Jul
6
Bereavement Baskets, Quick Changes, Accounting Tips
Filed Under Bereavement, Money, Sales-Increasing Strategies | Leave a Comment
IT’S BEREAVED, YET BEAUTIFUL
How many bereavement baskets did you create between January and June? As with all baskets, these heartfelt creations are made with tender-loving care. Wednesday’s newsletter provides a number of options for what to place in your bereavement baskets and how to ensure that clients will choose your gifts for this and all occasions.
HOW TO BE A QUICK CHANGE ARTIST
“Can you take out the cookies and put in cranberries?” is a question one client asked me a year ago. The latter is more expensive, so I had to do some quick thinking to satisfy her and still make a profit. You’ll get pointers from this article on making sure you don’t give away the store in one basket.
ACCOUNT FOR YOUR CASH
Keeping your business records intact takes initiative and dedication, and keeping your money out of the wrong hands takes lots of double checking. Even if you don’t outsource your accounting, this article shares advice on choosing trustworthy people to watch over your money.
Jun
29
Money for Business, Fragrance Mixing, Client Surveys
Filed Under Money, Sales-Increasing Strategies | Leave a Comment
BASKET CASH FOR BUSINESS
Years ago, a New Jersey-based gift basket owner won $10,000 in cash and a laptop through an American Express contest. I was thrilled to read the story, but I’m sure she was more thrilled to use the money for her shop, which still thrives today. Wednesday’s newsletter tells you about another gift basket designer who won a grant and how you can uncover funds for your business.
MIXING CHOCOLATES AND SUDS
Can sweets and scents be combined in the same basket? I never gave the two a thought until I realized how strong a smell came from my perfumed soaps. This quick article provides more insight into this seemingly-problematic situation.
SERVING CLIENTS WITH SURVEYS
How do you know if your gift baskets benefit clients? Creating and distributing surveys are one way to find out. Best of all, it doesn’t take lots of time to put one together. This tip will lead you to another source that helps you launch a survey to sell more gifts and baskets.
Jun
25
Finding Money for Business
Filed Under Money | Leave a Comment
One day I’ll always remember is the day I received an Email from a woman telling me that she had just won a $3,000 grant to start her gift basket business. She found a link to the grant in an article I wrote about finding money for business.
I wrote the article after scouring the Internet to find real sources for money, not those fake come-ons offered by unscrupulous firms. One company offered a contest for business startups, and they were distributing $25,000 in seed money. That’s the link she visited.
After writing and submitting her plan, she won in her specified category. She was thrilled, and I was pleased to know that the contest was genuine.
Opportunities still exist to find money on the net. If there were none, I wouldn’t waste time mentioning it. I’ve personally found money some for startups at a New York foundation that specializes in helping aspiring entrepreneurs, students, non-profits, and others find cash.
Most of all, you must rely on yourself to fund your dream. There’s no getting around that. One way that many in business have done this is to set aside 10 percent of every employment paycheck, placing it into a savings account as startup money.
If you cannot withhold $30 from a $300 check, dedicate whatever percentage you can manage. It will take time to gather the necessary dollars, but each month you will have more than the last.
After that, the focus turns to reinvesting your business dollars. But that’s the subject for another newsletter.
You’ll find more information in the finding money section, which includes a page on contests and grant sources.
Jun
4
What’s Your Yearly Sales Goal?
Filed Under Money, Planning | Leave a Comment
How do you determine how many gift baskets you can sell in a year? That’s what a designer asked me during a recent mentoring session. She works alone, and she also works full time for someone else.
I suggested that she work backwards to determine the sales number, and perhaps this method will work for you, too.
Example:
You want to gross $100,000 in 2008.
$100,000 divided by 12 is $8,334 per month.
$8,334 divided by 4 weeks is $2,084 per week.
At $40 per basket, you must sell 52 baskets per week.
At $50 per basket, you must sell 42 baskets per week.
This is a basic method to set your sales goal. Adjust the gross figure as needed. Working full time for another company may also impact on sales. If you will have difficulty selling a certain number of baskets due to time constraints, perhaps it’s time to find more high-end corporate accounts. Use your networking skills to find these lucrative clients.
Breaking down your sales goal into smaller parts will bring you closer to a realistic strategy for success.
May
25
Making a Profit, Frequently-Asked Questions, Selling on Consignment
Filed Under Money, Sales-Increasing Strategies, Wholesale Selling | Leave a Comment
MAKE PROFIT, NOT LOSS
Profitability is the No. 1 goal of every business or serious hobby, and gift basket designers consistently ensure that costs are controlled before the gift is delivered. Wednesday’s newsletter points out how to increase your profits and make sure expenses are covered no matter how long you’ve been in business.
THE 411 ON FAQ
How important is an FAQ (frequently-asked questions) area on your Web site? The answers convince prospects of your dedication to them. Most of all, it’s easy to add to building trust. This blog article includes several questions to begin creating your FAQ section.
WHOLESALE OR CONSIGNMENT?
A designer asked me how to start selling her gift baskets through retail stores. I answer her question at Ask The Gift Basket Expert and also explain the option of selling her baskets at wholesale cost so she doesn’t have to return to the store to pick up unsold gifts.
