Gift-Giving Need Not Be Lavish. Here Are a Few Hints to Give Heart-warming Presents to Daddy

Father’s Day is just around the corner and it will be here earlier than you know it! Give your father, or other special man in your life, a truly extraordinary and treasured gift. Make this year a different year by giving him something memorable.

Father’s Day gift baskets are bundled in all patterns and sizes and can be custom-made to fit whatever budget. You have the option of purchasing them off the shelf or as a custom made gift.Whatever your Father loves doing, you can find an item or a a couple of items that he will surely enjoy and care for. (And, not take up room in his sock drawer.)

If the special guy in your life is a motion picture fan, request a Father’s Day gift basket made close to this topic. You can just imagine the look on his face when he sees all these goodies specially fashioned to his likings.

If Dad is a “golf junkie”, there are many Father’s Day golf-related gifts

Baskets that will fit him to a t. or in this case, tee. Select small themed items. maybe a book filled with extraordinary golf tips, a handy notepad or a perpetual calendar. Add to that, a bucket of chocolate golf balls, Dad’s favourite nuts, snack mix and a golfer’s coffee mug, filled with a smorgasbord of gourmet coffee singles.

Does your Dad claim to be the “master of the grill”? If so, BBQ-related, Father’s Day gift baskets are an alternative worth your consideration. Start with a wicker tray-type basket filled with a assortment of sauces and marinades. Lastly, you can complete off the basket with utensils and BBQ related-items such as chopping boards, gloves, cookbook or even a grocery gift card.

There really are Fathers Day Gifts baskets appropriate for everyone on your list, regardless of their pursuits. This year, take the time to have your favourite gift basket vendor create a wonderful basket that won’t end up in the back of the closet, collecting dust!

Expand Your Network - Forum!

Forum posts are a way to connect with other marketers and just as in offline business, networking is what online marketing is all about. When people get to know you, they trust you and this may spark them to buy your product or join the program you’re promoting. And, it’s always a great way to make new friends.

The first thing you must do after joining is to introduce yourself to the other members of the group. Usually, this will include information about where you live, what your interests are, and a blurb about being happy to be in the forum. Keep it simple and allow veteran members to welcome you. Then, respond to their comments or questions. It’s a great way to get your feet wet and to satisfy the “getting to know you” requirement of most forums.

Then, just read posts for a while. Old-timers in a forum, those who have been members a while, can often be great sources of information. You can learn a great deal just by reading posts, especially if the forum is very active. Take advantage of the free tutoring. It’s worth its weight in platinum.

Another advantage of posting to a forum is that you are usually able to use a signature file, meaning a link to a program or product you’re promoting underneath your signature. This is a great way to advertise! Your link attaches to every post you make or will ever make and it will add up to a lot of free advertising over time. Just be sure to follow the rules about posting signature lines. Some forums allow several, while others may allow none at all, and the last thing you want to be is a forum rule breaker. The members will never let you forget, if you do it consistently over time.

Don’t become a forum lizard, either. Posts that have no substance are generally frowned upon. These are the “Yahoo!” posts or the “Sure, I agree,” posts with no relevant comments to legitimize them. Don’t spend all your time in forums, either. Find a thread or two that interest you and post something important to those. Reading every post by every member can take up most of your day in large forums, if you allow it. Just be involved enough to become known as someone whose point of view holds interest by providing food for thought, interesting URLs on a topic, or especially humor, if you’re able to write funny things without being corny. Forum members won’t mind if you post once or fifteen times, if what you have to say resonates.

So, get out there and make some posts, even if it’s only to respond to what others have posted. First, read the terms and conditions of the forum and read some posts before you go barging into someone else’s living room. Get a feel for the tone of its posters. And never post ads, unless the forum has a specific board for doing so. That’s a big no-no and will get you into trouble. But don’t be shy. People in forums are generally nice and very helpful, and networking is what n-e-t-w-o-r-k marketing is all about!

Pat Marcello is the owner of OVMarketing.net, OVEditing.com, and OVBLogger.com. She is also the author of 10 traditionally published books. Her favorite forum is NetMarketingForum, where you can find her most days of the week.

Persistence Pays

As a chemistry teacher many years ago I instructed my students to heat iron filings and sulfur. Each time they did the result was exactly the same -iron sulfide.

Wouldn’t it be nice if marketing worked the same way? Then all the career and business tips I write would work immediately. Network at a meeting one evening and the next morning tons of potential new clients or employers call you. That would be wonderful and my clients would love it! So would I!

I talk to dozens of people every month who are doing career searches or practice building. The single biggest expectation is that the result will be immediate and when it isn’t the person just stops the activity. “Oh networking doesn’t work for me. I go to a meeting, hand out lots of business cards, and no one ever calls.”

The thing about marketing is that it isn’t fast and it also isn’t that predictable. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. Finding what works for you is the important part.

Finding and using your own unique marketing strategy is often done by trial and error. Because there may be errors before success, this can be discouraging and scary. Having a coach, mentor or colleague to work with will keep you focused and upbeat during the process.

There are also many variables when it comes to networking. What event do you choose to go to? How do you identify the people you want to meet? What do you say when you meet them? How do you make sure you can continue the conversation if you want to?

Bob Berg in his book titled Endless Referrals says that people do business with people they “know, like and trust”. What about you? How do you or would you make buying or hiring decisions?

Business decisions usually involve money - your own or someone else’s. To justify the decision you will have to believe whatever is presented by the person making the offer. Certainly knowing, liking and trusting that person plays a big part. Some of us make decisions quickly. Others take time to make up their minds.

So what can you do to speed the process? Think about it. What makes you want to do business with someone? For me there are many answers. It could be continual exposure to the person or company. Sometimes it is seeing that the person has expertise through writings or presentations. At other times it may be a testimonial from a friend or person you respect. Often it is some combination of these.

Once you have met a prospect the next step is up to you. Use your creativity to come up with marketing tools and techniques that make you memorable and trusted. There may be methods that suit you more than others. You also may notice some methods work better for you than others.

The point is that to find the group of marketing methods that work for you, you must stick with it. You want to meet lots of prospects. Not all of them will be interested in you or your product or service. The step after “meet lots of prospect” is have them get to know you better so that eventually they do feel comfortable doing business with or hiring you.

Take Action

1. Review the networking groups you attend. Go to a meeting with the intention of meeting one or two who will be good potential clients or referral sources for you.

2. Find a new networking group to try. Make sure it is a good place to meet potential clients or referral sources. Go to a meeting.

3. Read Parker’s Points March 2005 - Top Ten Ways to Market Your Business By Doing What You Love To Do. http://www.asparker.com/ppts0305.html

3. Read Endless Referrals by Bob Berg for more networking tips.

4. Make a list of the marketing methods you enjoy. Think about your current prospects. Use some of these methods to close the business or get a job offer.

Song from the musical Little Women by Jason Howland

About Alvah Parker

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker’s Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. To subscribe send an email to join-roadtosuccess@go.netatlantic.com.

Parker’s Value Program© enables clients to find a way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. She is both a Practice Advisor and Coach to attorneys, managers, business owners, sole practioners, and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com She may also be reached at 781-598-0388