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Great Gifts for Connectors
Ian Ybarra
It’s usually a good thing to have friends who are super-connectors. Their knowing everyone and being in the know about almost everything can be very helpful, but those qualities sure make it a pain in the butt to get them a good gift, or at least one they don't already have.
If you’re still shopping for a super-connector (or if someone’s still wracking their brains about what to get for you), here are seven great gifts ideas, suggested by a few super-connectors themselves.
Also, if you suggest another great gift for connectors in the comments (make sure you leave your email, too), you’ll have a chance to win one of seven copies/units/whatever of the # 3 idea on the list below. The seven lucky commenters will be announced on January 3, so no matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, you’ll also be able to steal ideas from the gift exchanges in your neighborhood!
1. A CardScan
Just like the name says, it scans business cards so you have the contact information for everyone you meet in your computer instead of gathering dust on your desk. There are a couple CardScan devices always humming in the Ferrazzi Greenlight office, and everyone I know who has one absolutely loves it.
Suggested by David Teten, author of The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online (which I think would be a good gift, too!)
2. Headphone splitter for $3
This headphone splitter is such a simple (and cheap!) device, but it makes a world of difference. A big part of connecting is about sharing experiences with people, and now that everyone (but me) has an iPod, this headphone splitter will enable them to really share music – comfortably, because no one likes doing the one-earpiece-each thing. To make them fully prepared to share even if they run into a non-iPodder like me, consider buying them an extra set of headphones, too.
3. The new game about giving
GiftTrap is a new game that challenges you to choose the right gifts for the people you’re playing with, testing (and improving) how well you know them and their interests…making it almost a training tool for generous connectors. Plus, playing the game should help you learn what to get your friends in the future.
(Comment on this post with another great gift for connectors and you might get one of the seven GiftTrap games we're giving away!)
4. The RIGHT gift card
This is more of a rule than a clever idea. If you’re going to cop out with a gift card, and you aren’t ABSOLUTELY SURE that they’re in love with a certain store, always get a connector a gift card to a place they can spend time with people instead of just buying stuff. Restaurants are good. (Never Eat Alone, right?) Connectors will get far more joy from sharing a meal with a new contact or an old friend (perhaps you!) than “having” to buy a new sweater.
Coffee shops work, too. Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, says, “I give Starbucks gift cards and attach a note that reads, ‘Thanks a LATTE for your friendship!’” (Guess we’ll scratch what I said about clever...Jacqueline has a ton of etiquette tricks up her sleeve...as you'll see in her book Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work.)
5. A book for the ages
Remember the three keys to loyalty? Health, Wealth, and Children. This book /journal called Generation to Generation enables people to enrich that third part of their life, to deepen relationships with their families.
Connector Larry Benet says “I feel comfortable giving this gift to anyone, even the person who has everything because it is filled with questions to help someone capture the wisdom of their life’s journey and preserve it to be passed on from generation to generation."
Link: More about Generation to Generation
Link: Larry Benet's Outside the Box Consulting
6. Money is no object
Entrepreneur Rajesh Setty reminds us that connectors deal in many currencies other than money, so the best gifts may not cost you anything at all. Here is Raj's quick list of things you can do to “Help them extend their reach,” which is something every connector would like to do.
• Connect them to other connectors
• Connect them to other cool people
• Send a link to their blog to hundred of your friends for whom it may be relevant
• Link to their blog or to their website or to their book
• Buy 25 of their books and distribute to friends for whom the book may be relevant.
Link: Rajesh Setty's book and blog Life Beyond Code
Link: Suggestica, Raj's new project to bring you recommendations on books and more from trusted advisors (click here for Keith's recommended books re: relationships)
7. The ultimate guide for connectors
If you have connector friends who haven’t read Never Eat Alone, get it for them today. They'll probably see a lot of themselves in the book and learn a few things, too.
And, of course, if you want to buy 25 like Raj suggested above, Keith and I would consider it a gift to us, too.
Want your copies of Never Eat Alone signed by Keith? Go to
http://keithferrazzi.com/buy3 for details.
If you liked this Great Gifts for Connectors, please send the link to your friends or to Digg or wherever you talk about cool stuff.
And if you want one of the seven GiftTrap games we're giving away, put your own great gift for connectors idea in the comments. Thanks for playing! (Quick warning: No new cell phone or PDA ideas will get a GiftTrap game, because those are really obvious, and you and I and other connectors probably already have the ones we want. Besides, you’re way more creative than that anyway.)
Posted by Ian Ybarra on December 19, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
Solio device, found at www.solio.com - it's device that draws solar energy to then charge all of our portable devices such as phones, mp3 players, blackberries, etc. Great for folks who are conscious of their energy usage or who spend many hours at a time outdoors (camping, hiking, etc).
