Speakers are at the heart of business events and fundraisers, so speaker gifts are a great way to show appreciation for their time and expertise. And if your speakers have a good experience and feel appreciated, they’re more likely to tell colleagues, fans, and other influencers how much they love your event.
For these reasons, thank your speakers once your event wraps up. A handwritten thank you note – delivered by hand or snail mail – is a great starting point. But a thoughtful gift makes a bigger impression.
Even with a modest event budget, there are thoughtful and creative ways to say “thank you” with charm and class. You’re sure to find speaker gifts under $50 – one way to make modest gifts memorable is by making them more personal.
Here are some of our top guest speaker gift ideas to get you started.
Table of contents
Corporate speaker gifts that help improve productivity
Experience gifts for guest speakers
Best speaker gifts
Let’s face it: it’s hard to top some delicious treats to eat and drink when it comes to the best conference speaker gifts.
Superior coffee
Who doesn’t love great java? Local and national coffeemakers from Starbucks to The Coffee Club have various bean options for every palate. You can also play it safe and go with a gift certificate or even a coffee subscription.
Goodies for everyone back at home base
Speakers often have a support team of assistants, researchers, and other staff. Acknowledge their sacrifice with a special order of local baked goods, doughnuts, or a fresh fruit basket.
Corporate speaker gifts that help improve productivity
Leave your speaker feeling appreciated while also improving productivity. That’s a win-win. Here are some corporate speaker gift ideas.
Handy device accessories
Notice what kind of tablet or laptop your speaker uses for the presentation, and gift them with a stylus for smartphones or a mobile charging station.
Wireless headphones
Another excellent gift for technology lovers, Bluetooth travel headphones come in a range of sizes and price ranges. When your speaker puts them on, they’ll be able to get in their productivity zone instantly.
Timeless notebooks
Go old school with a high-quality leather or suede-covered notebook, perfect for jotting down notes and brilliant witticisms for next time.
Personalised speaker gifts
One-of-a-kind gifts particular to your speakers make them feel special and appreciated. They also make good knick-knacks for display at the office (and a daily reminder of your events).
Trackers
Bluetooth trackers that can be fixed to a phone, purse, or wallet are ideal for busy travellers and commuters who never stay in one place.
Custom caricature
Invite a caricaturist to your event to sketch the goings-on, and have the artist draw your speakers, too. Once your event is over, you can give them the artwork to take home for a truly original gift.
Personalised bottles of liquor
Makers of fine spirits often offer the choice of ordering personalised or even engraved bottles. When first engaging your speakers, try to learn what their favourite spirit is to make it even more personal.
Experience gifts for guest speakers
For those speakers who already have everything, a less tangible gift could be just the thing.
A charity donation
Sometimes, the nicest thing you can gift someone is a donation to someone else. Perhaps you know of a cause close to the speaker’s heart or relevant to the event’s subject matter. Opt for a more general business-minded charity like Kiva, a crowd-funding organisation that lends money to entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Experience vouchers
Give the gift of a memorable experience and your speaker will be the first to volunteer to come back next year. Millennials, in particular, highly value great experiences. If your speaker falls into the millennial camp, events like culinary tasting tours and racecar driving experiences might blow them away.
Get your orders in
Now that you have speaker gifts covered, it’s time to think about what you’re getting your sponsors, vendors, and other talent.
