What Corporate Clients Want Now

You’re bound to get resistance from clients when approaching them to buy gifts and baskets. The economy has everything thinking they can’t afford to give gifts. But they must show appreciation in one form or another.

Some will slap a press bow atop a wine bottle and shove it into a bag. Anyone who does this simply is not your customer, and that’s good. There will be many more who will listen to and agree with your message. You’ll briefly explain (most corporate clients prefer brevity) how the gifts and baskets they’re viewing in person or online:

Express appreciation without appearing desperate
Strengthen current relationships throughout 2009
Remind their clients that they are partners with customers rather than just vendors

The third point is not only true for clients, it’s also the message you want to convey between them and you.

Corporations always want something glamorous for very little money, but how it that different than in any other holiday year?

Since that’s what they want, here’s a way to break through their resistance without breaking your budget.

Create two or three designs that are set in stone – no substitutions or alterations whatsoever. One design is created in a small drum or another holiday container. The second is made in a tall, slim basket or container.

The drum adds value because it’s not a general basket; the tall container adds value with height.

Drape the completed drum design with enhancements outside of the cello or shrink wrap. Add a fan topper to the tall design, which will elevate its height and perceived value.

Both gifts are easily created by you for between $9 and $12 each and can sell for up to $40, giving clients what they want and you with a decent profit.

As I mentioned, these designs are made on a non-customized basis, no changes at all. That will let you concentrate on specific inventory. If the client wants changes, it’s an automatic $10 customization fee, no exceptions, plus any additional costs for materials, labor, etc.

Corporate clients want to give gifts but are not sure how to proceed. They also want stability in these uncertain times. You will support them on both fronts by creating a minimum of two designs that they can count on to be delivered exactly as shown in person or online.

You’ll earn revenue with a narrow inventory of solid sellers. So everyone gets what they want.

One option for the drum and tall basket are shown on the Baskets site.

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One Response to “What Corporate Clients Want Now”

My Gift Basket Income Dropped. Now What? : Gift Basket Business on December 22nd, 2008 10:15 am

[...] Create more tall, slim designs along with the larger assortments, and make these designs on an as-shown basis (no substitutions). I talk about that in a newsletter issued this month. [...]

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