Create Gift Baskets for a Cause

Tuesday October 30, 2007 • Leave a Comment 

Gift basket retailers are not just great designers, they are also very caring givers themselves. Even though there may not be a big tax writeoff or lots of resulting customers, gift basket designers still give to many causes that are special to them.
 
This time of year you’ll receive lots of requests for donations. The best recipients of your donations will be the causes you’re involved in or that you care about.

  • Some designers donate a portion of their profits to animal welfare organizations.
  • Others ask their customers to donate cash to offset the costs of an expensive operation for a child.
  • A few donate their time and supplies to disaster relief or women’s shelters

If you’re looking for a worthwhile cause I recommend Angels Wings, a nonprofit organization I support. They assist children who find themselves in distress. Angels Wings focuses on children with cancer, other critical diseases and special needs.
 

What appeals to me most about Angels Wings is they offer short-term help in that critical period immediately following diagnosis or discovery. Families with insurance or disability often suffer for many grueling months before their benefits start to arrive. Angels Wings fills that crucial and critical gap between the initial discovery and the arrival of agency, governmental or other funds.
 
There are many ways you could help Angels Wings provide this need to waiting children and their families.
 
–Offer a portion of your profits for specific baskets or baskets during a certain time frame.
–Launch a campaign selling a specially designed basket where all of the proceeds are donated to Angels Wings
–Ask your customers  to match your donation of a specific amount and make it easy for them to do so by setting up         PayPal or other payment agent on your site.
–Appeal to a wealthy or celebrity client to make a substantial donation.
–Create a spectacular gift basket and auction it on your website, eBay and on Angels Wings website.
–When you take a phone order ask the customer if they’d make a donation to your charity of choice, Angels Wings.

Learn more about Angels Wings. I hope you agree that is the perfect charity for your creativity and generosity.



Before You Add Wine to Your Gift Baskets, Drink This In

Tuesday October 23, 2007 • Leave a Comment 

Some time during this holiday season clients will ask you to include a bottle of wine in your designs. You will be tempted to grant this request. What harm is one bottle of wine? The customer may even provide the wine, so all you need to do is pop it in the basket.
 
Don’t.
 
The only way you can legally include wine in your gift baskets, even if the customer provides it, is if you own a liquor license. Otherwise you are opening yourself up to stiff fines, the forced closure of your business, or worse.
 
The licenses to sell wine and other alcoholic beverages are not the same as your business license. As a matter of fact, there is one license for wine and a different one for beer and hard liquor. These licenses require you to meet certain requirements, pay hefty fees and endure a waiting period.
 
Avoiding risking your business this holiday season. Read this article to learn more about selling wine and other alcoholic beverages.



Give Winning Corporate Presentations

Tuesday October 16, 2007 • Leave a Comment 

When business or corporate clients consider buying gift baskets you may be asked to make an in-person presentation at their office. There are several things you can do to help ensure that you walk away with the order.
 
1 Ask questions before you go and use those answers to plan. Be sure you know the budget, occasion and preferences so you can design baskets accordingly.
 
2. Take only one to three baskets in the price range requested.
 
3. Shoot photos of your designs and print them along with descriptions to distribute to the committee.
 
4. Take charge of the meeting by giving a very brief, but formal introduction to yourself and company background.
 
5. Then show each basket explaining what’s inside and how it can be used.
 
6. Ask how many they will be needing, the delivery date and contact person for receiving baskets.
 
7. Get the order prepaid before you begin ordering inventory and creating designs. Have a form ready for them to sign agreeing to the order as discussed, giving their credit card information and the signature of the decision maker. This way your order is prepaid before you leave the office.
 
If you must make changes to the agreement before they sign, do so as soon as you return to your office. Then fax the agreement back to them for credit card info and signature.
 
8. If they want the order shipped, request that they provide an emailed or faxed list of addresses. This will help avoid spelling and other errors.Thank them for their time and leave with your order.
 
9. Don’t leave baskets behind unless the client buys them.
 
The holiday season can be an exciting and profitable time for your business. Your success depends on how well you conduct and conclude during your presentation.
 
Read this article for more tips on creating a successful holiday season.
 



Is Your Workspace Ready for Holiday Orders?

Tuesday October 9, 2007 • Leave a Comment 

According to the International Data Corp. nearly 27 million people were working from home at the end of 2006.
 
Working from home for gift basket designers means more than just setting up an office and meeting deadlines. It also means providing adequate storage for products and supplies and ample workspace for assembling designs.
 
If you’re like most gift basket designers you actively seek corporate orders, especially for the holidays. When you win large contracts, however, is your workspace ready to handle the assembly of these gift baskets?
 
Here are some ways others have met this challenge:
 
1. Rent or sublease an industrial space or a commercial kitchen for the months prior to the holidays.
2. Arrange to assemble the designs at the warehouse or other vacant space owned by your client.
3. Clear space for assembly tables in your garage, attic or basement.
4. Assemble gift baskets in small quantities in your regular workspace and store finished designs elsewhere.
5. Outsource the assembly of your designs to a fulfillment service. Some even take care of the delivery.
6. Work an agreement with a business that has adequate workspace to use it during the hours when their business is closed.