How to choose cool giveaway prizes that people want: 6 tips

Every brand wants that perfect moment when someone wins a prize at their booth and gets so excited that they immediately show it to a friend or snap a quick photo to share.

But not every free item will create that spark – too often, we see brands order whatever's cheapest in bulk, add their logo, and wonder why people seem more polite than thrilled when they win.

There's a science to picking freebies. Whether you're planning a trade show booth, a spin-the-wheel at a college fair, or a customer appreciation event, here are 6 tips on how to pick cool giveaway prizes that are worth winning (and keeping!)

Tip 1: Match the prize to the moment

Ever won a giant stuffed animal at an amusement park while on vacation, only to realize there's no possible way it'll fit in your luggage for the flight home? While you're probably not ordering 6-foot teddy bears as giveaway items, it's still important to remember that the best freebies fit the specific moment and audience you're targeting.

So, before you even start browsing product catalogs, ask yourself these questions:

• Who’s receiving it? A busy executive at a professional conference values different things than a family at a community festival. Consider their lifestyle, pain points, and what would be useful to them.
• What’s the setting? That gorgeous glass paperweight might be perfect for a local networking event, but it's a nightmare for someone flying home from a three-day conference. Meanwhile, a stylish custom bucket hat works great at an outdoor summer festival but might feel too casual at a formal industry summit.
• How will they use it? For busy events like trade shows and conferences, opt for items that are portable, photo-worthy, or conversation starters. For more relaxed settings like community events or local fairs, don’t be afraid of choosing bulkier or more premium items since people aren't worried about carrying them all day.

Tip 2: Understand the psychology behind a “want”

What makes someone genuinely excited about a prize has less to do with its dollar value than you might think. While receiving free nice things is always a nice surprise, what creates genuine excitement is when that item delivers an unexpected emotional payoff.

Cool giveaway prizes typically tap into one of three psychological sweet spots:

• Problem-solving satisfaction: Even tiny frustrations, when solved, create disproportionate happiness. A mini portable fan will get more enthusiasm than yet another tote bag at a sweltering outdoor summer festival where people are melting in 90-degree heat. Similarly, a compact charging cable kit becomes a lifesaver at tech conferences where every outlet is in use and everyone's phone is dying.
• Novelty and discovery: We're naturally drawn to things we haven't seen before or didn't know we needed. This is why innovative tech accessories or unique lifestyle items tend to perform well. People love the feeling of discovering something new, especially if they can share that discovery with others.
• Aesthetic utility: Here's where FOMO and social media psychology come into play. People want items they'd actually use and feel good about being seen with. A beautifully designed notebook hits differently than a generic one, even if they function the same way.

Tip 3: Design always matters

One of the biggest (and most common) design mistakes we see is when brands treat merch like advertising space. Unfortunately, that t-shirt with your logo plastered across the front will probably go straight to the pajamas or gym clothes pile, if it gets worn at all. 

People don't want to become walking billboards for your company; they want items that make them look good, feel good, and align with their personal style.

So, think like a gift-giver, not an advertiser. Consider subtler approaches to branding – maybe it's your brand colors worked into the design rather than your logo front and center. Perhaps it's an inside joke that only your industry would get, creating an instant sense of belonging. Or maybe it's just a genuinely beautiful design that happens to have your logo tucked away tastefully somewhere discreet.

For more tips on designing cool giveaway prizes that don't feel like cheap marketing ploys, visit this guide.

Tip 4: Consider how packaging and delivery can amplify the impact

The moment someone receives your cool giveaway prize is actually part of the gift itself. Packaging is your first impression – and sometimes your lasting one. That beautiful wine opener gift set hits differently when it arrives in a sleek box with a handwritten note versus when it's handed over in a generic plastic bag. The extra thirty seconds someone spends unwrapping something creates anticipation and signals that you put thought into their experience.

Tip 5: Remember that quality beats quantity every time

Budget constraints don't have to mean boring prizes, and they should never mean sacrificing quality. Some of the most memorable giveaways we've seen have come from brands that choose to give fewer, better items rather than give hundreds of people something they’ll forget about or throw away. 

A single well-made and cool giveaway prize that people will actually use long after they’ve walked away from your booth creates significantly more brand value than ten items that feel flimsy or cheap. When someone handles something that feels substantial and well-designed, they associate those qualities with your brand. On the flip side, when they receive something flimsy and cheap that feels like an afterthought, that association sticks too. 

Choose Wayo for your next batch of cool giveaway prizes

The good news? You no longer have to choose between quality and budget when you know where to look. At Wayo, we work directly with global factories to eliminate middleman markups, which means you can order premium merch in smaller batches without breaking your budget.