USB drives, mugs.

KayteeGee

USB pens.. they are SO HANDY.
Also reusable grocery bags;  we LOVE them - we got insulated ones once from a seafood company, they are our favorites and i was crushed when one just finally gave up the ghost.
I also like notepads because I feel like i never have enough.
I would go for umbrellas if I didn't live in the desert too.

rodiesmum

We give out travel adaptors. USB cards. Extra battery packs. Gadget pouches or organizers.