Dec

30

Earn More, Find Customers

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PROSPECTING FOR PROFITS
Looking to achieve higher profits in 2008? There’s only one way for that to happen, and that’s through planning. Wednesday’s newsletter eases you into the planning process. It’s easier than you imagine, and you’ll love the results at the end of each month.

GIFT BASKET NEWS ON THE NET
Are you familiar with all of the gift basket business blogs? Aside from the one I write, here’s where you’ll find links to two places to bookmark for great tips and advice.

IS A RENTED LIST FOR YOU?
I know of several gift basket firms that rent mailing lists to find new customers. Would you consider doing the same? Solo Business Marketing gives you the good and bad about renting a list and also points you to an article with more insight.

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Dec

26

Set the Bar High in 2008

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According to the media, January 1st is the day to resolve to do something better or faster, to start achieving planned goals, or stop participating in a bad habit.

Their agenda focuses on this same topic every January 1.

What’s on your agenda? Gift basket sales won’t sprout unless you plant seeds on a daily basis. Opportunities for marketing and media promotion will materialize when you take advantage of the contacts you’ve made, both face to face and online.

There’s no magic formula to follow to achieve success, but as with any business, you must apply steadfast determination to move forward every day to gain sales, referrals, new contacts, and future business.

Of course, there will be unforeseen circumstances that cause setbacks and missteps. But that’s just a small and necessary piece of the puzzle.

Stay focused to reach your business goals, and your resolutions will come true.

Review the sample calendar for ideas to keep your baskets selling each month.

Can’t get to a favorite trade show this spring? Here’s what to do.

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Dec

23

Money, Ribbon, and Fame

Filed Under Publicity/Media Attention, Ribbon and Bows, Sales-Increasing Strategies | Leave a Comment

INCREASE PROFIT WITH EACH SALE
Everyone has a budget in mind when ordering a gift basket, but you’ll find that each customer will spend an extra $5 to add balloons or additional treat that the receiver will appreciate. When you suggest these extras, that’s called upselling. Wednesday’s newsletter encourages you to upsell every order, putting more dollars in your bank account and broader smiles on client’s faces.

THE RULES OF RIBBON OWNERSHIP
Are you mad about ribbon? You’re not alone. There’s not one designer who has less than 20 rolls in stock, and if the spools aren’t organized, you’ll have a tangled mess on your hands. This article helps you treat ribbon right, and click on the link to see a photograph of how one designer organizes her ribbon.

READY FOR YOUR CLOSEUP?
If you didn’t pursue media attention before Christmas, now’s a great time to go after newspaper promotion. This tutorial will provide you with a blueprint for local fame.

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Dec

19

How to Sell More with Every Order

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Fast food chains ask if you want your meal supersized. Computer sellers offer three-year service agreements on new computers. Each time a Macy’s salesperson convinces a customer to open an account, the store increases their revenue.

These are examples of “upselling,” and it can work for you. Upselling is the act of increasing the sale by suggesting an added product or service that wasn’t part of the original price. It’s a process that turns a $50 order into a $75 sale.

See the new Gift Basket Dictionary for more terms and definitions.

Focus on upselling when a customer orders. Clients have specific budgets, but that won’t stop you from suggesting an additional product or enhancement to increase the sale. Upselling not only adds to your profits, it also helps the client make an extraordinary impression.

Your order form can include upsell product suggestions to offer customers. These items include balloons, mugs, popcorn, plush, and chocolates. Where do these products come from?

*Ordering too many chocolates, cookies, etc. Offer these additional products in designs that don’t include it.

*Taking advantage of a sale on foods or gifts. This is not the usual way you make purchases, but it’s a buying opportunity you could not overlook.

Try upselling the next time an order arrives. It’s a great way to satisfy the customer and increase your profits in the long run.

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Dec

16

How to Prepare for Big Orders

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PUT YOUR APPRECIATION IN PRINT
Customers love receiving notes expressing gratitude. Why? Because it convinces them that they’ve spent their money with the right person or company. Get more incentive from Wednesday’s newsletter to send a handwritten thank-you note after each gift basket is delivered.

ARE MEGA ORDERS A MAJOR HEADACHE?
The thought of getting a client to order 100 or more baskets is a dream come true for many designers. But are you really ready for the big time? Read tips from a designer who just completed her first big sale. What she shares will ensure that you don’t regret the order.

TEAMING UP TO SELL MORE
Thinking of selling your baskets in someone else’s shop? This type of arrangement, better known as consignment, is a popular method to increase sales when you don’t have a retail shop. This article provides insight on consignment sales and what to put into the agreement between you and the shop owner.

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Dec

12

Say “Thank You” With Style

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Whenever I buy a major appliance, I receive a thank-you note by mail from the seller. It’s a small gesture that I expect when spending my cash. It’s also something that I rarely receive from most stores and service providers.

That’s why customers who receive your personal thank-you notes buy gift baskets from you and recommend you more often than other gift basket sellers.

Sending a thank-you note is so simple that you wonder why most companies don’t mail them more often. Some business owners still take customers for granted. They haven’t learned how to properly close a sale and, at the same time, open the door for new opportunities. Putting your thanks in writing is gratifying to customers, and over time it also boosts your revenue.

Show appreciation for every sale by sending a thank-you card by mail to the customer. It’s makes her feel special and gives her an incentive to dial your number each time she needs a gift.

Also encourage your clients to send thank-you gifts. Here’s one idea in video format on the Gift Basket Tutorials site.

That’s one terrific tip, and there’s more in your last chance this year to get 99 Sizzling Marketing Ideas to Make More Money. Until December 20, the January-June and July-December combo is just $40, including shipping, a $39.94 savings.

Tell someone who’s routing for your success to put it in your Christmas stocking.

Go to the secure store today and order your marketing combo. Look for it in the “CD and Audiotapes” link on the left.

Dec

9

Create Your New Year’s Marketing Plan

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PLAN YOUR 2008 STRATEGY NOW
To get more of your gift baskets into customers’ hands, you must choose the best ways to encourage frequent purchases. Want to sell more than you did last year? Wednesday’s newsletter gives you the scoop on converting your plans into cash.

BIG BOWS BRIGHTEN YOUR BASKETS
In 1994, I traveled 3,000 miles to learn how to make a bow, and the experience was worth every minute of flight time. Today, you can sit right where you are and and learn bowmaking online. Here’s a link to a gift basket demo that’s topped with a bow that doesn’t compare with what you make, plus a link to my popular bowmaking demo for a quick and creative reminder.

PYRAMID SHAPES SELL
It’s a proven fact that customers react positively to tall designs. So give them what they want. Check out this pyramid-shaped design that you can quickly and easily create. Styling your gifts in this fashion comes in handy when you need a design that’s different from a traditional gift basket.

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