Have you ever received that ubiquitous USB Key at a corporate event?
If you’re anything like me there’s a stash of them at the back of your desk drawer never to be seen again.
And this brings us to the question – “what is the best gift to give at an event so that your guests remember you beyond the event itself?
I’ve always found Pens, mouse mats and mugs to be great gifts. Why? Because they’re useful everyday objects. They’ll always be dotted around the office. Always being used. And the company branding is constantly in front of me and my team.
But the best and most unusual gift I’ve ever seen was at a Royal Ascot day…
An online betting company gave out branded Flip-Flops at the end of the event. I told you it was unusual. It was also very clever too.
After wearing high heels all day, ankles throbbing and feet aching, all the women grabbed the opportunity to change into something more comfortable. And as a result, these branded flip-flops were seen all over Ascot and London as people got onto their trains.
This was very smart marketing.
So this is me giving you permission to get imaginative and let your creative juices flow as you consider the best gift for your guests at your event.
Before I sign off on this 3rd and final edition of our February email mini-series on running successful events, I’ve got a couple of other things you should think about when planning gifts at your event…
1. When will you give the gift?
There are many options here for you. You can give your gifts
- In advance – Send a gift to your guests before the event begins to get them excited
- During the event – Give gifts as guests enter, after an announcement, or a gift bag as they leave
- In the hotel room – You can also leave a gift in your guest’s hotel room for when they arrive, or when they get back to their room after the event. Think bottle of champagne, fruit basket etc
2. Size matters
If your guests will be taking transport from your event or back home, you’ll need to think about the size of your gift. A big gift might be difficult to manoeuvre on a public train. But don’t go so small (like a USB stick) that it’s easily forgotten and ignored.
3.Check the Bribery Act
You should ensure the value of the gift is not over the maximum allowed within the Bribery Act. High-value items might not be received well by some companies due to this too. So just be careful when gifting high-value items.
And that wraps up this month’s 3-part mini-series on running successful events. In February you’ve learned about:
- Staffing at your event
- Getting food and drink right
- And how to choose the right gift
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