One of my favorite things about running Deposit a Gift is working with our users. My philosophy is that even though this is an online gift registry, the service aspect should not be lost and you should receive the same support that you would in-person. As of today, I will be using the blog to answer the questions I most frequently receive in a new column called ‘Ask Dana.’ Here goes with the first installment…
TODAY’S QUESTION: “Do you have suggestions for what kinds of gifts to put on a Deposit a Gift wedding or baby registry that will get the most positive response from guests?”
This is such a great question and one that gets asked a lot about any kind of registry, but especially with the newer concept of a cash gift registry, people want to make sure that their friends and family will dig it, and not view it as some sort of cash-grab.
It is actually easier to create a cash gift registry that guests will love because it allows you to share your story with them and create a much more personal and hassle-free experience. Just follow these 3 tips:
- Personality is key for maximum gift-giver fun
Yes, you get to ask for what you want, but in order to get it, your gift-givers need to have a good time picking it out. Think about the joy you feel when you get your friend the perfect gift! What makes it fun for you is probably what would make it fun for others: Keep in mind that with moments like these gift-givers tend to gravitate less towards practicality and more towards aspiration. - Create an actual list of items, not just 1 ‘Unlimited’ fund, and be as specific as possible. The key to making this work is to have various line-items that represent actual gifts you will ultimately put the money towards so that guests don’t lose the sentimentality of giving. They want to know they are contributing to something special. So instead of just 1 item called ‘Funds for Hawaii’ or ‘New Home Fund’ break it up into parts so that people can give you something specific like you see in these Samples.
- Bonus: This will be a great help to you when it’s thank you note time because you’ll be able to specifically mention what they made happen for you and maybe even show pictures!
- Set various price points. The beauty of a registry like this is that you can be really creative and give guests even more choice than they would have with a traditional one. A registry like this can accommodate any kind of gift, big or small, and it can even be more inclusive and appealing to someone who can only give a small amount because it automatically feels bigger when it is part of a contribution to make something important come to life for you. They might feel weird about just giving you a $25 in cash, but not if it’s in the name of a shiny new crib for the baby!
So what kinds of gifts are most popular?
- Activities always go first: Everyone wants to be responsible for helping you do something thrilling, romantic or new.
- You never go wrong with pampering: If friends and family have the opportunity to make you feel good, they’ll do it.
- Contributions to dreams go far: People like to be part of helping you achieve something big like college for your child, home ownership or fantasy travel.
- Memories and 1st time experiences are invaluable: Intangibles are typically hard to gift in any other way, but there is nothing more fun than being responsible for a professional infant photo shoot, dinner at a special restaurant or skydiving to commemorate your 1st anniversary.
BABY EXAMPLE:
WEDDING EXAMPLE:
I hope this was helpful. Please don’t hesitate to use me as a resource at any time!
Do you have a question? Drop me a line: dana[at]depositagift[dot].com
