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Ten Self-Defeating Gift-Giving Rules

December 15, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan 2 Comments

Ten Self-Defeating Gift-Giving Rules

Ten gift-giving rulesIn my recipe cabinet is a three ring binder full of food-related stuff I’ve collected over the years. A book in progress, it includes recipes I’ve made for various holidays. The good ones make it into the book, the average ones don’t. I pull it down about a week before each big meal or get-together to peruse as I plan the meal.

I also keep ideas for table settings and flowers, and lists of the people who were present, as well as other miscellany. In one section I even clipped an article about three young girls who were killed in a car accident right around graduation/Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t know them, but their deaths hit me especially hard for some reason and I didn’t want to forget them. When summer BBQs start to sound good, I open my book and am reminded to say a prayer.

So it’s that kind of a book; part memories, part food, part kitchen wisdom. I’m not religious about chronicling every little detail, but this hodgepodge of a book has become a beloved part of my holiday tradition.

In the Thanksgiving section I always find and read the following advice for gift-giving. I don’t know where it came from originally, but it was given to me by a woman who mentored me through my first year as a new mom way back in 1998. It helps me get my head on straight before the big retail season hits hard. Since Black Friday has taken on a holiday-like status of it’s own, these tips may reset your thought process. I hope you find some wisdom in this list, too!

The Self-Defeating Gift-Giving Rules

1. Give a gift to everyone you expect to get one from.

2. If someone gives you a gift unexpectedly, you should reciprocate that year, even if you had no previous intention of giving that person a present. (Some people have wrapped gifts set aside for just such an occasion.)

3. When you give someone a gift, you should plan to give that person a gift every year thereafter.

4. The amount of time and money you spend on a gift should be directly proportional to how much you care about the recipient.

5. The gift that  you give someone should be equal in monetary value and/or personal significance to the one you receive from that person.

6. The presents you give someone should be fairly consistent over the years.

7. If you give a gift to a person in one category (for example: coworkers or neighbors) you should give gifts to everyone in that category. And these gifts should be similar.

8. The gifts you give your children should be equal in number and monetary value, while at the same time suiting the unique qualities of each child.

9. Men should not give gifts to their male friends, unless the gifts are alcoholic beverages. Women, however, are encouraged to give gifts to their female friends, and those gifts should not be alcohol.

10. Homemade gifts are more “meaningful” than store-bought ones.

Comments are always welcome. Have a great Thanksgiving Day, friends! 

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: art of gift giving, Black Friday, gift giving, gift giving rules, gift giving tips, giving presents, recipe book, retail season, scrapbook, shopping season, Thanksgiving

Seven Practical Benefits Of The Super Long Christmas Season

November 9, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Seven Practical Benefits Of The Super Long Christmas Season

It’s been “The Holidays” for a few weeks now.

Not complaining, just observing. I don’t need to point out the signs; you’ve seen them yourself.

You may believe that all this Christmas hype points to the commercialization of what used to be a simple holiday, but there are ways to take this in stride. Simply look at the the bright side. I found seven of them.

If you live by the calendar, the later the date of Thanksgiving, the shorter the official holiday season. But you and I both know that it’s in full swing right now. So read on…

The winner for the very best heads-up from a major brand that it’s almost Christmas, came a few days BEFORE Halloween. This savvy company got a jump on all those hasty Back Friday folks with their heartwarming notice that they’d be closed the day after Thanksgiving. You caught the #optoutside campaignREI opt outside Black Friday campaign, right? It kind of made me want to go outside and oh, I don’t know… shop at REI. Loved that.

There are at least seven things to like about the long holiday season, commercialism aside:

1. The Hallmark Channel’s 24/7 lineup of movies: Now that the weather is iffy and the days are shorter, I like to curl up with a good book — or a cheesy movie. I would enjoy, just once, a surprising departure from the usual Hallmark formula, however. E.g. Girl goes back to the city with rich, creepy guy and spends Christmas Eve drinking too much whiskey and doing regrettable things with strings of Christmas lights… but I suppose there are other channels for that.

Christmas pumpkins2. Crossover Decorations: I talked with my mother the other day. She’s planning a cookie party in early December, so that means she’s decorating now. “It takes so long, I’m doing a little at a time,” she said. She’s in great company.

