Behold: The ultimate small business gift guide 🎁

Elon’s new Twitter verification process has certainly sent us on a rollercoaster ride. For $8 a month, you too could’ve been featured in the RealTwitterAccounts subreddit.

Hot off the SMB press this week: 

• Stumped on what to gift your team? There’s a holiday gift guide for that.
• A new(ish) way to make more money: shoppable content.
• Dropping toxic productivity like Elon ditched Twitter Blue.

But first, here are some headlines that caught our attention this week.

TL;DR

This week's highlight reel

• “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” A recent report revealed that despite our, uh, interesting financial times (::whiplash has entered the chat::), consumers are expected to spend $88B on small businesses this holiday season. Cha-ching, baby. 
• Game of Phones. TikTok’s coming for Amazon’s top spot in the online marketplace space. The social app is placing its bets on e-commerce as a new revenue stream with an eye on building U.S. fulfillment centers in the near future. Looks like someone’s money don’t jiggle, jiggle…
• Commercials, actually. Much like the Superbowl in the U.S., the UK trots out its best and brightest commercials during the holidays — here’s a definitive ranking of the top adverts this season. 
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. The National Park Service is kindly asking us not to lick psychedelic Sonoran Desert toads this season — or ever, really. Kthx.

SEASON'S GREETINGS

The best budget-friendly holiday gift options for employees

Buying gifts ain’t easy.
Truth. Especially when it comes to choosing the best end-of-year gift for your employees. Which gift will show your team they’re appreciated for everything they do?

We decided to find out for ourselves. In an informal LinkedIn poll, we asked our followers about the best gift they’ve ever received from an employer. One-third of respondents voted for gift cards, another 24% went for tech, and one commenter revealed she had never received a gift from an employer (🥺).

What if I’m on a budget?
We feel that. It might be tempting to skip out on the presents this year, but holiday gifts can actually contribute to employee retention — 59% of people revealed that they’re more likely to stay in a job if they receive a meaningful gift from their employer.

Besides, you know we’ve got you — here are some great holiday gift options for any company size or budget:

• “Office” essentials. Whether your team works in-office or remote, set them up with gifts for easy and efficient working days. Like a personalized Stanley mug for hydration or a plush throw to keep them warm at their desks.
• Gift cards. Ah, the gift card. That tiny piece of plastic holds a world of potential. They’re easy to purchase (especially with digital e-gift cards), easy to use, and incredibly versatile.

👉 Find eight more options.

SOCIAL CAPITAL

The key to bringing in (more) money this season? Shoppable content.

Okay, obvious question first — what’s shoppable content?
Logical place to start. Basically, it’s any type of digital content that you click on to make a purchase. You might’ve also seen it referred to as “social shopping” — to-may-toe, to-mah-toe. Sometimes, it means actually making the purchase within the app (we’re looking at you, Instagram and TikTok) or being taken to another website to complete the transaction. And it isn’t just for retail businesses — services are also getting into the game (think: spa services or photography packages).

So, how do I create shoppable content?
There are a few types of common shoppable content you’ll find out there. You can create a post on sites like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest; make a shoppable video ad for YouTube; tap some influencers to help create some user-generated content (fun fact: 70% of consumers think user-generated ads are more trustworthy than branded ones); or make a shoppable ad.

What’s in it for me?
Here are a few benefits of jumping on the social shopping bandwagon:

1. Make quicker sales. With a shorter sales cycle, shoppable content will help you close sales — fast. Essentially, you’re giving buyers what they want when they want it. 
2. Grab consumers while they’re in browsing mode. People actually like shopping on social platforms. Meaning, they’re more receptive to ads on Instagram, than, say, a commercial that’s been dropped in the midst of binging “The Crown.”

👉 Read on for more benefits.

THE BURNOUT IS REAL

Toxic productivity: What is it?

“Everyday I’m hustlin’” — sound familiar?
Hustle culture has become a real motivator in the workspace, especially when we strive to scale our businesses faster. But hustling isn’t a sustainable practice — 63% of entrepreneurs have or are dealing with burnout.

Sometimes business owners don’t realize that they’ve fallen into an obsession with productivity. Maybe they’re focused on building a perfect business, or they’re scared of failing. In any case, there’s a term for this pattern of behavior: toxic productivity.

Even too much productivity can be a bad thing.
Checking something off your neverending to-do list is such a good feeling. Chasing that little kick of dopamine in the name of productivity sounds safe — you’re doing something productive with your time, so it’s fine, right?

Not when it comes at the expense of your health. Do you let self-care fall by the wayside? Do you work through your breaks and give up sleep? Do you feel guilty for not working? Then you could be pushing yourself to a breaking point, which can lead to conditions like chronic stress, burnout, and depression.

Set yourself up for success.
If you’re stuck in a loop of toxic productivity, there are ways to save yourself. Set up clear boundaries — make self-care a priority and get comfortable saying no to tasks you can delegate. Productivity apps like Asana and ClickUp can help you prioritize your daily tasks and keep a schedule that’s sustainable for the long term.

👉 Learn more about toxic productivity.

WE HAVE A PODCAST

This week on Organize Chaos: The biggest takeaways from Playbook 2022

What’s better than one Ronzio? Two, of course. Get ready for some snappy sibling banter as Chris and Jonathan Ronzio break down the key insights and big ideas from the biggest small business conference of the year: Playbook 2022. Were you a Cliffs Notes fan back in the day? Then this Playbook episode on Organize Chaos is for you.

Only have 10 minutes to spare? Check out these mini pods:

• Don’t sacrifice your personal goals at the expense of your business.‍
• Can the secret sauce to your role or business be documented?