Can you spare some budget for small prize ideas and event giveaways? The answer should be yes. You’ll be surprised at how effective prizes can boost brand awareness and give you a bunch of customer leads. Everyone loves a freebie, right?

So what event giveaways and raffle prize ideas are the most effective? Well, the item needs to be something that aligns with your brand audience and gets the winner excited – but it also needs to be affordable, so you’re not overspending. Small and mighty is our motto here at Captain Notepad. Never underestimate the power of useful everyday things like bags, mugs, and stationery. 

So what are the best ideas for giving away prizes at an event? Let’s discuss your options – all of which can be purchased right here on our website.

What are the benefits of prizes and event giveaways?

Before we get into the best small prize ideas, let’s take a look at why prizes can bring you a great return on such a minimal investment – just as long as you give away the right products at the right kind of corporate event (ie. product launches, seminars, conferences, trade shows, etc). 

Here are the most significant benefits of event giveaways:

  • Build a network of leads with a sweepstake of contacts and email list subscribers.
  • Gain exposure to your products and services.
  • Gauge how your audience thinks and feels about your brand.
  • Give back to your customers – showing your appreciation for their service.
  • Immerse your brand in the community and have some fun!

Drinkware

First on our list of event giveaway ideas is drinkware – mugs, water bottles, flasks, and anything you can drink out of. We firmly believe that you can't go wrong with drinkware as a gift – these products many people use day-in-day-out. 

Coffee lovers will never turn down the opportunity of a brand new unstained coffee mug. Health nuts always need another water bottle to help them stay hydrated. And gym-goers would appreciate another sports bottle to add to their collection too. 

Plus, all our drinkware products are made from top-quality materials, so rest assured that your prize winners will know you’re not skimping out.

Eco-friendly notepads

We’ve got a massive variety of notepads (in our name, after all), but we think our eco-friendly notepads are the best small prize ideas – especially if you want to spread the word about how you’re an eco-conscious brand. Research shows the demand for sustainability is increasing rapidly amongst consumers – so you’re sure to stand out with our eco-friendly notepads.

We’re committed to becoming increasingly sustainable. And we’re proud to say we use paper made of a minimum of 30% post-consumer paper – which means at least one-third of the paper in each product consists of recycled paper. 

Coloring notepads

Another best raffle prize idea is coloring notepads. For a reason, adult coloring books have boomed in popularity in recent years. It’s been scientifically proven that coloring-in reduces stress, relieves anxiety, improves fine motor skills, and boosts focus and concentration. 

By giving away coloring notepads as prizes, you’ll be subtly telling your audiences that you’re a compassionate brand that cares about their happiness. Businesses that value the importance of mental health show they’re in touch with the world – and its people. 

Sports Schedules

Next on our list of ideas to give away as prizes at an event are sports schedules. These are some of our most popular promotional items simply because they’re both affordable and fun. Clients, customers, and prize winners who are big sports fans will especially love a schedule. It’ll help make sure they never miss a game throughout the season.

As it’s hard to know which sports team an individual prize winner supports, we recommend getting a variety of each team and allowing the winner to pick. You wouldn’t want them landing a sports schedule belonging to their team’s biggest rival!

Browse our selection of schedules today, including MLB baseball schedules, football schedule magnets, basketball schedules, golf schedules, and so much more.

Magnets

How about investing in magnets as your event giveaway? We see firsthand how effective magnets can boost visibility amongst a community of loyal customers. Think about it: if your magnet is stuck on a customer’s kitchen refrigerator, your brand name and logo will take a coveted spot in the hub of their home forever for the whole family to see. Now that’s powerful and cost-effective marketing.

Plus, our selection of fully-customizable magnets is humongous. Ranging in size, style, and theme, you can choose the magnet that best suits the industry your business operates in – and the type of event you’re putting on. For example, check out our food shape magnets if you’re hosting a glamorous banquet dinner. Or, if you’re an automotive business, you’ll likely find the perfect magnet in our car-sign collection. 

Sticky Notepads

Next on our list: sticky notepads – an ideal addition to a list of giveaway ideas for corporate events. Sticky notepads are items all offices need an endless supply of, so making these a prize giveaway at a business or corporate event is brilliant.

Sticky notepads might seem too small of a prize, but when combined with other small prize ideas, you can give away a large goodie bag full of super handy gifts. And best of all, you can put the whole bag of goodies inside your custom-printed tote bag…

Tote Bags

Last on our list of small prize ideas is the humble tote bag. Whether you fill the bag with smaller gifts or give it away on its own, we’re big believers in the joys of a tote bag. You’ll be surprised at how often these lightweight but sturdy bags come in handy – like when you forget your grocery shopping bags – rely on the tote bag in the trunk of your car or the one folded up in your purse.

We’ve got a large selection of tote bags that are fully customizable. Our collection ranges from eco-friendly tote bags to imprinted foldable tote bags to budget-friendly recyclable tote bags. Browse through the lot and take your pick.

Invest in small prize ideas with Captain Notepad

Looking for giveaway ideas for corporate events?  We’ve only mentioned the tip of the iceberg regarding event giveaways. We have many exciting promotional products and items that work as small prizes. So get browsing! 

Best of all, our products are fully customizable. Simply upload your art and watch it come to life with your brand visuals, including your logo, slogan, or simply a message you want to convey. And don’t worry about the finished product not being what you imagined – our team of designers will send you a proof within 24 hours. Once we know it’s precisely what you imagined we’ll get printing your bulk designs. 

Got a question? Get in touch with us today.