Adventurous holiday bridge builders now simply blend the fall holidays in with winter holidays and it all works out just fine, as you can see from these tips for upcycling pumpkins into Christmas decorations. Hat tip to Tim Burton for starting this trend so long ago.

3. An Excuse to Party More Often: Is it just me, are are your friends also murmuring over their phones about how few open weekends there are between now and January? I take that as a signal to plan or attend a few more celebratory events over the next couple of months.

Peanuts gang dancing at a Christmas party4. More opportunities for sales and free shipping: And if you’re a business owner or marketer, there are more opportunities to sell stuff! I’ve received coupons and offers already boasting snowmen and candy canes, 50% off, and free shipping. What’s not to like?

5. Holiday food: Not to be hedonistic, but… now’s the time when all those summer salad recipes get buried under clippings, recipe cards, and Pinterest boards dedicated to comfort food. It doesn’t have to be unhealthy; I’m thinking warm, savory, buttery squashes and soups, roasts and spices… I love winter food, how about you? The long Christmas season means you get to play with all those delicious flavors and specialty items in the grocery stores ASAP. Yum.

Santas watching.6. “Santa’s watching”: I predate the “Elf on the Shelf” craze, which means I still go straight for the big guns, disguised in more mature terms. Yeah, I’m talking about the big fat man himself. Now that my kids know how to add products to their Amazon wish lists, they better be on their best behavior. I saw that new Swagway Scooter the other day… My response: “So how’s that math homework coming tonight?”

And don’t think this doesn’t work after a certain magical age. The best thing about the kids growing older is now they know I’m not as nice as Santa. Lots of bribes; no promises. Look, parents, you’ve got two months to milk this cow.

7. More Time to Give… to the food pantry, send Christmas cards, pack a shoebox for Operation Shoebox, plan your trip, or thaw the turkey. With everyone talking about all you need to be doing, chances are you might actually do them more often, or at least on time! For example, the barrels for canned goods and coats have been out for a couple of weeks now, so it won’t slip my mind at crunch time.

I finally stopped sulking about the gifts I bought, but never got around to putting under the tree at church a few years back. What a dingbat — or just a busy mom, take your pick. When you have the best of intentions, two months is plenty of time to follow a well-laid plan, I should think. But hey, No judgment here.

Fact is, we’re all in this together…

The consumers, the bankers, the farmers, the retailers and the web stores, Amazon, Walmart, the people who work at Amazon and Walmart, the small biz folks, the charities and churches and non profits, the moms and dads trying to sprinkle a little magic in their kids’ lives, and the people who just want Christmas to slip by for one year without fanfare because they’re broke, or lonely, or just tired.

Yes, the holiday season brings a heightened sense of expectation, no matter how you feel about the forced sentiment to ring in cheer. Some people love it, some don’t. But as long as the season takes up a good fifth of the year now, at least you can try to wring out the good.

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: #optoutside, Black Friday, christmas box, Christmas decorations with pumpkins, Christmas sales, commercialism in Christmas, Countdown to Christmas, Dancing at Christmas party, Elf on a Shelf, Free shipping at Christmas, Hallmark Channel, long Christmas season, Long holiday season, More time at Christmas, Operation Shoebox, Peanuts Gang Christmas, REI and black Friday, Samaritan's Purse, Santa's watching

Five Reasons To Offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals Even If You Don’t Sell Christmas Gifts

November 16, 2012 by jennifer mcgahan 2 Comments

Five Reasons To Offer Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals Even If You Don’t Sell Christmas Gifts

black friday dealsDon’t’ fall into the trap of thinking that people are not shopping for your products on Black Friday and Cyber Monday just because they don’t necessarily fall into a traditional gift category. 

No matter what your business or who you serve, your marketing mix should contain deals and reminders throughout the holidays. Take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to draw attention during the height of the consumer shopping season. Don’t assume that people are too busy or uninterested this time of year. Those are great excuses to taper off your marketing and advertising, but you’d be missing out on the hottest time to make a lasting impression on your ideal client. 

