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5 Easy Steps to Giving the Perfect BackCountry Gift
Chuck Fitzgerald C2004. All Rights Reserved.
Does the thought of buying a gift for a friend or relative make
you smile or does it stress you out? Is there a hiker or camper
on your gift giving list? What can you give to the someone who
already has everything? The secret of gift giving is not always
the "what." Many times the "why, when and how" make an ordinary
gift the Perfect Gift. Continue reading to discover 5 sure-fire
steps to giving the perfect gift to the outdoor enthusiasts in
your life.
Step 1: Do Your Homework. This is the toughest of the 5 steps.
Doing your homework means thinking about your outdoor enthusiast
and what he or she likes about being in the backcountry. Are
there any current or past outdoor interests? Perhaps he likes to
fish or she likes to climb. Maybe you overheard the comment "I
remember when I used to go camping every long weekend. I miss
those days." Our personal shopper service receives hints like
this all the time. Chances are you already know their interests,
so take a few minutes to think prior to shopping. There are
loads of great outdoor gifts available.
Another part of your homework is to understand the relationship
between you and your gift recipient's outdoor hobbies. Last year
I was camping with a dear friend who got mildly lost. After
about an hour, he showed up in camp a little embarrassed - but
safe. So the perfect gift for him before our next trip was a GPS
unit. I also included a hand written coupon good for one free
lesson and an extra set of batteries. The relationship we had
allowed me to have a little fun with the gift giving. I did
provide him with a quality gift and he uses it all the time.
Step 2: Speaking of High Quality. The best way to get the most
enjoyment out of our backcountry experiences is to have good
gear. When giving a ackcountry gift, be sure it's high quality.
There are two gear buying rules to live by. First, only give
gear you would use. And secondly, buy the best gear you can
afford. Nothing derails good times in the great outdoors like
bad gear.
Step 3: The Right Way to Give Certificates. Gift certificates
can be an excellent choice for a gift. Here's a great use of a
gift certificate - I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving
end of this story. A friend living across the country knew I
loved to hike. He also knew from his own experience that you
can't just buy a backpack for someone else. Backpacks are a very
subjective purchase. Instead of buying a me a pack and giving me
the task of returning it in order to get the right one, he sent
me a gift certificate AND he told me what to buy with it. So now
I get the backpack I want and my friend has proven once again how
well he knows me. I loved the gift. When giving gift
certificates, tell the recipient what to buy with it.
Step 4: Seek Out Customer Friendly Retailers. This is
especially important when purchasing a gift on-line. Make sure
you are purchasing from a store with visible customer
satisfaction and return policies. If your gift recipient needs
to exchange or return a piece of gear, the process needs to be
hassle-free. If the return procedure is clunky, the perfect gift
just became imperfect.
Step 5: Timing is Everything. The best time to get "the birding
binoculars I always wanted," is not on your birthday or at
Christmas time. The best time to get them is just before you go
birding. The new backpack is a more thoughtful gift just prior
to hiking the Grand Canyon than it is for graduation. The value
of a gift is greatly increased when given at the right time. Surprise someone with a perfectly timed present.
Giving the Perfect BackCountry Gift is easy to do. Determining"what" to give is important, but so is knowing "why, when and
how" to give. Make your next gift giving experience a good one.
The outdoor enthusiast in your life is counting on it. Use this
information and you'll Get It Right The First Time.
Get Outdoors!
============================================
About the author: Chuck Fitzgerald is the President of Arizona
based BackCountry Toys, an online store providing backcountry
specialty gear and educational information for outdoor
enthusiasts. Visit www.backcountrytoys.com to find the Perfect
BackCountry Gift or to receive the FREE newsletter "FreshAir." Call any time (800) 316-9055
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