Companies waste a lot of money on one-time giveaways and gifts that get thrown away. The world does not need another custom mousepad.
If you're going to give something away, find something that is going to be saved or displayed for months or years.
This fold-up shopping back from the UPS Store is always in my backpack.
Guy Kawasaki's Alltop stickers get carried around on hundreds of laptops.
A permanent gift turns a one-time expense into a long-term promotion.