Events work because people agree to stand on a stage in front of your audience. They prepare and they travel. They bring their energy into a room full of strangers, and the audience remembers them for it. Often, the organiser's reputation rests on them too.
A fee (where there is one) covers their expertise and time, and it should. A gift covers something else. It tells the speaker you appreciated their involvement and that you are grateful.
The two don't compete. One is professional; the other is human.
Arrival or afterwards?
Both can work, and they do different jobs.
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On arrival: The gift eases the speaker in. It says "we're glad you're here" before they've said a word. It works well left in a hotel room or at a green room.
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After the gig: The gift says "it landed, and thank you." It keeps you in the speaker's mind for next year, and for the next organiser they talk to.
If you can only do one, choose the moment that suits your event. A multi-day festival suits arrival. A one-off conference often suits a thank-you afterwards.
How Ideas Fest did it
For Ideas Fest, founder Frankie James had personalised biscuits placed in speakers' hotel rooms. Each came with a handwritten note. The note was short, warm and specific. It thanked the guest for backing the festival and told them about the Welcome Party on the Champneys lawn that evening. It also encouraged them to use the spa and talk to their neighbours, because the best conversations rarely happen on the stages.
The biscuit carried the Ideas Fest logo, in a box of its own (which can be branded with your logo). The gift did two jobs. It was useful, because the note included what the speaker needed to know, and it was personal, because it was made for that festival and that guest.
We have also made speaker gifts for The Entrepreneurs Festival and Female Founders Rise.
What makes a speaker gift land
✅ Make it personal. Use the speaker's name, the event's branding, or a line that shows you know their work.
✅ Write the note by hand. It takes minutes and gets remembered.
✅ Keep it small and easy to carry. Speakers travel. Nobody wants a bulky gift in their luggage.
✅ Order early. Biscuits are made to order, so give yourself lead time.
A gift doesn't have to be large. It has to be considered.
Say thank you properly
If you run events, you are in the business of humanity. Money is transactional and is important for sure. But acknowleging the person in the room is what gives warmth and connection for a future relationship. A small, personal gift costs little compared with the rest of your budget.
Talk to us about speaker gifts, and we'll make something your speakers remember.
