Handouts

Handouts are very common at events, but are expensive to print or procure, inconvenient for event attendees to carry around, and produce a lot of waste. Thankfully, there are ways to do things differently. Try some of these ideas at your next event.

• Consider dry-erase whiteboards or digital display monitors for agendas or directional signage instead of printouts.
• Employ a conference app that can electronically house all of your event information for attendees.
• Encourage attendees (especially vendors or organizations with informational or activity stations) to seek alternatives to handing out landfill-destined giveaways.
  • Condense all advertising information into a single handout flyer or posting the information and links on the organizer’s central website.
  • Send out an email following the event with each party’s information instead of printing attendee contact lists.
  • Pass out a flash drive containing relevant information or contacts; attendees can reuse the flash drive in the future for other purposes.
  • Have a single copy of a flyer for attendees to take photos of.

Remember: providing attendees with a branded item with long-term utility is better for the vendor’s marketing purposes.

Minimize Printing

• Ensure unavoidable printing is double sided.
• Make power point presentations handouts have multiple slides per sheet.
• Share power point presentations electronically post-conference. 

If handouts are distributed, make them meaningful and reusable – well-thought out giveaways will leave a lasting impression and are more sustainable.