Why virtual gifts again this holiday season? With so many people working from home, an actual physical gift for your favorite female entrepreneur might be harder to deliver than a 100-pound baby. There could be no one at the office to receive a delivery. Maybe the office is closed. And forget that “working from home” option; today’s businesswoman could be working from anywhere in the world. Plus, with all the warnings about “buy now” or “hey, the supply chain”, it may be hard just to acquire gifts. Fully digital is always in stock!
We went looking for awesome instant gifts. (Note: Our search for “instant gifts” has nothing to do with the fact that we are horrible procrastinators and some previous holiday shopping jaunts have taken place on Christmas Eve or the seventh day of Hanukkah.)
The requirements? Make it easy. We might have nothing more than an email address. And please, we’ve probably only been seeing the recipient on Zoom. We don’t know her sweater size. But it’s still got to be a special gift. So, whether it’s a “select a gift” from a website, an emailed gift certificate, a subscription or an experience, these gifts require no wrapping.
Subscriptions and memberships make great virtual gifts
Let’s talk about subscriptions and memberships. While we received lots of nice suggestions for things like Kindle Unlimited, Audible, LinkedIn Learning, Skillshare and MasterClass, we have to say that it was a gift subscription for Fictionz that really commanded our attention.
This brand new, female-centric narrative podcast company makes scripted serials based on award-winning short stories and books by female authors. The stories are acted out by amazing talent and film directors and are guaranteed to keep your gift recipient enthralled.
Fictionz is founded by Kendall Rhodes, founder of Paraluman Media and former talent manager/co-head digital at Untitled Entertainment. Kendall is a Hollywood vet, continuing to support women both as a manager and business entrepreneur.
The audio narratives are available on the Fictionz website and on the Fictionz app. The first episodes are free, and additional podcasts will be available behind an “unlimited” subscription paywall ($3.99 per month or $29.99 per year). You can buy a six-month gift subscription for $22.00
Our own sister company, Innovation Women, the online speaker/visibility bureau, offers an annual membership as a gift card. Shop in the Innovation Women gift shop and you get a PDF with a unique code, easily emailed to your friend. An annual membership includes a speaker profile, access to hundreds of speaking opportunities, a virtual speaker sizzle reel and more. Tell your friend she’s a thought leader.
How can you turn food and drink into a virtual gift?
Our own awareness of food-oriented virtual gifts stems from using Sugarwish a few years ago. We uploaded a list of recipients, picked our gift box sizes and the recipients got to choose from dozens of candy options to fill their box. It was so easy! The recipients put in their own address and their candy selections soon arrived. We didn’t have to worry about allergies or food preferences. We even got lovely thank you notes after they selected their gifts! Now at Sugarwish, you can select candy, snacks, coffee, tea, cookies, popcorn – even doggy treats and wine tastings. Two female founders, and no waiting.
There are other edible options as well. How about a gift membership from the female-founded Gorgeous Spice Club? Every month, a mysterious package arrives in the mailbox. In it, our entrepreneur will find:
- A one-of-a-kind Gorgeous spice blend
- A fresh pouch of that blend’s key spice (to refresh the ancient contents of their spice racks)
- Reusable spice rack labels
- The story behind the inspiration for the month’s blend
- A signature recipe
Give the gift of The Gorgeous Spice Club (Canada / USA). You’ll receive an electronic message to send to your lucky gift recipient, and the first packages will be shipped in mid-January.
Another option is Bardega Cocktails, a new-to-market cocktail subscription box. They also offer virtual happy hours, virtual cocktail classes and corporate gifting options.
Or check out the Bitter Housewife. This unique women-owned business is a Portland, Maine-based cocktail bitters manufacturer specializing in small-batch, handcrafted bitters. Their gift card is delivered via email in a variety of denominations.
Two unique virtual gifts
What would you think if someone sent you a gift certificate for a custom LED neon sign from Custom Neon? A Custom Neon gift voucher is a unique virtual gift for the female entrepreneur in your life! This way, she can light up her business logo, name, catchphrase or mascot in glorious colorful neon lights. Check out the custom sign designer tool.
LED neon business signage is a great way to brand your business and spread your company message. A neon sign makes a great backdrop for all your customer photos, a backdrop for your Zoom calls and a highlight on social media. Here’s a link to the gift card page. Choose any amount and the gift card can be emailed to you as a PDF which you can then print or electronically share with the lucky recipient.
Another “different” virtual gift is a Tinggly experience box. You can send it right to her inbox. For a woman who owns her own company, “Superwoman” ($129) is a great option. It includes more than 850 experience options. She has unlimited time to choose where and when to use this fabulous gift.
All these great virtual gifts make it easy to do your last-minute shopping. Looking for other gift ideas? Check out the various 2021 Lioness gift guides. We’ve got you covered.
Add Comment