Content Syndication: What It Is and How It Can Help
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It’s that time of year again! You know, the one where you procrastinated your shopping and realize you have a holiday party this weekend and you’re missing a gift (or three). Well, if you happen to have a marketer on your list (you lucky duck) we’ve got you covered. Here are seven great gift ideas for the super talented, attractive, and overworked marketer in your life.
1. Caffeine 
Here at The DofM we basically run on sarcasm and caffeine. Keep your favorite marketer on their toes with a coffee-inspired gift. Gift cards to Starbucks or Dunkin’ are the gifts that just keep on giving or try supporting local and picking one up from your favorite local coffee spot. We’re partial to Sir Walter Coffee downtown, but there is no shortage of great spots throughout Raleigh and the Triangle. Not a gift card giver? We get it. Try a bag of local grounds and a cheeky coffee mug. Like we said, sarcasm and caffeine.
2. A Welcome Distraction
If you think “marketer” and picture someone in brightly colored clothes toting a cell phone and laptop, headphones cranked to eleven…well, stereotyping isn’t cool. But it’s true that music can help drown out the din of working in a coworking space, coffee shop, busy office, or any of the myriad places we find ourselves, and you can’t go wrong with a subscription to a music and podcast streaming service. You’ve definitely got options:
3. A Little Peace and Quiet
Speaking of distracting work environments and their favorite tunes or podcast, give your favorite audiophile an upgrade with noise-canceling headphones. The wonderful reviewers at TechRadar have taken all of the guesswork out of the purchase for you with this list of their top 10 recommendations. (Our COO has the Sony’s in the #2 spot and can vouch wholeheartedly for their effectiveness.)
4. Bedside Professional Development
The wild world of marketing changes so fast it’s difficult to keep up, and there is always some new guru touting the next best “hack.” (Ew, by the way.) But there are some fundamentals that every marketer should learn to be successful and a guide from one of the greats might be the best gift they ever receive. Here are a few of our recommendations:
- Purple Cow or This is Marketing by Seth Godin
- They Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan
- Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- Content Inc. by Joe Pulizzi
5. Office Supplies
Yes, really. We’ve never met another marketer who doesn’t share our affinity for fancy office supplies - especially high-end notebooks. A snarky or empowering cover, bright and colorful designs, our favorite brands, we’re easy to please. Want to keep it simple? You can’t go wrong with a classic Moleskine, but we also happen to really like Moo’s hardcover notebooks.
6. More Power
Most marketers are attached to their device of choice - be it a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. And most of the time it’s safe to assume they are perilously low on battery. A power bank is sure to earn you a big smile, and you can bet they’ll be singing your praises the next time their laptop decides to die in the middle of a meeting or presentation.
7. Organized Chaos
No marketing wish list would be complete without one (or many) of the subscription services out there designed to make life a little easier. Does your marketer write a lot? Manage a lot of different accounts? Need a little mental break sometimes? There’s an app for that. Here’s a couple that we can’t live without:
- Grammarly - Write like a pro
- Canva - Design like a pro
- Headspace or Calm - Because mindfulness matters
- LastPass or 1Password - Because having to reset your password sucks
- Evernote or Trello - For herding cats, organizing chaos, and taking great notes
We hope this helps check at least one person off your list this holiday season. If it doesn’t, we’re always happy to chat all the latest and greatest apps, gadgets, and tools that are currently keeping us entertained and productive. Just give us a shout! And Happy Everything from The DofM!