Posted by: Barrett Porter | Dec 20, 2006 9:08:20 AM
Audio Books! Nothing has helped me more then listening to an audio book on the way to connect with someone. Once there, it is an easy conversation starter by sharing the new ideas you gleaned on the way over. I now have clients and contacts asking what I learned during my travels. I highly recommend books like BALCONY PEOPLE by Joyce Landorf Heatherley, FIERCE CONVERSATIONS by Susan Scott, and obviously NEVER EAT ALONE by the one and only Keith Ferrazzi.
Posted by: Michael Kettner | Dec 20, 2006 9:35:01 AM
A personal meal service such as http://gourmetexpresspcs.com/ that would prepare a dinner at home. Perfect for connectors who throws dinner parties to bring their connections together.
Posted by: selina | Dec 20, 2006 9:37:53 AM
This year my husband & I are giving a gift subscription to Ode.
Ode is an independent magazine about the people and ideas that are changing the world. And is published in Dutch, English and Portuguese. See www.odemagazine.com.
By giving a magazine that publishes great ideas and inspiration. We hope to inspire our friends and clients to make a change in this world as well.
Posted by: Marieke Hensel | Dec 20, 2006 9:41:56 AM
These are all great ideas!
My favorite gift to connectors is to give them my time - to really understand (ie profile) exactly the kind of person they're looking for. Then when I make a connection I'm either on the money and I'm their hero for the next five minutes, or in my follow-up call I can further clarify their needs.
Posted by: Jeff Hayes | Dec 20, 2006 9:42:16 AM
I would suggest sharing your personal "radio station" from www.pandora.com
Nothing connects people like good music. This is a free (and legal) way to share music with friends and family. I've always connected more with people over music than anything else. I hope this helps your readers.
Posted by: John Lucchetti | Dec 20, 2006 9:46:43 AM
A nice box of blank note cards make a lovely gift for connectors, who often like to send thank you cards and other notes to stay in touch.
Cards that would be appropriate in business or personal contexts are best. For example, classic art or geographic designs, not a picture of roses. I once got a nice set of cards with a simple gold "Z" as a gift. Thoughtful and perfect for me (see my name).
if you would like to add a nice touch, buy cards that help others. for example:
www.tenthousandvillages.com sells marble colored and leaf design cards that also support small business in the developing world. (search on the web site for cards and you will see these and other designs)
www.twohandsworldshop.com has nice cards that are labeled holiday cards but could work for any occasion. also supports "fair trade."
Keith, Thank you for all your great ideas and emails.
Posted by: Zahara Heckscher | Dec 20, 2006 9:51:45 AM
Noise canceling headphones or ear buds are a great gift for anyone who travels a lot.
Posted by: Daren Wride | Dec 20, 2006 9:56:58 AM
As a 'connector' I really appreciate receiving weblinks to trusted, high quality resources.
As a consultant and community volunteer (supporting public education and equity for women and girls) my contacts have appreciated hotlinks to www.hoagiesgifted.org and www.aauw.org.
Posted by: Mary Lovell | Dec 20, 2006 10:27:58 AM
This holiday season my wife and I decided to get closer to our extended family which covers several continents and an ever-increasing number of countries. In order to do this, we offered everyone in our family a personalized branded e-mail address of the format first-name@sasarman.com. Next year we will create a family web site and blog and are thinking of expanding this idea to my wife's family.
If we take this to its logical conclusion, it would be so much easier to connect if everyone had a personal e-mail address of the format first-name@last-name.com. People with same first and last names, could add the middle name in the address. And, come to think of it, why stop at e-mail; everyone should have a similar instant messaging user ID which could be the e-mail above.
In a world where establishing and developing one's personal brand, non-stop networking and lifelong learning are key to success, a lifelong e-mail address that reinforces the personal brand and makes one more easily connected in a Web 2.0 world is a definite plus.
Hope this resonates with your readers.
Posted by: Michael Sasarman | Dec 20, 2006 10:29:00 AM
The Art of Mingling: Easy, fun, and Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room by Jeanne Martinet is great gift for connectors. After reading this book I no longer fear connecting with others in a large gathering.
Posted by: E Matthews | Dec 20, 2006 10:37:07 AM
In keeping with Tip 63, "managing your most important relationship", an introduction to the Jeff Galloway training method www.jeffgalloway.com or www.runinjuryfree.com via one of his books, running camps, or local running groups is an excellent choice. Its a great excuse to get outside on a regular basis, meet similarly minded/motivated people, and achieve something you never imagined possible. Its a great gift regardless of fitness level or experience with running, and there is no better way to take in the local scenery when you travel than a run.
Posted by: Jonathan Stelling | Dec 20, 2006 10:40:07 AM
The book The Referral of a Lifetime, by Tim Templeton is one of the best books I have read this year. It is a short read and they give you the strategy to plug and play at the end of the book. When reading this book, you feel like you are the character in it. You can buy it for $10 on overstock.com and chances are people will read it because it is so short and easy to comprehend. It is very similar to Raving Fans. I've handed out 10 of these books to my referral partners and it only cost me $10 bucks. If they get out of it what I did, it will be the best $10 bucks spent. Never Eat Alone I hear is another good book. :) I only send it to people I am able to share my story on how the book and hearing Keith speak made and impact on my life. I'm always up for keeping Keith's pockets fat. So buy both.
