I’m running a Gift Exchange!

As I’ve started my business, I’ve noticed a frequent desire for 2 things:

• I want more people to know about my business and be able to experience what I do

• I want to know about more small businesses and be able to experience what they do

I’ve also noticed that the smaller a business is, the less likely I am to find it, and that I’m in a much better position early in my business to exchange the product I’m selling for other products than I am to pay actual dollars.

So, in a style modeled off of a combination of secret santa/white elephant gift exchanges, I’m running a gift swap for small business owners! Please invite your small business friends - and join us, if that’s you!

Ground Rules

1. Please contribute something valuable, that you would (or do!) actually sell to your customers and is representative of what your business does
   

2. Offer something that you can feel good about giving to someone, even if what you receive in exchange isn’t of similar monetary value - we all offer products at different price points, and I’m not going to take pricing into consideration in the exchange. Keep in mind that you’ll be responsible for shipping costs of whatever you offer and take that into account when choosing a thing.
   

3. Consider offering something that can be used regardless of physical location - while I understand there’s lots of things that rely on physical presence, I’m not equipped at this time to use that as a consideration in gifting assignment. If your thing requires physical presence, you run the risk of not actually having anyone able to use it, which would be sad for everyone.
   

4. When you receive your thing(s) from the gift exchange, please actually use it (or regift it to someone who will)! The person who contributed it pours their heart into their business as much as you pour your heart into yours. Spreading the word about our products is one of the purposes of this exchange, and that’s less effective if the recipient doesn’t actually use what’s being offered.
   

5. Provide the gifter some kind of appreciation of the product that they can use to help build their business. Testimonials, images of using the thing, possibly feedback if they request it. It’s awesome when we get to hear back from the folks using what we create and know that our work has made someone’s life brighter.
   

6. Respond to communication from gift exchange organizers promptly (ideally within 3 business days)
   

7. Confirm with gift exchange organizers when you’ve sent your Thing(s), when you’ve received your Thing(s), and when you’ve closed the loop with appreciation.
   

8. Don’t pressure anyone else in the exchange to do anything more than what they’ve signed up for by being in the exchange. It’s fine to offer once, but accept a no or a non-response immediately and gracefully.

How It Works

1. Sign up by filling out a form telling us a little more about your business and what you’d like to offer to the exchange
   

2. In early September, fill out another form telling us which of the things offered to the exchange you’d most like to receive (the exact format of this form isn’t determined yet, it’ll depend on how many people participate and what sorts of things are offered)
   

3. I’ll do my best to match people with products that they’re most interested in, for both the gifter and the receiver’s sake. In some cases, it may not be possible to accommodate everyone’s preferences. If that’s the case, please engage with as much kindness and support as possible - of both me and the person you’re exchanging with.
   

4. Receive information about the people to send your thing to in early October (and have your information shared with the people giving you a gift)
   

5. Send your gift (whether physically or digitally) and inform exchange organizers that it’s sent
   

6. Receive your gift and inform exchange organizers that it’s received
   

7. Use your gift
   

8. Provide some kind of appreciation to the person who gave you a thing and inform exchange organizers you’ve been in touch with them
   

9. Confirm with event organizers that the person/people who received your gift actually were in touch with you about how that experience went for them
   

10. Enjoy having created a new connection in the small business space! <3

Timeline

Late June 2024 - Initial kickoff, first announcements go out

8/16/2024 - Signups close

8/31/2024 - Survey goes out to gather preference information. (Possibly earlier, depending on when I get to things.)

9/15/2024 - Deadline to fill out preference survey. If you do not fill this out, you may not receive a gift. If you do receive a gift, you will still be expected to actually use it.

9/30/2024 - Everyone is sent information for the person/people to send their gift(s) to!

11/30/2024 - Delivery of product expected to be complete!

1/31/2025 - Close the loop with the person you received a gift from about your use of the product, unless you and the gifter have explicitly negotiated a different timeline.