What's in a Swag Bag? Answering your Top Ten questions of 2021

Counting down to the New Year, we want to answer your top ten Most Asked Questions. #1 Everyone asks about SWAG BAGS. What are they and what is in them.

#swagbags

What's in a Swag Bag?

Everyone loves a great Swag Bag but what should be in it?

A “swag bag” is pretty simple; it's a bag that's filled with logo items that represent a company or event. The bags are handed out for free at trade shows, 5K runs, movie premieres, fundraisers, award ceremonies, company picnics, and so many other events.

The bags are filled with items relative to the event! We prefer items that will "WOW" the attendees and make the experience more enjoyable.

Think about what would be most useful to your attendees...

Do they need a mid-morning snack?

A phone charger?

Time to get caffeinated with a refillable coffee mug?

Is it an outdoor event? Hat, sunscreen, refillable water bottle.

These answers will help you fill memorable and meaningful swag bags.

Conference swag bags can be tote bags or backpacks stuffed with a commemorative t-shirt, notebook, pen and stainless steel water bottle.

Tradeshow swag bags typically have all the needed supplies to take notes along with breath mints or chewing gun to keep confidence in the long hours of the day for the many conversations that will be had. Yes, include a mask and hand sanitizer.

Company picnic swag bags can be coolers stuffed with fun outdoor games such as beachballs, frisbees, sunglasses and much more. There is no limit to the creativity that can go into these fun and memorable bags.

Need more ideas? We are at your service. Feel free to send us a note and we are happy to send you creative options.

#2 What are the most popular trade show giveaways?

This answer is tougher to answer. It always comes down to industry and budget. So instead of answering the most "popular" we will tell you the most sold in 2021

Here is the big reveal...

1. Hand Sanitizer. ...

2. Sports Bottles. ...

3. Stress Balls. ...

4. Notepads. ...

5. Phone Holders. ...

6. Lip Balm. ...

7. Hats. ...

8. Pens...

9. Tote Bags...

10. Snacks...

#3 Does Brand Avenues accept Cryptocurrency?

Yes, we do. Short and sweet.

Cryptocurrencies—Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, etc.—will likely be around for a while as businesses grow more open to accepting them. Research and advisory firm Gartner predicts that 20 percent of large organizations will use digital currencies for payments, stored value or collateral by 2024.

#4 What are the top incentives to acquire new employees?

Business owners are likely tired of hearing about The Great Resignation, but it isn’t going away—rather, it is gaining momentum. The U.S. Department of Labor reports these jaw-dropping statistics: three percent of the total U.S. workforce left their jobs in September; as of November 5, there were a record 11.2 million job openings in the U.S.; education and health services lost more than 50,000 essential workers in September and 300,000 women left the workforce in September alone.

Review your bonus and incentive plans

Entry-level pay has increased 15-20 percent in many locations, and you may have needed to hire at those increased rates. That means some of your longer service employees may require larger salary increases.

Create a retention plan

Most likely you’ve had some employees leave during 2021, and you’ve probably collected some basic exit interview information. Have you looked closely at the information you’ve collected to determine if there are patterns or reasons for leaving? According to a 2021 survey by NerdWallet, the top five reasons employees left their jobs this year were lack of respect or trust, low pay, poor company culture, overwork and under-appreciation, and bad management and supervision.

Create an inclusive and rewarding company culture.

Having a company store can be the focal point of engagement with onboarding programs, wellness programs, incentive programs, engagement programs and more.

#5 What are production lead-times?

Production lead-times are the period of time between a purchase order being placed and the manufacturer/ factory completing the order. Once an order is placed, it goes through an administrative process.

The product is allocated from stock to the order. A proof is generated and provided for review. Once the proof is approved, the production team can schedule the decoration of the order. In most cases, the production schedule is 7-10 business days after the proof is approved.

Production lead times do not include the shipping times. Shipping times also vary and will determine the actual delivery date.

#6 How do I choose the best corporate wear?

1. Make longevity your priority.

2. Use your brand guide colors.

3. Fulfill your company mission (eco-friendly/ US made).

4. Think about the type of people you’re targeting and the lifestyles they lead.

5. Get samples of your top ten and have an internal vote.

#7 Can we create a "completely custom" employee offering.

Absolutely. If you can dream it, we can bring it to life.

Completely custom merchandising! Bags, apparel, notebooks, hats, blankets, umbrellas... just to name a few.

#8 How to get on Brand Avenues seasonal mailing list?

We are so flattered!!! Everyone loves our goodie boxes that are sent out 2-3 times a year. Always packed with the latest samples, trends and things that make us laugh.

We only send out a limited number for each mailing. Simply make sure to keep in touch with us about your upcoming projects or events and we will make sure to have you on the mailing list.

#9 Setting up an embroidery tape? Huh? DST file?

Ah yes, the various decoration methods are not always easy to understand.

The fun of industry lingo.

Embroidery is basically threading done by a machine to decorate your logo onto apparel.

Programmable machine embroidery is a product of the industrial revolution so we no longer need a person sitting at the sewing machine to render your design. Instead, we need a DST file that communicates to the machine what is being embroidered.

The DST file has the logo image, the size and the stitch count. If you have a 3" logo for your hats and a 2" logo for your polo sleeve, these will be two different DST files.

#10 Can we brand beauty products?

Last but not least, can we brand beauty products? Yes, we can.

This has been an interesting reoccurring question in 2021 and hadn't had it come up in the past. It seems beauty products are totally trending!

Lip gloss? Yup!

Cosmetic Bags? Yep!

Hand Creams? Absolutely!

Nail Care kit? Got'em!

Compact Mirrors? Everyday!

Sleep Mask? Yesss!

Beard Comb? Sure do!