You Are What You Gift

I am thrilled to be posting the most recent article by Alyssa Dver of Mint Green Marketing, whom I was lucky enough to meet in the vibrant virtual world. Some fantastic insights, ideas, examples and comments on meaningful matters. 

You Are What You Gift

 Reputation is said to be the currency of the future. Already, we all care about who wants to link or befriend us online, what our cars say about our values, and how an indelible Google profile affects our jobs, kids and overall relationships.  Reputation management and personal branding are two of the hottest topics for individuals and businesses at conferences around the world.

 So besides from saying, writing, and doing ‘good’ things, it is also true that your image reflects what you give.  Can you claim to be a thoughtful gift giver?  Most of us know someone in our lives who clearly does spend the time and money to find gifts that are meaningful to every recipient.  Perhaps you also know of some who regift things they don’t want or need?  Do you care when someone gives you a random gift that you know came from a discount store?  Worse yet, how do you feel when you find the actual price tag left on …and even worse, when the gift was wrapped up in a Tiffany box they hoped would fake you out?

 The giver would be embarrassed at least, and it certainly would not enhance their reputation. Not only does such gifting speak to the lack of time and money spent, but it speaks to a lack of respect for the other person.  By presenting them with something impersonal, you imply that you just don’t care about them that much.  Joel Waldfogel, author of “Scroogenomics”, notes that on average, people value items they receive as gifts about 20 percent less than the gift-giver actually spent on them.  So the person you present with a $19.99 gift already assumes $15.99 and then deducts more points for thoughtlessness. Perhaps this is why Waldfogel goes on to suggest not buying commercial holiday gifts at all, offering charity gift cards as a worthwhile alternative.

A relatively new concept, charity gift cards are pre-paid donations that the recipient redeems to a participating charity.  The buyer purchases as much value on the card as desired and then gives the card as a gift.  The recipient then selects the charity to direct the donated amount towards.  The charity card enables the recipient to be charitable; with the freedom to choose a cause of meaning to them, not pre-determined by the giver.  For example, the recipient may choose an environmental charity or one that focuses on cancer or diabetes.  The choice of which charity to select is left entirely to the recipient.  Receiving a charity card is a sign of trust and alignment between giver and recipient.  Even if you value charitable giving, you may only opt to give a gift of charity to those who will be appreciative and accept them graciously.

 Even companies find charity gift cards helpful in supporting their corporate citizenship objectives. Offices of Chubb Insurance, Microsoft, Merrill Lynch and many other corporate gift-givers have used the cards to thank loyal customers and partners.  The cards can be branded with the company’s logo and design to provide excellent image marketing as well as an appreciated gift. Sabine Cain, Vice President of Chubb Specialty Insurance, noted, “We received only positive feedback from our customers thanking us for giving them the opportunity to give back to the charity of their choice.”  Smaller companies such as my own, Mint Green Marketing, use the cards because they are an inexpensive way to gain positive, long-lasting brand awareness.  They allow me to donate and support charities while I simultaneously acknowledge important personal relationships.  I find that people really appreciate receiving even $5 cards as a take away from a presentation or book signing.  In exchange, they are then happy to give me their opt-in contact information which I can use for my own marketing purposes.  Its one of the best win-win-win opportunities I know available.

 Well maybe…teaching kids about charity may be even better.  Jeff Weinstein, a 5^th grade teacher at a lower income MA school uses the cards in his classroom.  He asks the students to write a short essay about the charities they select and why they selected those specifically.  He then presents them each a $5 card to spend on that charity as a surprise gift.  It’s an inexpensive but hugely meaningful lesson to these kids that are rarely able to experience the joy of giving to others. 

 Danny Goodman, President of Special Kids Fund and CharityChoice Gift Cards puts it best, “When you gift, you express thanks, condolence, congratulations or some other major emotion that should delight or comfort the recipient.  However, it may be hard, if not impossible, to guess if a predetermined gift will be received as you intended.  Charity gift cards are thoughtful and meaningful because they show how much you care and respect someone, as well as the world around us.”

 Alyssa Dver is CEO at Mint Green Marketing, providing affordable expert marketing help for companies around the world.  She is the author of No Time Marketing and many articles about marketing and social responsibility.