Often when consumers and business people think about promotional products, free giveaways are what come to mind.

Certainly free promotional products increase the likelihood consumers to consider coming to events, whether they are baseball games, walkathons or charity runs, or even technology festivals and innovation forums such as TED.

Almost as long as there have been businesses, there have been promotional products to market them. It's that free stuff we all get (a.k.a. "swag"), which usually comes marked with the logos, contact information and even social media handles of local manufacturers, retail shops, insurance agents or world-renowned major brands. Local retailers have also gotten into the game, promoting their cities and states.

By putting free items to work — or play — consumers and buyers are reminded of those business entities every time they see those logos and company names on coffee mugs, hats, fancy pens, or sports bobbleheads.

Yet, if you are a promotional products distributor, it is important to convey to your customers — especially the larger accounts with sizeable marketing budgets that you may be prospecting — that these important marketing tools aren't just for people who collect freebies.

Recently in a web exclusive, the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) published news about the annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. The forum hosted by the company welcomed almost 40,000 of the stock shareholders, from individual small investors to investment banks and major holding companies from around the globe.

In addition to soda cans, running shoes, toys, boxer shorts, hats and more promotional products bearing the likeness of the firm’s famous founder Warren Buffet, attendees could stock up on other items branded with the Berkshire Hathaway logo and more company-related imagery.

Catering to investors or financially-oriented people in general isn't unheard of in the realm of promotional products. In fact it's a growing trend, as firms in the investment arenas and high-tech sector too realize that touting their brands by engaging loyal customers is great for business.

Just as with Berkshire Hathaway, technology partners and Google investors expect swag as a part of attending their favorite company's events and forums. We've also reported before that high-end financial advisers have tapped into promotional product giveaways, including one firm that provides its clients with Alexander Hamilton and money-themed neckties.

Many of the distributors of promotional products that partner with us at Idea Custom Solutions serve small and medium-sized business (SMBs) as well as and major companies. They also support law firms, foundations, universities, investment firms and other entities that cater to high-end customers who have the same interest in and love for great free giveaways.

Always make sure you are ready to win businesses from those kinds of clients. Turn to us for the graphic design support, from vector artwork to embroidery digitizing, from custom logo design to image editing. We’ve got you covered!