Back in August, you had the distinct pleasure of taking the headshots of the entering class of provisional members of the local Junior League. You have been a member of this this Junior League for four years now and vividly remember the nerves you had as you entered the room on the day of your provisional retreat for headshots. The nerves were partially for the photos, because, to be honest, being in front of the camera is not your strong suit. But even beyond that, the nerves were so real to be amongst a group of women you had never met, in a town you had only lived for a year, and you were certain these women were going to all be intelligent, successful, motivated, ambitious, and far more important than you.
Thankfully, those nerves did not last long, because what you found was an incredible group of women who you respect and adore. You have created lasting friendships in women of a similar mindset and season of life, and you have cherished every single moment of time with them. So, when you were given the opportunity to be one of the first faces for the newest class to see, you were elated. It was your desire to truly embody what junior League has done for you and shine as a bright and welcoming face in the few minutes you had with these ladies. From the way that you approached the photo shoot itself to the fun gifts that you brought as a welcome to the group, you have planned every last detail of this encounter.
What was also born when you joined this group and then shot those photos was a love for headshots and studio-like portraiture, and you have grabbed at every chance to exercise that skill since. You have also taken the unique approach to providing small fun gifts for each subject. Typically presented in the middle of the session, you have worked to capture a moment of pure, unexpected joy when the small gift is opened. You have always taken the time to have a conversation with your customers before meeting for the shoot, so the goal is to come up with small, inexpensive special gifts that match the personality of the person you are shooting.
Tiny Gifts Can Have a Big Impact
Whether you are planning for fun gifts for your clients or you are looking for the perfect little something to send to your college student in the dorm at Easter, it is important to know that you are making an impact on those around you. From the time that you spend thinking about the purchase of those small gift ideas to the moments when you get to watch the most fun gifts opened, it really is often better to give than to receive. Unique holiday gifts are all the rage today in a time when so many of us have more than we will ever need. A simple plaque for an office wall or spring gifts that can help teachers and students make it through some of the longest days of the semester, it is important to know that you are doing your best to make the world a slightly better place.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the many ways that the gifts you select can brighten someone’s day and help them have a genuine smile of appreciation:
- Interestingly enough, only about 25% of U.S. population wait until the last minute to purchase gifts. This means that three of four of us plan for the tokens of affection that we gift each other.
- The global retail e-commerce sales are expected to almost double between the years 2016 and 2020, and it should come as no surprise that many of these purchases are gifts that we select for others.
- Predictions for 2017, indicated that 86% of Americans planned to buy presents during the holiday season.
- Nearly 59% of respondents agreed that gift giving makes their relationships more meaningful, according to a 2015 UGiftIdeas survey.
- E-commerce sales made up 7.2% of all retail sales in 2015, but that number has continued to grow.
- About 79% of U.S. consumers said they shopped online in 2017.