Five reasons to boost your online marketing efforts over the holidays:

1. Time is money.  People have a long weekend to click, search and compare to their heart’s delight. Unscheduled time means more discretionary Internet browsing. People will be online during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. They’ll be investigating which stores are worth hitting and what can wait till later in the shopping season. Making holiday plans. Catching up on social sites. Even working through the weekend. (If your clients are small business people, you already know that’s a fact.) Your business should pop up in many different online channels to take advantage of all that Internet browsing.

2. Thanksgiving weekend kicks off the official spending season. As soon as Santa makes his appearance in the Macy’s Day parade, it’s full out shopping season. Whether they take advantage of sales at local retail stores or deals online, people are in shopping mode. Shoppers are prepared to spend money. Be in front of them with opportunities and problem-solving solutions, even if you don’t offer “gifts.”

One of my favorite expressions comes from Eddie Speed, a note broker here in Texas. Referring to  big and easy spenders, he says they’re “running  with money in both hands.” There are certain times and conditions when people are open to buying. Black Friday through Cyber Monday is the time to attract those potential buyers.

3. The “associative shopping” mentality. When people are in a shopping frenzy, many stray from their list. Some consumers start out with a strict list and budget. Others browse without a plan. You can serve both types of shoppers by expertly positioning your products and services with the giver in mind… not the end recipient of the gift.

as long as I'm buying...
“As long as I’m buying…”

Gift giving reflects on the giver and satisfies an innate human need for acceptance and appreciation. People choose gifts for others based on what the other person would like, certainly, but also for their own personal satisfaction in giving. “In giving you receive.” It doesn’t take a leap of logic to see why so many people buy personal gifts while shopping for others. It’s simple human nature: they’re really thinking about themselves too!

Remember, some of the best presents are the ones we’d like to have ourselves. How many times have you gone out to buy one specific item and came home with stuff you never anticipated putting in your cart? Or gone in search for a gift for someone, only to come home with more goodies for yourself? Sometimes the very act of shopping for gifts makes consumers more inclined to indulge themselves!

Keep this in mind over the holiday season: It doesn’t matter whether you offer gifts people are buying for others. Those “others” are not your customers. The one pulling out his wallet IS. Speak to that person.

4.  The “Last Chance for Gas” Mindset. Winding down of the old year brings some soul-searching. As December approaches, many folks assess the year in terms of what goals they reached and what they still want to accomplish. Most people move into the new year with some unfinished business from the last one. While no one can neatly compartmentalize one year from another (nor should you want to) your customers may want to settle a problem or issue before the calendar year ends.

The coming new year means a million different things for a million different people. Folks have more than presents on their minds. How are you serving those people who are ripe to hear your message at this moment in time? Thanksgiving weekend is THE TIME to appeal to your ideal clients and customers. Your online presence (in the form of a tweet, an email, or a Facebook post) may trigger a decision to finally act on a long-held desire.

5. Life goes on. OK, so you don’t sell toys, food or wine. Your website doesn’t sell electronics, clothes or jewelry. In fact your business may have nothing to do with Christmas gift-giving or its festivities at all. You could be a chiropractor, a tree trimmer, or a designer of eyewear. You can still be very active at this time of year, or at least reap the benefits of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales.

“But I sell insurance,” you say…”No one wants insurance at Christmas-time.” Phooey. Remind your prospects that your products and services are relevant and necessary through the entire year, offer an incentive for them to act right now (even in a traditionally slow season) and they may see a good reason to act. At the very least you stay relevant in their minds, which pays off when they need your services or products.

Your business is seasonal you say? Even for a swimming pool company, a Black Friday deal could be what gets someone to notice you — especially if your competition isn’t taking advantage of the shopping season like you are.

Cyber Monday is the perfect time to show your customers you care. If you have your finger on the pulse of your ideal customer, you know that their problem doesn’t go away just because the holidays are here. In fact sometimes the holidays exacerbate a chronic problem. Serving your customers well means being there when they need you…now and in the future. You need to remind them that the future exists.

Don’t forget, the biggest online shopping day is actually the day after Christmas with sales continuing through the early new year. People buy last minute gifts between Christmas and New years, grab the things they really wanted but didn’t get, even purchase and plan ahead for January.

