Launching a new business is a very exciting, yet equally challenging time.
You have a lot on your plate and very little time to do it.
However, one key aspect you shouldn’t overlook is organizing a grand-opening event.
This is your chance to enter the market with a bang and create brand awareness.
Now, regardless of how many people will attend your business-opening event, if you want to make a good first impression, you should hand out some original gifts.
While we understand that budget may be tight when launching a new brand, our clients swear that giveaways have a very positive impact and are worth the financial effort.
Plus, you don’t have to go overboard and spend too much, because there are many budget-friendly business gifts from which to choose.
So, to make things easier, we’ve created a list of original grand-opening gift ideas that will set your event apart in 2024.
Let’s delve in.
Table of Contents
Branded Merchandise
One of the best grand opening gift ideas for a successful brand launch is to hand out branded merchandise.
Why?
Because this is the easiest way to make sure that your attendees will be reminded of your small business long after they leave your event.
At the same time, if your personalized gifts are practical, people will use them in various settings, thus advertising your new business for free.
Now, take a look at some of our clients’ favorite branded event swag.
Customized apparel
Customized apparel is one of the most cost-effective grand-opening gift ideas that will put your new business on the map.
Whether you opt for custom hats, T-shirts, or promotional socks personalized with your business name, people can wear them at work, at the gym, at the store, at an outing with friends, or while traveling.
And all of these instances represent opportunities for your new business to get noticed by more and more people.
For example, our clients love this Bodie short-sleeve tee because it’s made out of an extremely soft and comfy material and comes in 12 different colors.
Thus, you can choose one that matches your branding colors and personalize it with your business logo and motto.
Office accessories
Cool office supplies, like business-card holders and notebooks make great corporate gifts because they are very practical.
For instance, even if you work on a computer all day long, you still need to write some things down.
Plus, if you hand out branded notebooks and pens to your event attendees, they can use them at business meetings, conferences, and any other corporate events and increase your brand’s visibility.
One of our best-sellers in this category is the Wheat-straw notebook with a pen. And the reason why it’s so sought after is that it’s both practical and eco-friendly.
More precisely, it has a 51% wheat-straw hard cover and 70 sheets of recycled paper. So, it will show your event attendees that your business supports environmental sustainability, which is highly appreciated nowadays.
Keychains or magnets
Branded keychains or magnets are another budget-friendly option for your business opening event.
These small and inexpensive items can easily promote your brand.
On one hand, people take their keys with them everywhere they go, so others will notice their keychain.
On the other hand, they can place a magnet on the office fridge so all their coworkers will see it.
If you want to make sure that your attendees will actually use your custom gift, make it fun. For instance, this aluminum keychain is also a bottle opener, so people can use it at BBQs and parties.
Plus, its red color makes it eye-catching.
Tote bags
Presentation is key at business opening events.
Therefore, if you want to leave a lasting impression, you should hand out your promotional items in eco-friendly tote bags.
This swag bag idea will show people that your business values and supports environmental sustainability and will attract eco-conscious customers.
Also, your attendees can use it whenever they go shopping or can even replace their shoulder bags with this tote, thus promoting your brand.
Our SwagDrop cotton twill recycled grocery tote is a great choice for your event.
It is made out of 70%-80% recycled cotton and 20-30% recycled PET and 1% of the sales go to nonprofits dedicated to protecting the planet, so you can’t go greener than that.
Water bottles
Drinkware in general makes some of the best business gifts, but reusable water bottles in particular are very effective promotional items.
After all, staying hydrated is very important for our health. So, everyone should carry a water bottle with them throughout the day.
Still, our clients suggest that you forget about the classic gym water bottle and, instead, go for this copper vacuum-insulated bottle.
Why? Because people can also use it to keep their coffee or tea hot for 12 hours. Plus, it has a sleek design, it’s customizable, and comes in a variety of colors.
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Still, branded merchandise is just the beginning.
So, let’s see what else you can include in your gift set.
Promotional Products
On the opening day, your main goal is to attract as many new clients as possible.
Thus, apart from the branded merchandise, you should also pique your audience’s interest regarding your brand’s products or services.
Here’s what our clients recommend.
Samples of products or services offered by the business
Clearly, one of the best ways to determine people to buy your products is by giving them a taste of what you’re selling.
For example, if you’re a small business owner that sells beauty products, you should pick 2-3 of your best products and include free samples in your gift set.
Alternatively, if you’re a service provider, then you should make a small demonstration of your services at the grand opening event.
This way, if people like what they see, taste, or feel, they’ll buy what your business is selling and rave about it to their family, friends, and coworkers, increasing brand awareness.
Coupons or vouchers for discounts
Let’s face it, everyone loves discounts.
That’s why coupons and vouchers for discounts make great appreciation gifts for people attending your grand opening.
