With such a short December, the mad dash to Christmas 2019 feels like more of a sprint than ever. But how are you supposed to find the perfect gift for all of the different people in your life? We’ve compiled a no-fail gift guide for every recipient– So close your laptop, grab a shopping buddy, and spend a day amongst the nostalgic hustle and bustle of the mall at Christmas time.
TECH
If you’re not up to date on “what’s new” in the tech world, it can be really hard to shop for a techy. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to figure out which drone is the best on the market. Try one of our picks…
Blue Light Glasses protect the eyes from the harmful blue light that’s emitted from screens. Whether your recipient works at a computer all day, or they just like to watch TV in bed, these are a must-have for everyone.
Self Warming Mug a go-to for your coffee addict. These mugs charge the same way your phone does, so you never have to hear them complain about a lukewarm cup of joe ever again.
iPhone Flash Drive this iPhone to PC flash drive instantly transfers storage between devices and is compact enough to throw right in your pocket.
Tile uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone to ‘ping’ when you’ve lost something. This of it as ‘find my iPhone’ for your keys, wallet, etc.
Charging Phone Case these hold up to three full phone charges so you’re never without power on the go.
Nest Wifi Router is the perfect solution if you have a ‘dead spot’ in your home. These cover up to 2200 square feet with fast, reliable wifi, and can be combined to cast a ‘net’ across larger spaces.
HOMEBODY
Don’t give your homebody another nameless bottle of wine, get them something they’ll really use and LOVE.
Nespresso the gift that needs no introduction. If you’re looking to splurge this is a no brainer.
Decorative Candle is sure to wow. With so many options for scent and hardware combinations, these can be personal and beautiful all in one.
Electric Tea Kettle perfect for your college student, or tea lover. This heats water up in just 90 seconds and is silent.
Fluffy Slipper are memory foam, and oh so cozy! They come in so many different colors for the perfect stocking stuffer or grab bag gift!
Spotify Subscription gives the gift of music by treating someone to a year’s worth of Spotify commercial-free music.
Sherpa Set is the hottest gift of the season! People cannot get enough of this fluffy fabric, and this look is best-served head to toe.
GRAB BAG
You know you’re bound to attend at least one dreaded grab bag/ Yankee swap/ white elephant. Nobody wants to be that person to show up to with a last-resort gift card and a stinky candle. Try one of these under $25 grab bag gifts that truly need no explanation.
Mini Waffle Maker
Beard Grooming Kit
Multi-Device Charging Station
Ice Cube Spheres and Mini Whiskey
Hot Sauce Selection
Light up Vanity Mirror
GO-TO’S
If you’re still stumped after all of these there’s always those go-to last-minute gifts that are always sure to spark joy…
Yeti is the Rolls Royce of insulated travel mugs. Need I say more?
Experience is always a good idea. Whether it be tickets to a game or concert, the memories you can make are the gift that keeps on giving.
Diffusers and essential oils are such a good gift especially during the winter months when the heat really dries you out. This one even has a changing light feature for ultimate relaxation.
Sherpa is so nice we included it twice!
Uggs are the perfect addition to any New Englander’s winter wardrobe. Ultra-soft and snuggly and they come in so many cool and different colors now!
Men’s Ugg Moccasins– see above!
Sunglasses whether you splurge on Ray-Bans or get a couple of less expensive pairs, they are the perfect stocking stuffer.
Silk Pillowcases are so good for hair and skin, every hairdresser recommends you ditch the cotton and switch over to these!
Luggage is a longlasting and thoughtful gift for any frequent traveler. Plus everyone needs one even when they think they don’t.
Tiles – another repeat because we think it’s just that good!
Filtering Water Bottle what’s people’s biggest opposition to going plastic-free? The lack of filtered water available. This is the perfect solution and oh so eco-friendly.
We all know e-commerce is taking over brick-and-mortar shops so it’s no surprise that more than half of shoppers do their shopping online. Many retail outlets have even closed up and are left vacant now because of store closures, even those big money builder businesses like Macy’s can’t keep up with the online world!
In the past two years about 10,000 stores have closed leading an estimation of 20 to 25 percent of malls to close within the next five years. Retail outlets have needed to step up their game to get consumers back in their stores. But how exactly are they doing this? And is this possible as more and more consumers are getting sucked into the online markets?
The main way to bring traffic back into stores is to make it an experience. The upcoming generations (Millennials and Gen Z) aren’t going into retail shops because they have something in mind that they NEED to buy. They know better and are fluent in making quick online purchases. These newcomers want an experience, something to share with friends IRL (in real life) as well as on social media. Brick-and-mortar retail industries need to incorporate interactive experiences to drag consumers back into them, and to hopefully make a purchase.
How to Make it An Experience
Create In-Store Events
In-store sales can be boosted by promoting in-store events. Retail stores should be creative with this and even create an event that may not even be interrelated with what they sell, but just drives traffic into their stores. Shopping malls and outlets have started to hold events with bands playing on certain days of the week, or yoga sessions as entertainment. This gets traffic to the whole outlet instead of specific stores, leading consumers to end up wandering around to shop the various stores that they do have.
Here’s some events we were able to promote our clients retail shopping outlets here at Image Marketing Consultants:
Our “Vino and Vinyasa” event at Plaza at Harmon Meadows. Those who purchased tickets were able to participate in a yoga event sponsored on the green lawn and enjoy a free glass of wine afterwards. People who signed up were able to come and relax and unwind before taking a peek around the retail stores they offer.
Picking the right public relations agency in Connecticut can improve your website rankings just as much as using SEO. Public Relations is a powerful resource that more marketers and top companies are starting to take advantage of. They aim to inform the public about your business by providing free media coverage instead of paid ads and build consumers trust within your company. This brings more consumers to your website while building your brand image.
