Hotel and Meeting Gift IdeasConference and corporate giveaways can commonly be overlooked to tell a brand story. When selecting the perfect conference gift, use a custom approach and avoid just placing your logo on a generic item. Show customers the message that needs to be communicated and find on-brand and innovative items that make an impression.
Set Your Priorities
Many businesses want a corporate gift that is so good, it will end up on a client’s desk so that they are always on top of their mind. While this is a noble goal, this can’t always be the main goal if you want to succeed. Instead, a conference gift should have an initial impact and still make a lasting impression. Even if the customer tosses the gift a week after receiving it, if it caught their attention early on and made them think about your brand or event then it can be considered a success.
Amenity Gifts
It’s not all about what you give away at a booth for a conference. You can consider room drops and amenity gifts. Have snack baskets or something for the receipt to enjoy after a long day at the conference. This stands out more than just branded swag that every other company can be passing out.
Make It Safe and Portable
If you are giving out a gift at a conference then it will need to be easy to carry no matter where your attendees are going afterward. Items will need to be sturdy enough to survive the trip and pass through airport security in carry-on luggage. If items can’t be traveled with then it’s best to have items that the conference attendee will use at the conference instead so they don’t have to bring the items home.
Quality Over Quantity
A poorly made item that is going to break easily will reflect poorly on your own brand. You want to stay away from generic and inexpensive items that don’t work well or for a while. It’s beneficial to associate your brand with brand-made items that are made of high quality. Using a brand with name recognition can increase the likelihood that the item will be used and kept. Budget constraints can make it harder to go for a luxury items but in this case it's better to go with a smaller item than a bigger generic item.
Select Items Attendees Want
If you choose a gift that an attendee actually wants then the chances of them using it more often increase. Even if the recipient only uses the item once a week, that’s 52 impressions that can be made over the course of a year.
Consider the Kids
Some successful gifts can be ones that consider children and gifts that mom and dad can take home. A toy or game can stand out at a conference and can be as much fun for both adults and children. If you layer on a message to create the initial impact then this gift performs double duty.
Don’t Forget About Packaging
Packaging should also be a part of the gift. Packaging needs to reflect your own brand. A poorly packaged gift won’t leave a good impression. You can also consider the packaging the gift. A zip pouch or zippered bag can be a great to store personal products, tech gadgets, spare change, and other items that a conference attendee will use at the event and then is also useful after the event.
Go Green
When you are giving out hundreds of giveaway items, it’s best to choose earth-friendly or biodegradable options whenever possible. For the lowest carbon footprint, you can choose electronic giveaways. However, this can’t always be an option for your brand so the best way to make sure a conference gift doesn’t end up in the trash is by ensuring it’s actually useful so it continues to be used.