Just make sure that you create a nice and attractive design because, as we’ve already mentioned, presentation is key.
In addition, if you want to make your brand more visible from the very beginning, you can offer discount vouchers to the attendees who post social media content about your grand opening.
USB drives with information about the business
If you’re a small business owner who wants to attract investors, a USB drive with information about your business is the best gift for important attendees.
One of our favorites is this rotatable flash drive because it comes in 15 different colors that make it fun and eye-catching. Plus, you can personalize it with your company logo or name using laser or digital printing.
In addition, it is very practical as it has 8GB of storage space. So, people will continue to use it even after they’ve looked over your business information.
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Now, let’s look at some mouth-watering goodies that you can include in your custom gifts.
Edible Treats
Based on our clients’ feedback, we can clearly state that it’s impossible to go wrong with edible treats.
That’s why we suggest that you include a small corporate gift box with yummy snacks in your grand-opening gift set.
Just don’t forget to customize these delicious treats with your company logo.
Why?
Because your event attendees might eat them on their way to work, at the office, or after a gym session, so other people will likely notice the packaging and your logo.
However, you shouldn’t go overboard with promotional candy and snacks if you have a limited budget. You can just choose one of the following and customize it:
- Cookies
- Chocolate
- Pretzels
- Nuts
- Popcorn
For example, one of our top picks are these Milk Bar cookies that combine ground pretzels and crispy rice cereal with chocolate chips for a sweet and salty bite.
Besides being delicious, they come in a nice-looking, eco-friendly, drawstring gift bag that you can customize with your company logo and name using embroidery, print, or heat transfer.
Still, if you want your business opening day to be memorable, you’ll need more than some mouth-watering treats.
So, what else can you do?
Interactive Experiences
Here at SwagDrop, we strongly believe that if you want to set your event apart, you should also offer some interactive experiences besides the ribbon cutting and business gifts.
The main reason for this is that people can easily get bored while watching PowerPoint presentations or listening to long speeches about your business and products.
Conversely, an interactive experience is much more fun and memorable.
So, here are some ideas that you can try.
Raffles or giveaways
If you’re selling pricey products, like a professional vacuum cleaner, clearly, you won’t be able to offer free samples.
However, you can organize a fun raffle and offer a vacuum cleaner as a giveaway to the big winner.
Note that this strategy also works for store openings. For instance, if you’re opening a coffee shop you can organize a raffle with the clients’ coffee receipts and offer the winner a personalized coffee mug or tumbler.
DIY stations
Another fun opening day idea that you should try is to create DIY stations.
For example, this works great if your new business sells cookware.
You can create several DIY stations and invite attendees to cook something using your products.
Make sure you provide them a simple recipe and all the ingredients and kitchenware they’ll need, as well as an assistant to supervise and help them.
This budget-friendly interactive experience will surely leave a lasting impression.
Photo booths
Everyone loves photo booths because they are a lot of fun and they help create lasting memories.
So, they’re the perfect addition to your grand opening.
Just make sure that the printed photos include your business name or install a small business sign inside the booth.
And if you want some free advertising that will increase brand awareness, you can organize a contest.
For example, you can ask people to get creative and take unique photos with your product, then share them on social media, tagging your business. Then, you’ll pick the winner by selecting the most original photo.
Live demonstrations or workshops
The more complex your products or services, the more important are live demonstrations and workshops.
After all, you can’t expect people to buy something if they don’t know what it does or how it works.
This is particularly important when it comes to innovative devices or software.
So, what we recommend here is to host a live demonstration first and then organize workshops with small groups of attendees so they can test your product themselves.
And since we’ve mentioned technology, you should know that tech swag also makes some of the best gifts for business launches.
Keep reading to find out more.
Technology and Gadgets
Tech accessories and gadgets are very practical and effective promotional items that can impress your attendees and enhance your brand’s visibility.
But the best part about tech swag is that it offers endless possibilities.
For example, high-end gadgets can make great gifts for managers or investors.
However, if you own a small startup and have limited financial resources, you still have lots of options because there are many affordable tech accessories and gadgets out there.
Plus, keep in mind that you can gift tech swag on almost any occasion, not just a grand opening. For instance, these items also represent great birthday gifts and corporate Christmas gifts for clients and employees.
Now, take a look at our clients’ top picks and get inspired.
Power banks
We all use our phones all day long, whether at home, at work, at the store, or on vacation. The truth is that these devices have become indispensable.
Unfortunately, they often run out of battery when you need them the most.
That’s why power banks represent some of the most practical corporate gifts and we guarantee that your event attendees will love them.
One of our clients’ favorites is this Jolt 2,200 mAh power bank because it’s very small so you can take it with you everywhere.
In addition, its bright blue color makes it very eye-catching and we can even add your business name on it to create a custom gift.
