Local Products Make the Best Swag

Jim Katzman wrote a great article on Medium about creating swag that customers actually want. One of his tips was “Leverage Local Pride.”

That got me thinking: Local products would make the best swag.

Local products are easier

Instead of designing a batch of custom pens or ordering another lot of logo coffee mugs, walk into a local shop and buy what they’ve got. Local honey. Locally made soap. Beef jerky from a nearby producer. A small art or craft piece.

You skip the minimum order quantities and the wait time. You support another local business. And you hand people something they’ll actually use and remember.

Whether you’re at a trade show, conference or heading to a special event, you can share your local flavor rather than “yet another water bottle.”

People love local products

I often give visitors Shawnee Mills cornbread mix packets when they come through Oklahoma or I visit them. Cornbread is an important cultural food to me. Even though I live a few hours from Shawnee, it’s local enough. And people love it when I share stories about my grandmother making cornbread.

That’s what local products do. At their best, they tell a story about your place.

Head Country BBQ Sauce in Ponca City, Oklahoma, once made mini 3-ounce bottles specifically as swag. Small enough to meet TSA liquid rules, so visitors could take it home even when flying.

Make it yours and theirs

You can co-brand if you want: add your sticker or tag to local sauces, seasoning mix, or whatever fits your business. Or just hand it over as-is with your business card (or your loyalty card).

Those Head Country sample bottles included some promotional text about Ponca City, done in cooperation with their economic development team. (Go, Ponca!)

Shawnee Mills actually does custom mixes, and that would be so much cooler than a generic water bottle with your logo.

When I managed a liquor store and was participating in social media conferences, I took mini 50ml bottles of liquor, added a little card from Moo printers, and used that as my calling card. People would fight over them!

It’s better marketing

When you give someone local products, you’re not just promoting your business. You’re showing that you support other local businesses. That’s good marketing for you and good for your community.

Next time you need swag, look local first

Walk around your downtown. Check out local makers and producers. See what’s already on the shelves at local shops. Look regionally and check out “made in your state” products.

You’ll find something better than another notebook, and you’ll be supporting the businesses around you at the same time.

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