Sep

30

Make Wise Determinations on How to Spend Your Time

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All the moving parts and pieces to operating a gift basket business can be daunting, but making sure you stay on track each day isn’t any more difficult than if you participated in another industry.

Here are some of the actions necessary to be successful:

  • Networking at all times of the day
  • Promoting your products and services online and offline
  • Learning techniques to make designs look fresh and appealing
  • Finding new product sources, especially local ones
  • Making seasonal website changes

That’s just a partial list. So how do you organize your time to get it all done?

One way is to schedule what gets completed on certain days. This includes what’s achieved at specific times. In addition, some of your activities might be completed during the weekend.

How you organize business time is in your hands, and I encourage you to make this mission a top priority if you intend to thrive.

THERE’S MORE: Having trouble figuring out what gets done in business when your personal life also has many moving parts? My Get Your Business in Order for More Profits consultation is available now before the holiday rush. In just 45 minutes, you’ll have an organized strategy that’s customized for you.

I know exactly what you’re going through, as I started my gift basket business while raising a family and commuting to work at New York’s World Trade Center. It was tough; however, the lessons I created back then still work for me today, and those same principles molded to your specifications can work for you, too.

You and I will talk by phone about your everyday life, what’s not working, and what you want to achieve so that your plan finally makes sense and comes together.

Click the Buy Now link below and sign up today for Get Your Business in Order for More Profits, which is just $99. You’ll see a huge leap in your time management and sales. I’m only working with 12 designers, and the offer expires on October 10.

Get Your Business in Order for More Profits – $99


Sep

23

Is Your Voice Mail Message Helpful or Harmful?

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“You have reached Gift Baskets by Greta. Please leave your message at the tone.“

Without including a marketing message within your voice mail greeting that encourages prospects to record their reason for calling, you’ll find that very few people want to do business with you.

There are lots of ways to market and capture sales by phone when you’re unable to answer. Here are three options to record.

  • Specials available for upcoming holidays and events
  • Free brochure sent on request
  • Contests run exclusively on your website

Your voice mail greeting virtually leads the customer into developing a relationship with you before a live call. Review and update your message now to convince callers to become customers before they hear the beep.

HERE’S MORE: Marketing often gets overlooked while running a business until you wonder why more customers aren’t ordering. 99 Sizzling Marketing Ideas to Make More Money explains how to keep people coming through your door, calling, and referring more clients.

Flora Brown and I share all of our gift basket industry secrets on two one-hour CDs separated into marketing strategies for January to June and July to December.

Keep your marketing fine tuned by ordering these CDs today through this link, as the price will increase on September 30.

http://www.GiftBasketBusiness.com/gift-basket-marketing.htm

Sep

16

Encourage Your Customers to Talk

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Creating gift baskets that sell quickly happens when you ask questions and listen to responses.

Customers who value the gift baskets you make for them are a “river” of information. If asked, they will tell you:

1. What makes them think of buying from you.
2. When a big campaign will launch at their jobs.
3. Which professional events they will soon attend.
4. Where they plan to go on vacation.
5. How busy they or a spouse has become because of a promotion.

These and more are examples why gift baskets are made.

Are you listening to customers, offering invaluable advice as well as providing suggestions for gift baskets for the occasions and events in their lives?

Plug in to customers’ messages when speaking with them. You will find that they value your ideas and order often. All you have to do is ask.

*****

ORDER TODAY BEFORE PRICES INCREASE: Within days, some of your favorite gift basket business CDs, DVDs, and resource materials will increase in price.

Visit the GiftBasketBusiness.com resources page today through this link for tips and strategies on books, DVDs, CDs, and more to build your business. You’ll save a load of cash, so don’t waste time. Order now.

Sep

9

One Way to Fund Your Gift Basket Business

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Designers who’ve recently entered the gift basket business have lots of questions, and these next three are frequently asked:

  • Do I need a license?
  • Where do I find products?
  • Are there any grants?

When posted on message boards, all three answers are quickly addressed by veteran designers or by experts conducting classes, with the question about grant money usually resulting in a negative response.

Surprisingly, there are occasional exceptions to the rule. A few years ago, I read an article about a gift basket designer in New Jersey who won a contest sponsored by American Express and the Women’s National Basketball Association. Her winnings were $10,000 and a laptop computer.

Also, the Milwaukee Department of Commerce’s Entrepreneurial Training Grant Program awarded $11,530 to 17 Wisconsin-based business owners. Five of the awardees received $637 and the opportunity to create a business plan through the training program. One recipient plans to start a gift basket business with her grant.

The bottom line is that available monies exist through grants if you are diligent in your search. One woman entered a contest, and another enrolled in a grant program. Both took the time to search for resources and complete the necessary paperwork. The same benefits are also available to you.

Start your search for contests and grant monies through the money sources pages at GiftBasketBusiness.com.

Be aware of business programs sponsored by departments in your state or country. The information is usually posted online. Use search engines to uncover small business contests available on credit card and business sites. For example, a breakfast bar manufacturer once sponsored a business grant program.

The money’s out there, and when the event is launched, someone will enter and win. Will that person be you?

Sep

2

Save Now by Taking Advantage of Wholesale Specials

Filed Under Wholesale Suppliers | Comments Off

This month I notice that wholesalers are offering lots of special pricing on new and familiar gift basket products.

How many of these specials have you ordered, or are you not aware of what’s available?

Set aside a few minutes of time this week to visit your favorite online wholesale Web sites. You’ll find a tab, usually in the left column, that leads you to a clearance or specials category labeled with those or similar words.

Everything won’t be of interest, but there are lots of opportunities to save money now so that your profits are higher this year.

From there, follow my advice on this 15-minute talk about selling to the corporate market, which you can access by pressing the play button below.

If you can take advantage of sale prices now, you’ll reap big rewards this holiday season.

Learn more:

You still have time to sign up to attend the one-hour online telephone seminar on Corporate Gift Baskets: How to Find Clients, How to Get Orders. Among other results, you’ll:

  • Be able to identify corporate prospects
  • Get to the decision makers and market effectively
  • Complete a near flawless presentation, concluding with sales and referral names for follow up

Click this link for more details about the teleseminar scheduled for September 7, from 8:40 – 9:40 pm EST. You’ll receive the recorded event by Email if you sign up but cannot attend the live session.