Happy Halloween & 10 Ghoulish Jokes to CRACK U UP !

Happy Halloween
Originally uploaded by Thomas Hawk.

This picture by Thomas Hawk on Flikr is perfect to tell you some Ghoulish jokes ! ~~~~~ BOOOOOOOO ! HAA HAA HAA

1. Who does a ghoul fall in love with?...His ghoul friend.
2. Who are some of the werewolves cousins?...The whatwolves and the whenwolves.
3. Why wasn't the vampire working?...He was on his coffin break.
4. How do ghosts fly from one place to another?...By scareplane.
5. What did the mother ghost say to the baby ghost?... Put your boos and shocks on.
6. Why did the baby ghost go to the doctor before Halloween?...To get a BOOster shot.
7. When do ghosts usually appear?...Just before someone screams.
8. How do mummies hide?...They wear masking tape.
9. What happens to a fast witch on a slow broom?...She flies off the handle.
10. Why do witches think they're funny...Every time they look in the mirror, it cracks up.
    

Scary Gifts ! BOOOOOO Halloween is around the corner !

As a supposedly "gift guru" I scour the market place for the best and unique gifts for our gift baskets. It always amazes me when I find something out of the ordinary.

Here is one that proves that Halloween can be fun and scary...all-in-one!

It looks like a small plastic gift box, but when the unsuspecting person pushes the button to open the lid, out pops a skeleton head with red glowing eyes and scary sound effects! Comes complete with starter batteries to get you going. For $ 7.89 I think its great if you are a prankster at heart ! :) Link

What to look for when shopping online for Gift Baskets?

Gift baskets make great gifts because

1. They are personal
2. They have lots of mini gifts inside of them
3. They are hand made and carefully designed
4. Sometimes they are custom made for the recipient
5. Its fun for the recipient to open them and see all the mini presents inside

But how do you know where to buy them online and what to look for on a site online, especially when the WWW is swarming with Gift Basket sites.

Here are some of the things you must do

1. Check out the "About Us" section : you will learn a lot about the company from here.
2. See if they have listed a "Physical Address". This means that they really exist.
3. Google them and see what you come up with. Usually Google does a great job of getting relevant results.
4. Check to see if they have a listed PHONE number. Many times you will see that the gift basket sites do not list their phone number. Well who would you call if you have a problem? I think customer service is THE most important thing in any business and if you don't have a live person to talk to about what you are about to purchase or to ask questions about your order then its a RED flag !
5. Check to see if they accept major credit cards.
6. Ask your friends or family if you have heard about the site.
7. Look at the pictures on the website to see if you like what you see and if its something you want to give.

Shopping online has surely increased and you have so many choices that you really have to be vigilant and try not to be taken ! Happy Shopping !

10 RULES FOR AN EFFICIENT PROCESS

As small business owners we try to accomplish so many steps throughout the day in order to keep all parts of the business running proficiently.

Right from taking an order to processing it, to shipping and followup. The people around us when delegated do exactly what has been taught the very first time and keep doing it the same way over and over again. It is for you to decide whether the process is...one - working and two - is efficient.

Deanna R. Willis, MD, MBA has written a fabulous article on "Making Every Minute Count: Tools to Improve Office Efficiency" . Although the article that she has written has to do with a doctor's office, the principles behind it can be applied anywhere.

She suggests, To create a flow map, use whatever format is most comfortable to you and simply list the current steps in order of completion. Use "baby steps” to identify every subsequent step that occurs, and soon you will end up with a detailed description of the current process. Once you have identified each of the steps in your current process, you can begin to identify what is wrong with the process. As you identify problems with the current process, you'll need to eliminate steps that are simply waste and implement changes in your practice to make the remaining steps effective.Once you have mapped your current process, identified its problems and agreed on an improved process, your work isn't over.

For the new process to succeed, you'll need to take additional steps

1. Staff education. Educating your personnel about the new process and equipping them with all the information they will need is vital to your success.
2. Additional and ongoing training in this area may help improve the process.
3. Job functions. You may also find that job functions need to be redesigned. and more.....

She concludes by saying..."Dream big, start small"
Link for the article.

Dr. Willis is an assistant professor of family medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine and director of affiliate faculty for the Department of Family Medicine. She is also medical director of quality and medical management for the Indiana University Medical Group in Indianapolis.

The Gift Basket TAX for the stars !

How about a tax on the gifts we receive? You have heard about the taxes that the stars have to pay for the exuberant gift baskets from now on.

Well, Earlier in August "outstanding tax responsibilities" on Academy Awards gift baskets was enforced by IRS Commissioner Mark Everson who said in a statement "There's no special red-carpet tax loophole for the stars, the gift basket industry has exploded, and it's important that the groups running these events keep in mind the tax consequences."

The Academy and the IRS reached an undisclosed agreement to fore go any taxes on baskets received before 2005. Those individuals who received a gift at the most recent awards ceremony will be issued the appropriate tax forms and expected to cover the bill, the Academy said.

What do you think?

The Gift Of Voting ! Giving the world 7 NEW wonders !

I am fascinated with the wonders of the world.

The 7 wonders of the Ancient World are yet debated upon. The content of these lists tends to vary, and none is definitive. The seven wonders that are most widely agreed upon as being in the original list are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which was compiled by ancient Greek historians and is thus confined to the most magnificent structures known to the ancient Greek world.

