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A 2019 study by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) revealed a powerful marketing secret: 80% of consumers react immediately upon receiving a promotional product at any event, with 79% even researching the company. In light of this, companies must consider several event gifts factors.
In today's competitive event landscape, standing out from the crowd requires more than just an informative speaker and well-catered lunch. One way to achieve this is by giving them thoughtful and memorable gifts. But with so many options available, it can be tough to know where to start.
That's why we've compiled this comprehensive guide to event gifting in 2024. We'll cover everything you need to know, from the importance of gifting to choosing the ideal gifts for your audience. We'll also provide you with 30 brilliant gift ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
The need for event gifts
- Make a lasting impression: A well-chosen gift will stay with your attendees long after the event ends, keeping your brand in mind.
- Show appreciation: A gift is a tangible way to thank your attendees for coming to your event.
- Encourage social media sharing: When attendees receive a great gift, they're more likely to share their experience on social media, which can help you reach a wider audience.
- Boost brand loyalty: A thoughtful gift can go a long way in building goodwill and loyalty towards your brand.
Gifting on events - not just goody bags!
Gone are the days of throwing a bunch of pens and keychains into a tote bag and calling it a day. Today's attendees are savvier and expect more from event gifts.
What is the ideal event gift?
- Valuable and relevant: Choose gifts related to your event's theme or that your attendees will find useful.
- Practical: Opt for gifts that your attendees can use daily.
- Personalized: A touch of personalization can make a big difference. Consider adding attendees' names or initial to gifts.
- Unique and memorable: Choose gifts that stand out from the crowd and that your attendees will remember.
- Focus on Value and Relevance: One great way to choose valuable and relevant gifts is to focus on books. Books can be on various topics, from business and marketing to self-help and personal development. You can also choose books related to your event's theme.
For example, if you're hosting a tech conference, you could give attendees a book on the latest tech trends. Or, if you're hosting a health and wellness event, you could give them a book on healthy eating or stress management.
- Consider practical utility: Tech-related gifts are always a hit with attendees. Consider giving them portable power banks, wireless chargers, or Bluetooth speakers. You could also give them gifts that help them stay organized, such as notebooks, planners, or cable organizers.
- Personalization adds a touch of delight: Personalization is a great way to make your gifts even more special. You can add attendees' names or initials to mugs, water bottles, or stationery. You could also create custom gift boxes with a selection of small items related to the event's topic or the attendees' interests.
30 Events gift ideas
Here are 30 brilliant gift ideas for events
Practical utility
- Professional mic: Perfect for virtual conference attendees or aspiring podcasters.
- Fitness tracker band: Encourage healthy habits and inspire wellness journeys.
- Branded padfolio: A sophisticated accessory for professionals, promoting your brand with every use.
- Desktop organizer set: Keep attendees' workspaces tidy and brand-centric.
- Mobile battery charger: A lifesaver in today's tech-dependent world.
- Mobile/Tablet stand: Enhance home office setups and showcase your brand logo.
- Wireless chargers: Eliminate cable clutter and offer a touch of modern convenience.
- Smart bluetooth tracker/airtags: Help attendees keep track of their belongings.
- Cable organizer: Help in organizing all the wires.
- Tote bags: When it comes to trade show gifts, branded and personalized tote bags are a savvy choice. They are practical gifts, providing attendees with a convenient way to carry brochures, samples and other promotional materials collected during the event.
- Fresh snacks: Perishable items which have a longer shelf life such as roasted almonds, cashews, pistachios.
Personalization adds a touch of delight:
- Portable book reading light: Encourage reading anywhere even with less light.
- Insulated tumbler: A sustainable choice for eco-conscious attendees, keeping drinks hot or cold.
- Travel duffle bag: Ideal for on-the-go professionals.
- Local handicrafts: Support local artisans and offer unique, culturally relevant gifts.
- Hand-written thank you card: A personal touch that goes a long way in showing appreciation.
- Seeds: Create a seed pack with gardening tips.
- Luxury candles: Enhance your event with personalized branded luxury candles.
- Customized cup and saucer set: Custom cups and saucers according to your event.
- Wine Glasses: Branded wine glasses can help elevate the overall experience of the attendee.
- Custom diffuser: Personalized diffuser custom made for the event can be a great gift to remember.
