We’ve created a list of 18 smart conference gift ideas for your next virtual event or conference.
These unique speaker gifts can help you show appreciation without breaking the bank.
If you’re planning to buy “thank you gifts” for your next event, you’ll need this list.
Here are some of the conference gift ideas you’ll find in our list:
- Padfolio
- Wine bag
- Felt board with letters
- Phone stand
- Duffel bag
Plus, many more.
Keep reading to find all the speaker gifts we’ve included.
18 Smart Conference Gifts for Speakers
Gift #1: Webcam with Microphone
Gift #7: Felt Board with Letters
Speaker Gift #1: Webcam with Microphone
We’re kicking off this list with a stylish and high-quality webcam with microphone.
There’s no doubt that since the time the COVID-19 pandemic started, online meetings, remote work, and virtual events have skyrocketed in popularity.
As a consequence, demand for equipment like webcams and microphones has also hit the roof.
Why not have a two-in-one tool to make your online meetings a little easier?
Well, that’s exactly why we believe this product could be the perfect gift for speakers, as well as for employees who work remotely.
Why we like it: Crystal clear audio and picture vastly improves both your experience and that of your colleagues, listeners, or interviewees.
Speaker Gift #2: Coffee Mug
Let’s move on to the next product on our list and the reasons why we believe a coffee mug can be a very thoughtful gift for your next event.
Who doesn’t love a nice cup of coffee?
Whether you want to make it at home or fill it with a Starbucks drink, being able to have it on-the-go on a busy day is exactly why we propose a coffee mug like this as a gift for speakers.
Don’t forget that you can have it custom made with a brand’s logo or name on it for an extra nice touch.
Why we like it: You get to enjoy your coffee in a both stylish and eco-friendly way.
Speaker Gift #3: Padfolio
A padfolio is one of the most useful products one can receive and it couldn’t be missing from our list of the smartest gifts for professional speakers.
Think about it for a minute.
Who doesn’t carry around their phone, notes, ID, and various other important items at a busy conference?
The answer is: definitely most people do and a padfolio to keep things organized can prove to be almost life-saving for conference speakers.
Having your company logo on it can help you raise some brand awareness and maintain a strong brand identity.
Why we like it: It keeps contents secure and neat inside a stylish exterior.
Speaker Gift #4: Notebook
A great gift for guest speakers and basically everyone attending a conference or seminar is a handy branded notebook.
While it’s true that most of us now use laptops or tablets to keep notes, a good notebook has still kept its value and is widely used.
It’s a great way to remember valuable information from a speech, organize your upcoming plans, and note amazing ideas on the spot which – who knows – might change the world one day.
We believe that a notebook is a great swag gift idea, as well as.
Why we like it: It’s handy and when it’s accompanied by a pen to smoothly write and erase notes, that’s an extra token of appreciation for whoever receives it.
Speaker Gift #5: Charging Pad
The next item on our list of smart conference gifts for speakers, is a portable charging pad.
We all know that events like seminars or conferences can be lengthy.
Since not everyone carries a charger around, keeping your phone battery alive can be a tricky task.
That’s why gifts like charging pads are much appreciated by speakers and attendees in order to make phone calls, surf the web, and save people’s email addresses when networking.
Why we like it: It’s a convenient way to keep your phone charged and store notes or business cards in its pockets.
Speaker Gift #6: White Board
A white board may be a simple gift, but it’s both an easy and eco-friendly way to write notes and plans down.
No more wasting paper and pointless notes for various information; with the use of a white board you can write and erase anything you want seamlessly.
It’s a great way to visualize thoughts, ideas, task lists, and even presentations. It can also act as a message board at a home or in the office, displaying important notices where people can easily see.
The possibilities are really endless, so we believe it’ll serve as a great speaker gift idea.
Why we like it: It has a great number of benefits, since content on it can serve all kinds of purposes. Whether that’s practical, organizational, or even inspirational.
Speaker Gift #7: Felt Board with Letters
Seeing your favorite quotes and daily reminders on a regular basis can really uplift your mood, that’s why we believe a felt board is one of the best gift ideas.
It comes with a bunch of letters for you to display anything you want.
