A comment about some good, old traditional tradeshow marketing – free bags! Earlier this year I attended one of the largest tradeshows in Las Vegas – the International Builders’ Show. According to several local experts (the friendly cab drivers I hired to go to and fro), the show is only second in attendance to the Consumer Electronics Show. So when you see a trend at such a venue, it’s worth noting. After a day and a half of walking from the show floor to the media center to educational sessions (thanks Wells Fargo for sponsoring the sessions), my dogs were tired. I was carrying books, notes, magazines, my iPhone, Blackberry and such in one bag that kept falling off my left shoulder. It was time to ditch the heels, throw the idea of a fashionable bag out the door and rebalance my load. Without a second bag already in hand and the nearest shopping area three meetings and a business dinner away, I scouted the tradeshow floor, seeking the most user-friendly bag. Sure, I would be advertising their product during the remaining time at the show. But believe me, my feet were encouraging me to do so. There were plenty of single-use, branded plastic bags. Those, I imagined, would be good for about one hour until the handles ripped through my hands. I ran across a recycled, re-useable bag with an adjustable shoulder strap that I could throw across my shoulder. It even had internal pockets for a cell phone and business cards. Bingo – the perfect bag to balance the load for the next few days. Lo and behold, I wasn’t the only one who found myself with a “freebie” bag. Turns out, thousands of others shared my appreciation for the user-friendly device. I took it on the airplane and back home with me. It may even make it on my next jaunt to the grocery store. When you’re at a trade show, make sure your company’s giveaways truly matter. Pens, plastic bags and such are okay. But you might want to question whether or not their impact will go beyond your budget. When they do, they grab attention and can expand your tradeshow presence beyond your tradeshow booth square footage. Oh, and the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies they were giving away in the Sears booth during oven demonstrations were all the buzz on Twitter. Way to go Sears!