Jan
20
The Fancy Food Show, currently underway in San Francisco, is a true culinary experience.
It’s said that if you cannot find a particular food or beverage there, it doesn’t exist.
What would be on your list of “must haves” at the show if you attended? That’s the question posed on the Gift Basket Business Facebook group page.
There are many answers and room for yours, too. Join the conversation through this link:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=74453386284&topic=12685
Dec
9
Three Things to Learn Before Participating in a Trade Show
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Do you plan to participate in a regional trade show sponsored by your local chamber of commerce or similar organization?
Make sure you complete your research before signing up, including:
1. Determine if the audience is the type that’s interested in gift baskets.
2. Ask past exhibitors for their insights and advice.
3. Request a list of participants from the host association.
There’s much more research to compile before agreeing to participate, so consider all of the pros and cons ahead of time so that you benefit.
Dec
2
What to Do at the January Trade Shows
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Although Christmas has not yet come and gone, this is the time when savvy designers begin reviewing their inventory and planning what to buy at the upcoming trade shows.
Which ones will you attend, and what merchandise is on your “must buy list?”
That’s two questions to ask and determine before arriving at the show.
Aside from that, here are some long-standing rules and habits to ensure that you spend your time and money wisely.
1. Create an purchasing list to follow in order to buy items that sell quickly.
2. Bring business cards, and hand them out to request mailed catalogs so that you don’t carry them.
3. Wear comfortable footwear, although it may not matter, as walking for hours is hazardous to your feet.
4. Locate the nearest exits (for safety) and lavatories (for comfort) as you browse up and down aisles.
5. Take breaks if you plan to be at the show for two hours or more.
6. Try not to spend all of your money buying beautiful baubles in the cash-and-carry section.
You’ll find a list of trade shows on this page at WebSitesForRetailers.com.
Feb
25
How to Make Sense of Trade Show Dollars
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Which gift trade shows have you attended or are preparing to attend?
In between filling orders, it’s crucial for you to check inventory items before attending a show to determine which products need replenishing, which won’t be reordered, and what new products match your clients’ profiles.
Checking stock allows you to:
1) Purchase a considerable amount of wholesale merchandise to ensure that you don’t run out of stock before mid year.
2) Take full advantage of trade show specials, including free freight.
3) Keep retail store purchases to a minimum, specifically to maximize your budget and time competing with general consumers for store merchandise.
As an example, you may be a designer who has $1,000 to spend until the next season’s show. This is a conservative amount but a good round figure as a model.
The bulk of the funds is usually allotted for foods, gifts, baskets, containers and enhancements. Less will be spent buying shred and cellophane, as these items are most likely on hand from prior seasons.
A small portion of your budget may be allocated for new products that match customer requests. Review their wishes very closely before deciding what to buy.
If you’re not located near a gift trade show, invest the travel dollars saved on a subscription to gift industry magazines. These publications deliver monthly trade shows and seminars to your door through ads and articles.
Out of eight gift industry magazines I know exist, three are fee based totaling an average of $100 per year, so pursuing subscriptions is a wise investment.
Make a concerted effort to plan your buying list before attending a trade show. Planning helps you stay in control of your dollars, and that makes sense to keep growing profitably.
See my trade show speaking schedule here, and if you attend, please introduce yourself after the event. I’d like to meet you.
Jul
20
Trade Shows, Asking Questions, Imprinting Machines
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FROM CHAOS TO CALM
There are certain expectations when you begin making gift baskets. First, you wonder if you’ll get sales, and when they arrive, you wonder how to organize everything, including travel. Wednesday’s newsletter provides trade show alternatives when you cannot travel, which includes magazines to get this month to read gift basket articles.
WHAT’S YOUR QUESTION?
Learning about the receiver, before you begin designing, ensures that the gift basket matches their preferences. What do you ask, and are the questions organized on paper rather than by memory? Here’s what I asked a client before dazzling 25 members of her day care staff.
HOW TO PRINT UP SALES
What type of ribbon imprinter is in your workspace, and can it do more than imprint on ribbon? One designer is searching for a special imprinter to satisfy her clients with different types of personalization. Her question is at Ask The Gift Basket Expert. Can you help her?
Jul
16
How to Manage Your Time, Travel, and Money
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Managing your time while marketing, selling, and attending trade shows is often a difficult process, but there are alternatives to keep order and sanity.
Rather than attend trade shows, some gift basket designers choose to stay close to their stores due to time or budgetary constraints. This dilemma can leave a big void in the items offered to customers who count on you to surprise them with every order.
But how can you take time away from business to visit trade shows when the ones you really want to attend are thousands of miles away? Here are two solutions.
1. Speak with suppliers. Call wholesalers that plan to exhibit. Ask the representative if you can take advantage of specials through a phone order. New items are usually shown online, and the rep may have approval to give you a “heads up” on sales specials.
2. Re-review trade publications. Gift and gourmet trade magazines often feature new items for each season, introducing you to what will be in style in terms of colors and trends.
The July issues of Gifts & Decorative Accessories and Gift Shop Magazine include gift basket articles. Try and get a copy of both before month’s end.
Don’t let schedule, location, or budget keep you from finding new products to refresh designs. Your customers are counting on you be their premier, trend-setting gift consultant.
Gift Basket Wholesale Supplies lists wholesalers and distributors in state order and throughout Canada. It’s a resource that may be beneficial if you absolutely cannot get to a show.
Jun
22
Trade Shows, Your Own Toolbox, Getting Past Gatekeepers
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TIME TO TALK TRADE SHOWS
There was a time when trade shows intimidated me. I didn’t want to go because exhibitors tried to sell me products that weren’t on my buying list. Wednesday’s newsletter puts your product needs in center focus, helping you to determine how to navigate each aisle so that you leave knowing you’ve made smart buying decisions for your best sales year.
GIFT BASKET DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE
After 18 years in business, a design repair toolbox is still part of my workspace arsenal, and it’s inside each vehicle during deliveries. The photo shown with this article is my exactly toolbox; you’ll see some of the items always on board. Read the article and tell all of us what’s in your toolbox.
NO MORE GATEKEEPER GAMES
We’ve all heard of the gatekeeper, the person who stands between you and the one with the power to buy your gift baskets. Do you know that there are ways to bypass this person? I share my top three ways to meet your prospect so that the gatekeeper is no longer a factor. Now’s the time to try these ideas so that you’re sure to earn your Christmas bonus.
Save Time – Gift Basket Biz Plan
Popular Gift Basket Books
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