From quotes and reminders to announcements, anything goes.
It can be used by motivational speakers, event planners, and pretty much anyone.
It gives a nice touch to any room you decide to place it in, whether that’s your kitchen, your bedroom, your office space, your coffee table, or even the hotel room where you’re staying during a conference.
Why we like it: It’s a simple yet elegant way to display personalized messages. Also, we love when we see one in the background at online meetings and virtual events.
Speaker Gift #8: Phone Stand
During this COVID-19 pandemic, the use of electronic devices has increased rapidly.
According to a study by Statista, in March 2020 alone, smartphone usage increased 70% worldwide and 40% in the United States!
We’d be lying if we said we didn’t use our phones all day before it, but at least now we have a good excuse to spend time on social media.
Or at least we think we do.
Either way, gifts like phone stands that make our experience better are always appreciated.
It’s such a useful and convenient piece of equipment.
Traditional phone cases often don’t have any card pockets or block the entrance of the charging cable, so an all-in-one gift like this phone stand is perfect to be given out at conferences.
It has a lot of space to store credit or business cards, and can be placed vertically or horizontally for you to watch videos, movies, or even attend online meetings and watch virtual events.
Why we like it: It’s a stylish and handy gift idea that everyone can use and makes a great event memento.
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Speaker Gift #9: Desktop Set
Moving on to the next gift set on our list, which is a very nice desktop set.
Keeping your office organized and – why not – appealing, isn’t always a piece of cake; it requires a lot of work.
Most of the time we get overwhelmed with tasks and neglect our workspace, leaving pens and various other items all over the place.
With a desktop set, you can make your desk look better while also keeping your stuff organized.
Additionally, most of these branded desktop sets might include useful “office tools”.
To cut a long story short, a desktop set gift box can be a great gift idea for speakers.
Why we like it: It’s both an elegant and neat way to keep workspaces more organized.
Plus, it’s something everyone can benefit from.
Speaker Gift #10: Desk Lamp
Talking about neat workspaces, a desk lamp couldn’t be missing from our list with the smartest conference gifts for speakers.
Speakers and attendees at events are usually busy people with a lot of work to do, so their office is a place they spend a big part of their day.
Since they often work until late at night, a desk lamp can prove to be a very handy gift for someone.
Why we like it: It’s a very thoughtful gift for speakers and they will – without a shadow of a doubt – get great use out of it.
Speaker Gift #11: Wine Bag
We think a premium wine bag, like the one shown below, can be yet another fantastic gift for conference speakers.
They’re a great gift idea for any keynote speaker that’ll be attending an event, whether that’s in-person or virtually.
Moreover, if you want to go the extra mile with your gift and offer something truly special to your conference speakers, you could also consider putting in the bag one or two bottles of great local wine.
Why we like it: A high end wine bag makes a great premium gift that’ll definitely be greatly appreciated.
Author’s Note: You can start building your own thoughtful swag pack for conference speakers by using our killer swag pack builder.
Speaker Gift #12: Powerbank
Similar to the charging pad, a powerbank is an excellent way to keep your phone from dying at an event or conference.
We know the feeling of being at a lengthy speech or networking event.
It might be super interesting, but our phone is something we are in great need of.
Unfortunately, according to Techwalla, a new phone can only last for up to seven hours of talk time, and the usage of apps can drain the battery much faster than that.
Whether that’s to check the time, text our family and friends, or even note down emails and phone numbers, keeping our phone alive is something we definitely want to do.
For those reasons, we believe that a powerbank is a great gift for your next event.
Why we like it: It’s one of the best value-for-money gadgets you can give to speakers.
Speaker Gift #13: Bluetooth Speaker
Moving on to the next gift idea on our list.
What we propose here is a bluetooth speaker, and we have several reasons to.
First of all, it’s perfect for the office or home.
You can connect it to your phone and blast out your favourite song – although not the most office friendly idea – or use it to enjoy louder and clearer sound for online events.
You may also find it with a built-in wireless charging pad for your device, making it the perfect tech gadget to gift to speakers.
Secondly, it’s portable and the perfect size to carry around in a bag.
Why we like it: It’s a small and convenient tech piece, with many useful features.