1. Great Pyramid of Giza (still standing)
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (destroyed by earthquake)
3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (destroyed by fire)
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia (destroyed by fire)
5. Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus (destroyed by earthquake)
6. Colossus of Rhodes (destroyed by earthquake)
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria (destroyed by earthquake)

Did you know that you can now vote for the NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD ! There are 260 days left to vote as of today. Yes the 2 that I did vote for are the Statue Of Libery and The Taj Mahal.

Realted stuff

Wikipedia 7 Wonders Of The World
Stonehenge makes list in new seven wonders vote

So go ahead and don't forget to vote. It think its pretty cool.

5 Tips for STRESS FREE Holiday Shopping !

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the Saturday before December 25 is the busiest day of the holiday season. But that won't be you. Not this year.

1. The key to a stress free holiday season is to plan ahead. Well isn't that with everything! Yup ! So that's what you do you to stay ahead of the game. So the first thing is to start making a list. Do you have a Holiday Gift Giving Folder/book/list? If not then you should start making one and start putting down names and budgets.


2. "Leg Work" or nowadays "Power browsing"is key to finding the perfect as well as unique gifts. So if you are reading this in October you are sure to get a head start. :)


3. Take the time to shop websites that offer FREE SHIPPING for shopping ahead.


4. Use the time before the snow hits to find and browse smaller boutiques or antique shops. Make a note of 4-5 local boutiques and visit them. Remember shoping at your loacl stores will keep them in business and you never know you might even strike up a new friendship.


5. Mark your calender with shopping dates. It is important that you shop after thanksgiving as the major sales start then.

Happy Planning !

Relationship Marketing ! What does it mean to you?

Please click on the PINK play button to listen to this week's edition of the podcast edition of our Gift Basket Newsletter - Relationship Marketing !




Subscribe to THE GIFT GAZETTE PODCAST

Here Comes The Bride...And A Hassle Free Wedding !

Every bride wants her day to be special. For the brides who are planning your wedding, make sure that you ask your event planner/mom/friend to find a local gift basketeer. You will be surprised to know that many of the local and individual entrepreneurs will go the extra mile to provide you with services you did not think were possible. For example:

• Centerpieces
• Place cards
• Personalized cocktail napkins
• Imprinted Ribbon for packing your personal gifts
• Party Favors
• Hotel Room Amenities
• Attendant's gifts
• "Day After" parent appreciation gifts
• Bridal keepsakes
• Pew bows
• Thank you gifts
• Bon Voyage Gift for you on your Honeymoon ... let your mom know ! :)

A creative gift basket business will be able to guide you in the right direction with colors, design and budget. So check out the yellow pages, internet and NSGA (National Speciality Gift Association) Gift Basket Directory for your local gift basket business. I would strongly suggest that you do not buy your gift baskets from the big retailers as their products are made way in advance and will not have the "WOW" effect you are looking for !

Are you creative? Do you want a residual income?

Are you creative? Do you want a residual income? Do you want to stay at home and work only part time? Turn your creativity into a profitable business, designing custom gift baskets for corporate and individual customers.

Research and reading are a big part of it all. Make a business plan. Go to SBA - Small Business Administration for tax info and on how to set up a small business. It doesn't require a great deal of startup capital--many successful gift basket businesses were started with just a few hundred dollars. What it does require is thoughtful planning, preparation and commitment fueled by a strong dose of excitement and enthusiasm.

Once you feel that you have a steady income (that will take 1/2/3 yrs - depending on the time, effort and money you put into the business). It surely does not support you at first as it takes time for people to trust your business enough to order with a credit card. Yup, you will have to take those, it is easy. There are lots of credit card Merchant Services. But start reading as much about it as you can.

10 Global Gift Giving Practices You Should Know Before You Give A Gift

Business & Personal gifts are given every year - but the customs and traditions of gift giving can vary dramatically from one country to the next.

BEWARE : Exchanging gifts may seem like a harmless practice, but in many countries, a gift given at an inappropriate time, or even one that is the wrong color, can be seen as offensive. In some countries, gifts are not given until negotiations are completed to avoid the impression that the gift is meant as a bribe. Elsewhere, gifts are exchanged only in private.

1. In Asia - Gifts should not be opened in front of the giver; doing so implies greed.
2. In China - Do not give handkerchiefs, as they imply grieving.
3. In Japan - Gift wrap is important, but Western bows and ribbons are considered unattractive
4. In Singapore - When giving a gift, your recipient may decline it at first. Your role is to keep insisting that they take the gift, and they will accept on the third insistence
5. In France - An intellectual gift is considered a compliment to the recipient.
6. In Italy - Do not give chrysanthemums, brooches, handkerchiefs or knives, because they are associated with sadness.
7. In USA - when given a gift, it is not always necessary to reciprocate right away. You may wait until an appropriate occasion arises if one is coming up soon.
8. In Mexico - Avoid silver gifts, which are associated with trinkets sold to tourists
9. In Spain - do not give gifts with a company logo.
10. In England - Choose your gifts carefully, because British retailers often do not give refunds or exchange goods.
    

Welcome to The Gift Gazette Blog

With the popularity and informal format of blogging I thought that this would be a great way to share The Gift Gazette with our readers. One is that you do not have to register to read The Gift Gazette. Secondly, Its always available and the older gifting ideas and posts are always available to all.

So hope you enjoy this new format. Since this is very new look for awesome new posts on gifting tips and ideas.