The holidays aren’t the only time of year to spread cheer by sending gifts – you can also delight your event attendees with some special gift bags all year round. 

At in-person conferences, trade shows, and other events, attendees often collect a large slew of freebies and branded swag from various exhibitor booths. It’s a fun way for attendees to bring a piece of the event home with them. For brands, it’s a great way to help attendees remember your company name and logo.

Here’s what you need to know about gift bags for virtual event attendees and some virtual event gift ideas to help you craft the perfect gift package: 

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Why Send Gifts?

Everyone loves gifts! Gift baskets are currently an underutilized opportunity for virtual event organizers and sponsors. Only 30% of event owners send their attendees giveaways, so sending a gift package helps you set your event apart and make it more memorable for attendees. 

Gift items can also double as branding opportunities for event organizers and sponsors. Sponsors are often willing to pay extra to have their logos included in pre-event emails or in more prominent places throughout the event portal, but including your logo on items in a pre-event gift package is another great way to get your logo out there. As an added bonus, attendees will use these items and maybe even post them on social media, resulting in even more visibility. 

Event owners should work with sponsors to collect items for a pre-event gift package. Many event sponsors already have branded items that they give out at in-person events or to client care boxes, so they often have swag readily available to contribute. Reach out to sponsors to see if they have their own virtual event gift ideas or propose some that they could sponsor.

Virtual Event Gift Ideas to Make Attendance More Fun 

Hosting an event this winter? Send out some cozy gifts to help your attendees feel extra comfortable when joining your event from home such as: 

  • Branded sweatshirts, snuggies, or throw blankets  
  • A branded coffee mug or thermos  
  • Snacks, chocolate, or coffee to enjoy during the event 
  • Tech accessories like cord organizers, portable chargers, earbuds, branded mouse pads, laptop trays, a stylus pen, or other gifts that virtual attendees and tech enthusiasts would enjoy 
  • Items to be used for a happy hour or networking activity. A craft kit such as a paint by numbers kit can be a great giveaway to include for a happy hour activity. This is a fun way to encourage participation in themed networking hours. 

The most important thing is to know your audience and tailor the gift items to your attendees. Every event and audience is different, so consider the topics and themes of this particular event as well as the target audience. You want to provide gifts that the recipients will enjoy and use (or reuse!) 

Virtual Gift Ideas  

Virtual gift bags are the most environmentally friendly option. They are a great alternative to physical packages if you’re looking to save money on shipping and reduce the carbon footprint of your event.

Virtual gifts or giveaways can include industry-related resources or fun items to make event attendance a bit more fun or comfortable. Some items to consider including are:

  • E-books relevant to attendees’ interests and the event themes 
  • An eGift card for a coffee chain or food delivery service so that attendees can get themselves a nice breakfast before the event or order lunch to eat at home while joining a happy hour 
  • Wellness subscriptions or resources: provide a 30-day subscription to a wellness app, audiobook service, or other online service. 
  • Access to an online course or a free introductory session with sponsors 
  • Custom Zoom backgrounds or photo filters 
  • A donation in your attendees’ honor. Let attendees choose from a list of nonprofits and donate a small amount in each of their honor. This is a great way to build good will with attendees and many people prefer to work with and support ethical and socially conscious companies. 

You can also choose some larger virtual gifts such as higher value eGift cards to distribute to winners through gamification, raffles, trivia, or other surprise intervals throughout the event to boost excitement. 

Host Your Next Virtual Event with Social27 

Sending out attendees’ gifts is a great way to boost engagement and create more memorable event experiences. What else do you need to create an engaging event? The right virtual event platform, of course!

Social27 Virtual Event Platform offers a wide range of features to help event owners connect with attendees in exciting and creative ways. From gamification to flexible content delivery methods, Social27 Virtual Event Platform can take your event to the next level.  

Set up a demo today to learn more about what Social27 has to offer event organizers and sponsors.