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Insights on events, technology, and the future of gathering
Quick answer: The best gifts for virtual and hybrid events work just as well at a distance: digital gift cards, exclusive invites, all-expenses-paid trips, online courses, gift box subscriptions, social media shout-outs, software subscriptions, private consultations, future event tickets, and honorary donations. Pair them with gamification so attendees earn prizes by taking part.
If you have a virtual or hybrid event on the horizon, one of the top challenges you will face is getting the best possible engagement from your audience. When people are watching a conference online instead of sitting in the same room as each presenter and strolling through exhibit booths, they may need an extra reason to get involved. That is why so many event coordinators use gamification: attendees earn points throughout the event, and it works best when there are fantastic prizes to give away to the winners.
But which prizes work for virtual and hybrid events, when some of your attendees may live far away? There are more ways to get creative than you might think. Here are 10 gift ideas that travel well.
Digital gift cards are probably the most common gift for any virtual setting, and for good reason: they are a win-win. For you, it is as simple as purchasing an online gift card and entering the winner’s email address. For the winner, it is a fun way to treat themselves to anything they choose. Opt for a broad gift card that can be used at several businesses or, better yet, source discounted gift cards from your event sponsors’ or partners’ businesses.
Give away the opportunity to attend something exclusive, like a personal meet and greet with the head of your organization or lunch with your event’s keynote speaker. In-person invites are easier for local attendees, but a virtual meet and greet can still be a great honor for remote winners.
If you have a high budget for a major prize, an all-expenses-paid trip is always a crowd-pleaser. Give the winner a choice of select destinations, or choose a specific destination and cover their transportation, accommodations, and other expenses.
Online courses have been thriving since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (and they were hardly unheard of before it), so today there are plenty of highly valuable courses available. Give your winner an access code to a popular online course that suits your audience.
Monthly gift boxes are incredibly popular, and you can find subscription boxes for nearly any hobby or interest. Give away a subscription for a select number of months, such as a box of teas from around the world or a box of exotic snacks and chocolates. It is best to pick a box that nearly anyone would enjoy, unless you give your winner several boxes to choose from.
Does your organization have a great social media following, or a connection with someone who does? Depending on your audience, a social media shout-out can be an exciting and profitable gift. If you are throwing a conference for business owners, for example, a social media post from you plugging the winner’s business is a genuine opportunity.
Think about your audience: is there a particular type of software or online tool they would love to have? Maybe it is a tool that helps them improve their business, or something more fun-focused. Either way, a subscription that matches their interests makes a practical prize.
If your online event or hybrid event is a learning experience like a conference, you certainly have experts in your organization, and there are attendees who would love to pick their brains. Give away free private consultations. At a human resources conference, for instance, offer a one-on-one consultation with the head of your organization or another prominent member of the HR industry who can give the winning attendee some fantastic pointers.
Assuming your event goes well, you will probably have plenty of other events in the future, and those events can serve as prizes. Give away tickets to your next conference, for example, or offer a free upgrade from a standard ticket to a VIP ticket.
Some prizes can be sentimental rather than material. Offer to make a donation in the winner’s name to a specific charity, ideally one related to the purpose of your event. For a conference about diabetes management, for example, you could donate to the American Diabetes Association.
Prizes give remote attendees an extra reason to take part. Combined with gamification, they reward people for asking questions, joining sessions, and voting in polls, turning passive viewers into active participants.
Digital gift cards are the safest choice: they deliver instantly by email, work wherever the winner lives, and let them pick something they actually want. For more impact, match the prize to your audience, such as online course access or a private consultation with one of your experts.
Most organizers use gamification: attendees earn points for actions like attending sessions, answering polls, visiting sponsor booths, and networking, and the top scorers on the leaderboard win the prizes.
Favor gifts that travel digitally. Gift cards, course access codes, software subscriptions, shout-outs, and honorary donations all arrive by email or online, so save physical prizes and trips for winners who are happy to share delivery or travel details.
Canapii builds gamification, leaderboards, and prize-ready engagement into every virtual and hybrid event, and has powered 2,000+ events for 300,000+ attendees across 45+ countries. Learn more about the Canapii event management platform and get a demo.