Speaker Gift #14: Gift Card
The next type of gift we have for you on this list is a gift card (AKA a gift certificate).
You might be used to giving gift cards or vouchers to your loved ones on birthdays and at Christmas, but why not to speakers as a way to show your appreciation to them?
You can easily find some on Amazon and many other online stores, which means that whoever receives them has the flexibility to use them on anything they want.
It works as a great alternative to an ordinary item, since you don’t have to worry about whether they’ll like it or not.
Why we like it: They come in different price ranges and they are a very thoughtful thank you note for your conference’s subject matter experts.
Speaker Gift #15: Tumbler
Our next item on the list is a stylish tumbler.
A tumbler is the type of gift that anyone can use.
Especially event speakers who want to safely carry their drink around, it can act as a great token of appreciation.
What we love about it the most is the fact that it can be uniquely designed and customized, like adding a brand’s logo on it or even the speaker’s name on the side.
Who wouldn’t love that?
Also, it’s definitely not an ordinary type of drinkware, since it can also preserve the drink’s temperature for many hours.
Why we like it: It’s a very useful and eco-friendly gift idea; it can be reused multiple times.
Speaker Gift #16: Tablet Stand
A lightweight, convenient tablet stand is the next gift we propose to you for your next event.
A tablet stand, like the mobile stand we’ve seen a little further up in this post, is a very practical speaker gift that can be used in so many different ways.
You can use them at home when you’re in the home office, at the actual office, or even when cooking and want to have a recipe book right in front of you.
You can even use them when speaking at a conference as a way to have your notes in a place where you can see them and even control any slides or videos being presented.
What’s more, you can have them customized with a brand logo to achieve a unique and personalized design.
If you want more thoughtful swag bag ideas for events then you should definitely check out our list dedicated to them.
Why we like it: Tablet stands serve a very useful purpose and can be used in many different ways.
Speaker Gift #17: Duffel Bag
A high end duffel bag couldn’t be missing from our list of conference gifts for speakers.
We all know that since the pandemic has started, most conferences are taking place online.
However, before the pandemic and hopefully when we’re past it, people will again start traveling around the world to participate in big conferences and events.
For that reason, giving a premium gift like the leather duffle bag shown above might be just the perfect gift.
Moreover, they make a perfect guest speaker gift because they can be custom made, just like the less premium phone stands and tumblers you’ve seen a little further up in this post!
Why we like it: It’s a handy and stylish premium gift that anyone will love.
We advise you to not hesitate in handing some out to your keynote speakers at your next event.
Speaker Gift #18: Goodies Gift Bag
We had to end this list with an amazing speaker gift idea and we believe that a goodies gift bag, or a gift basket, was the perfect way to do so.
Why give someone a single item when you can give them something with multiple items inside?
Don’t get us wrong, single items are great.
After all, that’s the reason we made this list.
If you want to add an extra element of surprise to your gifts, then a goodies gift bag is the way to go.
First of all, you can have your branded bag personalized with the speaker’s name or your brand’s logo.
Secondly, you can add anything you want inside, including the gifts we propose in this list post.
For example, you could consider including a tumbler, a powerbank, a notebook or even a t-shirt.
What’s great about a gift bag is that you can have all items included in it personalized to feature your brand in the best way possible!
In our opinion, it’s one of the best all-in-one gift sets for your event speakers.
Why we like it: Accompanied with a unique design, possibly made by a local artist, a goodie gift bag is a useful and stylish way to show your appreciation to speakers.
Now Over to You
So, there you have it.
You now know what are some of the best conference gifts for speakers.
Regardless if you’re hosting a virtual conference or in-person event, showing appreciation is essential.
Before we close this up, we should note that your products’ budget can be adjusted if there are many speakers participating at the conference, or if you’re just looking for gifts for keynote speakers only.
If you want to learn more about the ideal speaker gifts as well as have a cost estimation based on your needs, make sure to leave us a brief message below.
With almost three decades of experience in the field of promotional products and corporate gifting, we’re the ideal partner to point you in the right direction.
Thanks for reading!
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Featured image by Teemu Paananen on Unsplash.