- Succulents or small plants: Customized potted plants such as Bonsai and air purifying plants according to attendees or speaker’s name. Living gifts are eco-friendly and bring a touch of nature to attendees’ homes or offices.
- Personalized mementos: Offering personalized mementos such as custom name tags, engraved keychains, or monogrammed notebooks can instantly make attendees feel valued and acknowledged
Subscription boxes:
- Sponsor tester gift boxes: Partner with sponsors to curate boxes with branded samples and treats.
- E-books & audiobooks: Offer a diverse selection of reading materials based on event themes.
- Online course subscription: Give attendees access to valuable learning opportunities that extend beyond the event.
- Wellness app subscriptions: Promote mental and physical well-being with mindfulness or fitness apps.
- Magazine subscription: Provide ongoing content consumption related to the event's topic.
- Online yoga/training: Give online subscription of online yoga/training classes inspiring healthy habits.
- Coursera or Udemy course: Gift attendees credit for professional development courses relevant to their field.
Gifts to avoid giving in an event – What not to gift
When selecting event gifts, it's crucial to tread lightly on certain pitfalls.
- Avoid gifts that contain any liquids, as they can cause issues while traveling.
- Never give gifts that require size, like clothing, shoes, jackets, etc., unless you are asking for size beforehand.
- Sharp objects like knives, scissors, toolkits, etc.
- Religious symbols or texts. Stick to neutral themes unless you know everyone's beliefs.
- Alcohol or tobacco products. Consider potential allergies or ethical concerns.
- Perfumes or colognes. These can trigger allergies or clash with individual preferences.
3 Steps for ordering event gifts
Ordering custom gifts for event attendees and speakers doesn’t have to be tedious. When you partner with Xoxoday, we’ll take the majority of the workload off your hands.
Step 1 - Budget
Gift bags at the Oscars cost up to $148,000. However, you don't necessarily need a large budget to have an impact. Determining the perfect budget for event gifting requires a delicate balancing act. Overspend, and you risk exceeding financial boundaries.
Underspend, and you might fall short of creating the desired impact. Start by aligning your budget with the overall event goals and target audience. By meticulously setting your event gifting budget, you can maximize impact, stay within financial constraints, and leave a lasting impression on your attendees.
Step 2 - Select a gifting platform and choose from the gift options.
There are many gift ideas for event attendees and speakers, including personalized mementos, tech gadgets, and customized mugs. A great gift should be useful and memorable and reflect the event's theme or the company's brand.
Brainstorm for ideas from the above amazing options or get in touch with Xoxoday for a more customized approach and to generate truly unique event gifts. In this way, your attendees can remember the event and look forward to the next one.
Step 3 - Place an order from Xoxoday
Look no further than Xoxoday, your one-stop shop for curated experiences and impactful presents. Dive into a diverse portfolio overflowing with categories to tantalize any audience.
Tech-savvy attendees? Spoil them with wireless phone chargers, smart water bottles, or noise-canceling headphones.
Seekers of wellness? Offer subscriptions to fitness apps, organic tea sets, or mindfulness journals. But it doesn't stop there!
Personalize your gifting with custom-printed T-shirts, notebooks, or mugs emblazoned with your event logo. Explore experience-based gifts like virtual cooking classes, wine tastings, or even escape room adventures for the extra wow factor.
Xoxoday's vast categories and flexible options cater to every budget and preference, transforming event gifting from a chore to a strategic delight. So, let creativity flourish and choose the perfect present to leave a lasting impression on your attendees.
Why choose Xoxoday for custom event gifts?
- Global catalog: Xoxoday boasts over 1 million+ options, including gift cards, experiences, perks, and exclusive benefits from popular brands and local vendors. This ensures you can cater to diverse preferences and locations.
- Automated platform: Manage your entire gifting program through Xoxoday's user-friendly platform. Everything is streamlined and automated, from selecting rewards to setting budgets and tracking delivery.
- Instant delivery: Digital rewards like gift cards and e-vouchers are delivered instantly via email or SMS, eliminating the need for physical inventory and shipping hassles.
- Scalability: The platform can handle large-scale events and webinars with ease, ensuring smooth execution even for a global audience.
- Branding and customization: Personalize the gifting experience with your logo, event theme, and custom messages to strengthen brand recall.
