Token Ideas for Guest Speakers by Jenna Smith

deals with how groups and organizations can honor guest speakers. She is associated with EDCO Awards & Specialties, which is a manufacturer of corporate recognition items including crystal awards, promotional products and trophies. Be sure to check them out. Thanks Jenna.

• Finding an effective speaker is one of the most important phases of conducting a seminar or a conference. Speakers need to be notified weeks or even months in advance, especially if they are a well-known personality, an inspirational person, or someone who has a major contribution in different fields of study. Speakers are willing to take time off from their jobs, and they are looking forward to speaking in front of a large audience, lecturing about their expertise and sharing new knowledge. The audience is expected to listen to the speakers, and take down notes about the topics that they will most likely cover. At the end of every seminar or conference, the speakers are given a token of appreciation, as a form of gratitude from the organizers of the event.
• The token of appreciation is usually given in the form of an engraved plaques, but it depends on how much budget was allocated for the tokens. Most of the time, plaques are given out to speakers because they are sold everywhere. Plaques are also affordable and can be displayed on the speaker’s office to highlight the event. However, plaques are quickly becoming old fashioned, and event organizers in the present have been thinking about new ideas on what other tokens they could provide to the speakers aside from the usual plaque. The thing that can be given to a speaker varies from organization to organization, and it all boils down to how much they are willing to shell out. The following list is some of the best gifts that can be given to speakers and other guests of honor:

Personalized Items

• Anything that is personalized would be a great gift to speakers. Personalized whiskey, pens, and notebooks are some of the most common gifts handed out to speakers. Handing out a personalized item to a speaker would make them feel special, and they will highly appreciate this type of gift. One of the best tips that organizers should consider would be asking the speaker about their personal preferences so that the speaker would enjoy the gift better. Most of the time, these personalized items that are given to speakers are left untouched. These tokens end up being displayed on the speaker’s office, while others are making use of it.

Vouchers

• It might sound ridiculous to give a voucher to a speaker, but it is one of the most common trends in the world today. Vouchers for restaurants, entertainment, and experiences have become common, and most speakers will be more than happy to accept the gift. They are also looking forward to a great weekend or holidays with their family, and having a voucher on hand would be a great way to save a lot of money from paying for the entrance, food, and so much more.

Gadgets and Accessories

• For organizers who have a lot of budget for their program, they could purchase a new gadget for their speakers which they can use for further talks. However, they can also provide them with accessories that they can use, like power banks and tablet covers. Power banks and external batteries would be a great token especially if they are relying on their smartphones to discuss their topics. Having a low battery is inconvenient, but with a power bank on hand, they would never think of running out of batteries again. Tablet covers can also be a great token to speakers, and there are a lot of beautifully made products available online. Mobile speakers would also work, especially if they will be speaking in a location where speakers are limited.

Artistic Crafts

• Bobbleheads, statuettes, and caricatures are some of the best tokens that can be given to the speaker. These gifts also have a touch of personalization, and it would have a high sense of appeal to those who will be receiving it.

Old School Handwritten Note

• If the organizers do not have enough budget to buy a token of appreciation, they could make an old-style note instead. Speakers will appreciate these notes, especially if the audience will participate. Old-style notes have their own charm that makes them an ideal token for speakers. However, remember that a physical pen with a handwritten note would work best. The same charm does not work for printed letters and emails

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