What a CT Public Relations Specialists can do for you:
Create a positive brand image
Agencies in Connecticut that specialize in public relations will help your business keep a clean status. If something were to go wrong, a public relations agency can help rebuild your company’s trust. In example, a company may experience negative online reviews. This degrades your company and will have customers rethinking if they actually want to go to you for your services, or your competitors. Public relations specialists will rebuild your company in various ways with media coverage for you to rebuild trust in customers.
You’ve probably seen many marketing campaigns from huge corporations, like Nike, fail miserably with the negative message consumers can take from it. This is where public relations comes in, to create a strategic plan to fix this blunder.
Image Marketing Consultants, located in Plantsville, CT, is able to get various clients on news channel segments. This way, we highlight the strengths of our clients and get consumers talking about them in a positive light.
Assist in Event Promotion
Is your company planning an event, or store opening that needs to get the public’s attention? Public relations agencies will come up with various ways to promote this event whether it is through social media, press releases, news segments and more.
Image Marketing Consultants has planned multiple events for companies in Connecticut to gain a wide range of attention and assist in the detailed plannings. Image has helped openings for companies like Vesta and Planet Fitness. Image Marketing incorporates unique details like food trucks and giveaways that are attractive for consumers to show up and support recognition for a new store opening.
Craft press releases
Press releases can be distributed through various websites and social media pages. This gains exposure to your company and more consumers will click on the link for this page, leading them to your main site. Press releases give you free media coverage for a big store event about to take place, or any changes happening within your company, and pitch a news story that will be widely distributed. These can be used on top of Facebook ads or any other social media advertisements to gain a wider range of publicity.
Blog Creation
Blogs are an added bonus to your website to significantly improve your website rankings. Public relations specialists can write and create blogs for your site through internal or external sites. While this seems like it wouldn’t have a direct impact to promote your company, the keywords used in the blog can can have a direct link to your rankings, which is similar to the use of SEO.
How you can use PR in CT to achieve your goals:
Search for a public relations or marketing agency in Connecticut that can help achieve the goals you have in mind. There are many small agencies around. It is beneficial to find one that can specialize in your niche. Image Marketing Consultants can cater towards multiple types of companies, but specializes in large and small retail outlets.
You know what your business does, but ask yourself these questions to find the perfect agency for you:
Can the agency cater towards my company’s needs?
Do they specialize in my company’s market?
If so, can they understand and grasp my company’s tone to build a CT public relations strategy specialized to my brand?
Stick to more than one strategy to build brand awareness and attract more consumers to your website. If you’re looking for a public relations agency in Connecticut, contact us today to see our approach to build brand awareness for your company with our unique and creative services.
Connecticut Entrepreneur Helps Los Angeles Homeless Have Access to Clean Clothes
Robert Landino helps launch a new service called The Laundry Truck LA
North Haven, CT – Homeless people across the Los Angeles region can finally have access to clean clothing. The Laundry Truck LA, a free mobile laundry service for homeless individuals, was co-created in 2017 by Connecticut businessman Robert Landino, along with Dolan Clothing founder Jodie Dolan, and it is now helping out people in need on the streets of Los Angeles.
Mr. Landino is the CEO of Center Earth and former CEO of Centerplan, two real estate acquisition, construction and investment firms in Connecticut that have been instrumental in successful urban renewal projects in the state. He is a former member of the Connecticut House of Representatives and was honored by the New Haven Chamber of Commerce in 2014 as its business person of the year. He has been working with Ms. Dolan on this notable humanitarian effort for the last two years by providing mentorship and funding.
“We are thrilled to see The Laundry Truck helping so many people in Los Angeles,” Mr Landino said. “Access to clean clothing is a fundamental component of living a healthy life. It is also a key factor in self-esteem, mental health, and social acceptance. It is our goal to help disadvantaged men, women and children in the nation’s second largest city gain access to clean clothing. It’s something many of us take for granted–and something many others lack.”
The Laundry Truck, equipped with several washers and dryers, launched its Saturday Wash Day services last month, and that will soon expand to three to five days per week at various locations around the city.
In addition to mentorship and funding from Mr. Landino, The Laundry Truck LA , which is a nonprofit organization, also recently received a $30,000 grant from Clorox, along with cleaning products.
About the Laundry Truck LA:
The Laundry Truck LA is a free mobile laundry service that provides many families, men, women, and children experiencing homeless in the downtown and greater LA area with clean clothes. For more information, please visit https://www.thelaundrytruckla.com/
We all make mistakes on social media. But how does that affect the growth of your brand? There are certain social media posts that might not do what you want them to. The last thing that you want your brand to be doing is pushing followers away!
Here are some social media ‘manners’ that are safe to follow:
When you make a new post, make sure that you don’t overuse your hashtags. While your post might be found from clicking on a hashtag, you don’t want to annoy your followers. A simple rule of thumb is picking the top theme of your post, then putting a few hashtags after. If you are posting a picture your office, pick the top hashtags that are trending. Try looking on Hash Tracking to see what is trending.
Don’t beg people to follow you. If you reach out to someone that liked your post and not your page, you can say, “Thanks for the like on my post, have you seen some of our other great content?” and lead them in a good direction. Don’t say, “Thank you for the like, follow my pages @—–.” It is an easy way to lose people. You can even answer questions that they have for you, or check out what they have are up to as well.
Posting the same post on all social media platforms. People may follow you on your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and they want to see different types of posts. While double posting is sometimes okay, try to come up with creative and new content for each social media outlet. Double posting is seen as an easy way out of coming up with more posts.
While we had a blog on what posts work for your business, there is something to think of; overdoing the posts that work. If you are constantly posting the same thing, your followers will get bored. So it is great to find a variety of posts that will work for your business.