By leveraging Xoxoday's capabilities, you can create a memorable and engaging gifting experience for your event or webinar attendees, boost participation, and leave a lasting positive impression.
Case studies of successful partnership with Xoxoday
Below are 2 examples of successsful partership with Xoxoday,
1. Freshworks Inc, a NASDAQ-listed SaaS company
Freshworks Inc. is a well-known SaaS platform that recently made it to the headlines for its debut on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange.
Founded in 2010, Freshworks is into creating cutting-edge software solutions that make it easy and quick for businesses to delight their employees as well as customers. Staying true to its brand name, it takes a ‘fresh’ approach to designing and providing affordable software-as-a-service, quick to implement, and accessible for the end users.
Challenge
Freshworks traditionally rewarded participants in their physical events with tangible goodies. However, the pandemic disrupted their usual gifting process, making international shipping impractical and geographically inconsistent.
Solution
Freshworks embraced digital solutions by partnering with Xoxoday, a robust rewards platform offering flexibility and global reach. Xoxoday's strengths perfectly addressed Freshworks' needs:
- Wide variety: Xoxoday's extensive catalog of 1 mn+ options across 75+ countries allowed Freshworks to curate localized gift bundles for attendees in diverse locations.
- Ease of use: The platform's user-friendly interface facilitated swift campaign creation and voucher distribution. With just a few clicks, Freshworks sent attendees over $5,000 worth of brand vouchers.
- Zapier integration: Xoxoday's seamless integration with Zapier streamlined lead capture and personalized communication. Custom landing pages with creative CTAs helped drive engagement and direct attendees to their localized redemption shops.
- Automated localization: Xoxoday's smart tech automatically detected user locations and displayed relevant gift options based on local currency and availability. This eliminated any hassles with currency conversions or incompatible choices.
- Customizable workflows: The platform's Zapier integration allowed Freshworks to customize workflows for capturing leads and activating campaigns. This fostered a dynamic and engaging experience for event participants.
Results
- Over 500 reward vouchers were distributed across multiple locations.
- Increased event participation through the appeal of digital rewards.
- Streamlined gifting process with reduced vendor coordination and logistical complexity.
- Enhanced attendee satisfaction due to localized gift options and seamless redemption experience.
Next steps
Freshworks is impressed with Xoxoday's flexibility and effectiveness. They plan to expand their partnership for additional use cases, including employee rewards and partner incentive programs.
2. Netflix's stranger things mystery box at San Diego comic-con
In 2019, Netflix struck gold with its marketing strategy for the third season of its hit series, Stranger Things, at San Diego Comic-Con. Their key tactic? The limited-edition Stranger Things Mystery Box, a blind box filled with exclusive merchandise that fueled fan excitement and generated viral buzz.
Event context
San Diego Comic-Con is a highly anticipated event for pop-culture enthusiasts, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees eager for exclusive glimpses into their favorite movies, TV shows, and comics. It presented the perfect opportunity for Netflix to generate maximum hype and engagement for Stranger Things' new season.
The mystery box
The box itself was designed to evoke the show's signature 80s aesthetic, featuring a retro VHS tape design and subtle Upside Down references. Inside, fans could find a carefully curated selection of exclusive items.
The Stranger Things Mystery Box quickly became a sensation at Comic-Con. With limited availability and blind box excitement, lines formed hours before the booth even opened. Social media buzz erupted as fans excitedly shared their unboxing experiences and showcased their coveted treasures.
- Viral reach: Unboxing videos and photos flooded platforms like Instagram and Twitter, generating millions of views and organic promotion for the new season.
- Fan engagement: The mystery box provided a tangible way for fans to interact with the show and express their loyalty, fostering community and excitement.
- Media attention: Major media outlets covered the story, further propelling the buzz and reaching a wider audience beyond Comic-Con attendees.
- Positive brand perception: The thoughtful and exclusive nature of the gift strengthened Netflix's image as a company that truly understands and values its fans.
Conclusion
Gifts aren't just feel-good gestures but strategic investments in your event's success. Pre-event anticipation soars when you offer the right reward, and your event's perceived value skyrockets. But gifts, like words, must be chosen wisely. Xoxoday guides you through many options, ensuring you discover the ideal present that reflects your brand's commitment to quality.
Let Xoxoday be your gift-giving companion for a memorable event.
