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A few years back, during one of those chaotic Decembers where I was juggling orders, kids’ events, and a husband who asked me what to get his sister the night before the family party… I did something out of pure survival.
I made a tiny gift guide.
Not a “Pinterest-perfect” guide.
Not a “strategic marketing asset.”
Just a quick screenshot of 9 things organized by price because I didn’t have the bandwidth to type out the same recommendations 12 times.
I texted it to him.
He sent it to his sister.
She sent it to three coworkers.
Someone else posted it in a group chat.
And suddenly women I didn’t know were thanking me for it.
That’s when it hit me:
People don’t want more choices.
They want someone to decide for them.
And that’s why gift guides work so unbelievably well.
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Here’s what I learned (and what will help YOUR gift guides convert):
1. Price points are a lifeline.
Everyone shops by budget first.
Not “gifts for the runner” or “gifts for the dog mom.”
Just:
“I need something under $20.”
“I can spend $50.”
“Show me one impressive $100 gift.”
Price-point categories make people exhale.
They get to stop thinking and start choosing.
If you want inspo for layouts, I keep a little folder of tools that make it crazy simple — things like drag-and-drop templates, screenshot-ready grids, and layouts you can customize in five minutes.
(Here’s one of the ones I always reach for → [create something pretty fast])
2. If someone can’t screenshot it, it won’t spread.
Your guide should be so clean, clear, and minimal that it invites sharing.
One friend sending to another.
One sister sending to another.
One coworker sending to the group chat.
That’s the magic of gift guides.
They travel.
Little bonus: You can turn one guide into a week of content. If you want to try repurposing, here’s the exact tool I use to schedule things quickly without overthinking → [make it go everywhere for you].
3. Little personal notes matter more than you think.
The line that made my first guide take off?
“Everyone who buys this comes back for a second one.”
That was it.
Just the truth, said simply.
People connect to why you picked something.
If writing those little blurbs feels overwhelming, here’s a shortcut I sometimes use when my brain is tired → [make the words easier].
4. Too many items kills conversions.
My highest-converting guide ever had nine items.
Nine.
Curated is what sells — not clutter.
This is where checking real-time product trends can help, especially if you want to know what people are actually searching for right now → [see what’s hot behind the scenes].
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5. Your guide can show up 10 different ways without extra work.
Once you make one:
turn it into a Pinterest pin
shrink it for a Reel
make a tiny email version
post it in your Facebook group
add it to your store banner
turn each item into its own post
text it to your VIP list
create a “holiday shop” on your site
screenshot it for Stories
save it as a PDF for easy phone shopping
If you want your store to look polished without hiring anyone, this is my favorite spot to refresh the look in 10 minutes → [make your storefront look amazing].
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6. And here’s the final truth I want you to remember:
Most women aren’t looking for “the perfect gift.”
They’re looking for permission.
Permission to choose something simple.
Permission to stay within their budget.
Permission to stop scrolling and just buy the thing.
Your gift guide gives them that.
It makes their holidays a little lighter.
A little simpler.
A little more human.
And that is the opposite of salesy — it’s service.
With love,
Carina ❤️
P.S.
All my favorites, tools, and “where did you get that?” links are here if you ever want them:
👉 https://tapto.shop/knittedbelle
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