Posted by: Kenny Simons | Dec 20, 2006 10:54:29 AM
A great gift for a connector is a gift card to SendOutCards.com. This is the perfect way for busy connectors to quickly followup after meetings, to give congratulations, condolences, birthday wishes, or just to send an unexpected note to a friend or business associate. It is fast, easy, and very inexpensive. It's the perfect gift for connectors with an attitude for gratitude.
Posted by: Gregg MacMillan | Dec 20, 2006 11:11:13 AM
Along the lines with audio books, an audio version of learning a foreign language would be a great gift for those connectors who deal with traffic or any traveling. It's something I'm asking for too!
Posted by: Jessica W. | Dec 20, 2006 11:44:10 AM
Another great gift for connectors is a prepaid calling card - it allows them to reconnect with those long-distance connections they might otherwise overlook. It's also more immediate than sending a letter and more personal than eCards, and especially useful around the holidays (or after them for making thank-you calls).
Posted by: James Dickey | Dec 20, 2006 11:44:12 AM
I would buy as a gift the TAO 1-Inch Digital Picture Keychain that holds up to 56 photos.
The picture is here:
http://images.teamsugar.com/files/usr/1/15111/keychain.jpg
It can load photos from PC/Mac with included software and users can charge the internal battery by connecting it to a computer's powered USB port or AC adapter. For $39.95.
It's a cute, intimate and quiet way to relive your "friendship moments" whenever you're feeling lonely.. in a taxi cab, in an elevator going to a meeting, or before giving a speech at a conference :)
Posted by: Adele Savarese | Dec 20, 2006 12:29:46 PM
I've been giving subscriptions to GOOD MAGAZINE (http://www.goodmagazine.com/), the gift that gives back...the full amount of your subscription fee goes to the organization of your choice. For $20, it can't be beat!
Posted by: Souris HP | Dec 20, 2006 2:49:30 PM
Lunch Money, Beer Money, Lunch Money: Sticks and Stones, or all three or however you want to match them.
This may not be the best gift to connect with people on initial contact, but great for getting people together. The more the merrier in this game. Many friends and I get together and play this and can go on for some time. It also is a good way to bring new people into the group.
The basis of the game is that your on a play ground and fighting each other. It's a card game and each player starts with 15 points. As the game goes on each player attacks others and whoever is being attacked can defend themselves if possible. The cards can be hard to come by, but everyone I have given it to has been quite happy to get it and, as far as I know, have gotten lots of use out of it.
Posted by: Joel Rasanen | Dec 20, 2006 4:12:18 PM
I would like to suggest a great gift for connectors that could be used any time (but especially when postage rates change): Postage Stamps. People can use them for mailing holiday or birthday cards, bills, etc.
Especially when rates change, you can send ten or twenty (or any number) of the 1 or 2 cent stamps to make up the difference between the price of the new stamps and the old stamps. People can still finish up their old stamps and not have to worry about running to the post office right away.
Its a very simple thing that doesn't cost a lot, but really a thoughtful little gesture that makes people's lives a little easier.
Posted by: Nancy Murphy | Dec 20, 2006 8:08:23 PM
Great ideas! Here is another one for the Connector who wants to stay Connected anywhere. The new u720 USB Modem from Sprint is the latest must have tech-tool. It works in any computer and allows you to access the web at broadband speeds at home, office and everywhere in between, allowing you to squeeze a few more relationship building "pings" every day! Get it here free: http://moremobileinternet.com/free-u720
Posted by: Steve Sasman | Dec 20, 2006 8:18:41 PM
Give someone a gift which he or she is fond off .
Posted by: Anil | Dec 20, 2006 9:31:38 PM
What wonderful ideas! I've already emailed my connections a copy of the permalink for Ian's (this) blog post and its comments, joined Pandora, subscribed to GOOD, etc.
So...my recommendation is simple. Get your connection some publicity for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. If you get a chance, listen to the section about how to do this for your "connections" (being your client's publicist) in "Networking with Millionaires" by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D.
Peace.
Posted by: Nathan Nelson | Dec 21, 2006 12:29:29 AM
As an aspiring Connector, I know I would love for someone to buy me an experience I might not have thought of myself, especially if that person planned to share it with me. For example, a gift of cooking classes, skydiving lessons, or a weekend in Las Vegas could be a fantastic experience that you could share with your Connector.
Or if your Connector is an independent business professional, she might enjoy a gift of a networking event, like a class on how to write a business blog. :)
Posted by: Rachel Whalley | Dec 21, 2006 12:33:50 AM
The new "Leatherman" h502/503 makes a great gift. It's more durable and stylish than a traditional Swiss Army knife. I bought a bunch of them for the members of a business roundtable I started in NYC and they were a big hit. Here's a link:
http://www.leatherman.com/products/knives/h502-h503/default.asp
Posted by: TJ | Dec 21, 2006 7:23:52 AM
