How to Find Holiday Help

More than once, I’ve heard the question, “What if I market myself so well that I get lots of orders? How do I fill them?”

It’s smart for you to have this foresight, because if you don’t plan for mega sales, you won’t get them, and when you get orders to make 100+ baskets, you won’t know how to handle it.

Just as you must compile a list of places to buy backup products, creating a list of people who are willing and able to help you at a moment’s notice is also necessary. This list is different for everyone. Here’s an example of who may be added to yours.

1. Family members who live close to your location and are “pro” your success. Family can be very supportive, but the ones who watch you work while snacking on your inventory need not be called.

Here’s a list of five questions that increase sales as you prepare for mega orders.

2. Responsible high school students and college juniors and seniors. They are, by far, the most-helpful and energetic individuals I’ve recruited, and the same is true for many designers who’ve hired them. Work with school counselors to learn how to put your part-timers’ plan into action.

3. At-home moms and senior citizens. Both groups include dedicated individuals who enjoy getting the job done, and they will share smart ideas on streamlining the project for maximum success.

Search for these helpers through independent parents’ associations and senior centers. Both groups are usually found in your newspaper’s community news section.

Check out these ideas to grow your corporate gift basket sales.

Prepare to locate part-time help the same way you search for products – before you need them.

Oct

28

Consider Containers as Baskets

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EXPAND YOUR CREATIVITY
An east coast wholesaler sells beautifully-styled drums as an alternative to basket-based designs, and designers buy them fast, especially during the holidays. Are containers part of your inventory? This article tells you about popular containers to consider.

HOW TO ATTRACT CLIENTS
Running out of ideas to jumpstart your sales? Here are three ways that brought clients to one gift basket company’s door.

Oct

24

How to Find Dough in Diapers

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Babies are born every day, and if you’re looking to increase your baby gift basket revenue, here’s three tips.

1. Stay in touch with women clients who work in office environments. They know who’s expecting and when the office party is planned just before the new mom exits for maternity leave. Your clients are the ones who will refer you to the office party planner and also purchase a gift from you for the festivities.

Have you seen the large baby basket and smaller basket versions on the GiftBasketTutorials.com site?

2. Send corporate human resource departments information about your baby baskets. They not only know which staff members will soon give birth, their pipeline also extends to executives’ wives at their facility and satellite offices.

Looking for wholesale baby products? More than 30 suppliers are featured in the Baby Products Guide, delivered fast to you by Email.

3. Birthing centers and other alternative care providers catering to expectant moms welcome new children to the world with small gifts and baskets, which are the same items you place into larger designs. Offer these components to facility managers and other staff members charged with uncovering ideas to market each center’s services.

Need more ideas to make single baby gifts? Retail Wraps, a new site I’ve created, features a baby gift wrap method that combines diapers and a rattle. Try it for yourself.

Oct

21

Bereavement Baskets

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BRING JOY IN TIMES OF SORROW
What do you put in your bereavement baskets? This new article includes a list of items that comfort the living during the grieving period as well as create a line of baskets to offer funeral homes in your area.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH CLIENTS
Think of creating your own online newsletter but don’t know how to start? Here are three tips to craft your own publication and a link to find an online distribution service.

Oct

17

Three Ways To Wrap Up Sales

Filed Under Cellophane, Shrink Wrap, Bags | Leave a Comment

One question often asked during consulting sessions and at trade show demonstrations is: “Which wrapping product is most preferred: cellophane, basket bags, or shrink wrap?”

All three wrapping materials enjoy equal popularity. New designers usually start with cellophane because it’s a more cost-effective investment than other materials.

Basket bags make packaging quick and easy. It’s a life saver when time and labor must be kept to a minimum, especially when designing lower-cost gifts that look good without a lot of fuss.

Some designers swear by shrink wrap, vowing that they’ll never use anything else, while other designers swear at the product. It takes time and patience to gain shrink wrap proficiency. Remember that before you vow never to try it.

These three wrapping materials aren’t the only items we use to cover our baskets. There’s also tulle and Abaca. The latter is a man-made material that resembles a fisherman’s net. Crocheted carrying bags with long handles are often made with Abaca.

The wrapping products you choose to contain your designs reflect your personal style. If customers are dazzled by your work, you’ll know you made the right wrapping decision.

Learn more about your wrapping choices on the cellophane, etc. pages.

Oct

14

Is It Time to Fire a Client?

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CALLING IT QUITS
Is it time to say “goodbye” to difficult clients? When the stress of dealing with certain customers gets to the breaking point, use these steps to end the relationship.

DONATIONS DONE RIGHT
Do organizations ask you for gift baskets? Here’s smart advice to make sure your donation lands you more contacts and clients.

Oct

10

Three Marketing Methods

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If you find yourself grasping for marketing ideas, it’s time to create a better plan with information you already own. Here’s how to start.

1. Use your best-selling themes as a marketing tool.

Create postcards featuring photos of two top-selling baskets. Choose one personal and one corporate design. Mail a minimum of 50 postcards each month (more if possible) to current clients and strong leads.

Mail your postcards at the beginning of each month to remind clients about personal and business gift-giving occasions.

2. Let past purchases be your guide.

Your sales records show when and for what occasions clients order gift baskets. Next year, contact clients one month before birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, etc., which occurred in 2007 to capture new orders for the same event.

3. Incorporate monthly celebrations into your plan.

People buy gifts for non-traditional reasons. Why not offer baskets that coincide with monthly occasions such as popcorn month or healthy foot care month? List these gifts on your Web site or in your electronic newsletter. Your inventory allows you to create these baskets without buying extra stock.

There’s no need to re-invent the wheel when marketing ideas are found in your own files.