Just because you don’t offer something you can wrap up and put under a Christmas tree or give at Hanukkah doesn’t mean you should take a break from your marketing. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the ensuing online shopping season is when your customers are the most active online. Now is a great time to position your offer for consumer eyeballs.

Filed Under: Content Marketing Tagged With: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, email marketing, holiday shopping, marketing in the off season, online shopping, Thanksgiving weekend

Pre- Black Friday and the 60 Days of Christmas

November 5, 2012 by jennifer mcgahan 1 Comment

Pre- Black Friday and the 60 Days of Christmas

pre- black fridayBreaking news: I’m thinking Christmas. It’s almost Black Friday.

I’ve been reading about Black Friday email campaigns for two months now, but between you and me, GOSH! I’m a small business. I’m DOING business (like you are) and I’ll think about Black Friday in November when I’m good and ready. Let’s put Halloween decorations away before we go there, shall we?

The decorations were put away on Thursday, so we’re live now. I have no more excuses.

BRING CHRISTMAS ON.

Now that the “60 days of Christmas” are upon us (yes, the holidays last from Halloween through he New Year now) how are you going to bump up sales? I have a little hunch that some people might be spending more this year. Some, like affluent boomers may treat themselves to a personal present on the extravagant side. Others may be ready for some big ticket purchases like a trip or some home improvements. Maybe not necessarily in the Christmas present genre, but be on the lookout for “spendy” people this year. It’s just a feeling I have.

How do you appeal to the people who want to spend money? Well, by positioning yourself before Black Friday in their inbox, naturally.

 Target pre black friday adCheck this out: The Black Friday preview email from Target.

Don’t worry if you don’t want to “re-subscribe” to every email list you’re already on; chances are I will do it for you and show you what the trends are. (That’s what I do. Bookmark this page and add it to your reading list.)

Anyway, this one is great! I’m already on the Target email list. That’s what kills me. I’m RE-opting in as a primo-engaged member of this list!

How I would love to be a bug on the wall and know what they call subscribers like me! The ones who add their email address (again) to make sure we get the good stuff. (“Targeteers?” “Loyal Red Dots?”)

Not sure if you’re ready to do this type of segmenting, but you can learn from the techniques if nothing else.

Black Friday emails are a must!

How would you prompt some extra engagement from your list at this time of year? Will you reveal an amped-up level of savings for people who voluntarily choose it? That could be a great strategy for your holiday sales boost!

sign up now at TargetAnd here’s the follow up:

The subtle nuances are so sweet: The darkened neon lettering saying “It’s on!” bait the customer who’s looking for deals. Kind of makes you wonder when they’ll turn on the lights. Maybe it will be earlier for email customers? That’s what I’m thinking.

What I like about his campaign:

  • It’s early but not too early.
  • It’s doesn’t smack of Halloween or Thanksgiving OR Christmas. It brands Black Friday as its own special holiday.
  • It leaves the reader wondering when the sale will actually start — almost guaranteeing a great open rate from now through Nov. 23rd, the day after Thanksgiving.
  • It slips in the notice that you’ll be receiving email notices “all year long.”

For customers who regularly shop at Target, this email serves as an affirmation that yes, they still want to be on the Target email list. Re-engagement in a subtle and easy way. The consumer assures the brand that of course, she’ll want the latest deals, verifying that she is “the one” to market to all year long.

Do you see what they did here, all in ONE email campaign?

Are you ready to bump up your email campaigns for the holidays?

Let me know if I can help you make more money this Holiday season! Give me a call. I’ll schedule a phone call where we can discuss your holiday business. We’ll brainstorm for twenty minutes and figure out how you can “get’er done.”

Can’t wait to hear from you… The time is NOW!

 Pre-black Friday flyerUpdate (Tues. Nov. 13)

Just received this morning: a preview of the sale. Lights still darkened in the picture, but I can click on the flyer and find out.

 

Filed Under: Email Tagged With: 60 days of Christmas, Black Friday, Christmas sales, email marketing, Halloween sales, Jen McGahan My Team Connects, pre-Christmas offer, re- engage customers

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