Bluetooth speakers and headphones
Since everyone enjoys listening to music, it’s no wonder that bluetooth speakers and headphones represent perfect gifts for a business opening.
You just have to personalize these items with your business logo or name and your attendees will be reminded of your brand whenever they listen to their favorite tunes.
Since speakers are a bit more expensive and can only be used at home, at parties, or in private offices, we suggest that you opt for these Bluetooth headphones for your big event and customize them with your business logo.
They are very comfy due to their extra soft ear cups, so people can use them on their way to work, at the office, and while exercising, thus promoting your brand all day long.
Phone accessories
We’ve already mentioned that phones are our best friends. So, besides portable chargers, phone accessories are another great addition to your grand opening gifts.
For example, branded phone cases represent very effective promotional products because they are very visible.
However, they have become very popular so they might not impress your guests that much.
Instead, our clients suggest that you opt for this dual pocket RFID phone wallet.
First, this red phone wallet will add a pop of color and enhance the appearance of any phone, while making your company logo very visible.
Second, its pockets can hold up to 4 cards for easy access, while the RFID feature will protect the data on them. So, it looks good and is very useful.
Laptop cases and sleeves
Since remote work is becoming more and more popular, it’s important to stay flexible.
Therefore, people prefer investing in laptops rather than desktop computers. After all, you can take these compact and lightweight devices everywhere you go.
Thus, it’s no wonder that branded laptop cases and sleeves have become some of our best-selling corporate gifts.
This Graphite Dome laptop case will certainly impress your event attendees due to its very professional look.
Plus, it’s very practical because, in addition to the laptop sleeve, the zippered main compartment is large enough to fit business documents and other accessories.
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Still, if you want to truly impress your guests, you should show them how much you care about them.
In the next section, we’ll explain how this works.
Wellness and Self-Care
Besides creating brand awareness, your business opening event also gives you the opportunity to build brand trust.
How?
By showing prospects, employees, and investors that your company cares about their well-being through wellness gifts.
Take a look at our selection of meaningful gifts that promote wellness and self-care and draw inspiration from them.
Candles and aromatherapy products
Scented candles and aromatherapy products are well known for their stress- and anxiety-relieving properties.
And since we live very stressful lives, it’s important to remind people to take a break and relax whenever they get the chance.
One of our favorites is this Be Home scented candle due to its classy, minimalist black candle holder with a gold metal lid that can match any home or office decor.
Plus, its vanilla bean scent with light notes of musk and coco together with its gentle flame help create a very relaxing ambiance.
Stress balls or relaxation kits
Stress balls and relaxation kits are very practical gifts because they can help you calm down even in the middle of a high-stress day.
You just need to take a 10-minute break, find a quiet place, and use these wellness items to unwind.
Plus, they are very cost-efficient and customizable so you can even use them to create a thoughtful gift basket for your event attendees.
For instance, you can choose this blackout eye mask that will help people take a refreshing pause or meditate in the midst of a hectic day.
What we love about it is that it comes with a nice-looking storage bag that you can decorate with your company logo and a meaningful message.
Miniature succulents or air plants
Due to their air purifying properties, plants can improve mental health and relieve stress.
As such, miniature succulents or air plants that you can easily fit on a desk or hang on a wall represent meaningful gifts.
This Modern Sprout gift set is one of our clients’ top picks for wellness gifts. It includes a beautiful candle holder with a soy candle inside and a matching planter that will look good in any setting.
But what makes this set so special is that it includes an aloe grow kit with seeds and everything else you need to help your succulent grow.
Gift certificates for local SPAs or wellness centers
If you’re looking for gifts for business owners or investors, small wellness items won’t do the trick.
And unfortunately, luxury promotional products are pretty expensive. So, you should put some money aside for this before your opening day.
Also, our clients say that if you want to impress these VIP guests and show that your company cares about their well-being, you should consider offering them gift certificates or gift cards for local SPAs or wellness centers.
After all, such gifts are much more enjoyable and useful for people who have everything they need.
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There you have it; our comprehensive list of grand opening gift ideas.
Now, over to you.
Tips, tricks, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
Ready to Choose Your Grand-Opening Gifts?
With all these original grand-opening gift ideas from which to choose, it’s impossible not to find something to fit your big event.
Still, in some cases, having too many choices makes the decision even harder.
That’s why you can always seek our help if you have doubts or are pressed by time.
However, if you feel ready to choose your grand opening gifts, don’t waste any time and start building your swag pack today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some questions that might still bother you about grand-opening gifts.
Q1. Why is a grand-opening gift important?
A grand-opening gift is very important because it helps promote your business and create brand awareness. Plus, it can turn prospects into clients and build brand trust.
Q2. How much should I spend on a grand-opening gift?
You decide how much you want to spend on a grand-opening gift. However, if you’re a small business owner, you should carefully assess your finances before the big event and set a clear budget for these business gifts and stick to it.