Booth giveaways give people a reason to stop at your expo booth. Your goal is to make the most of this opportunity.

You may get a lot of foot traffic if you put out a bowl of candy, but you are not giving people anything to remember you by. Nor are you building in a way to build your database and your business.

Be creative! Is your product baby-friendly? Give a tiny plush toy or balloon with your company name and logo on it to everyone who makes a purchase, or signs up for your mailing list.

Is your product related to health and wellness? Mini bottles of hand sanitizers customized with your company name and contact information (about $1.39 each) have become one of the hottest giveaway items. Offer one to each person who gives you their contact information.

Do you do most of your business via the Internet? We found customized self-adhesive note pads in the shape of a computer monitor selling for less than 50 cents each.

Colorful customized totes can be found for less than $1.40 each.

Other inexpensive but effective promotional items include pens, bottle openers, magnets, coasters, air fresheners  and key chains.

Giveaways work and with a little thought, you can come up with items that will help people remember YOUR business when they are ready to buy.