Free Promotional Products: Just Say No

Key chains. Calendars. Pens. Refrigerator magnets. T-shirts. Tote bags. Freebies seem to be everywhere: at trade shows, home and garden shows, business networking events, the local auto repair shop or insurance agent's office.

But how many key chains, calendars, pens, refrigerator magnets, t-shirts and tote bags do you really need? And while you may not pay anything for the items, they do have a cost; you need to give up space to store them.

"It was free" is not really a good reason to accumulate anything. Sometimes a free promotional item will be truly useful - or something that brings you joy for some other reason. (Maybe it makes you laugh every time you use it.) But in many cases, saying "no, thanks" will serve you best.