Did you know that April is National Humor month? How about a gift basket that includes a joke book and silly gag gifts? And May is Hamburger Month! Offer a basket with grilling accessories and snacks for a picnic. May is also Eat Dessert First Month and National Salsa Month. Think about the great baskets you can create with any of these themes in mind!
If you’re racking your brain to come up with fresh ideas for your gift basket business, check out Gourmet Retailer Magazine. Each issue includes a Promotional Calendar that lists holidays and special events and gives you two months lead time for planning. (For example, the March issue includes a Promotional Calendar for May).
Send a flyer to your customers and offer a discount for these special baskets. Send one of these baskets to your contact at a good corporate account with a thank you note for their business and a reminder about upcoming holidays. Hopefully, your contact will remember you the next time he/she needs to order gifts.
In addition to holidays and special events, the monthly calendars include interesting marketing suggestions. For example, the May calendar has some great ideas for drumming up new business over the summer months: sponsor a local little league team or check out summer street fairs in which you can participate.
Visit www.GourmetRetailer.com for subscription information plus lots of news and notes about industry events, business resources, and more!
March 15th, 2006
How about some cleansers for your next “Welcome to the Neighborhood” gift basket? It’s not as weird as it sounds!
In Fancy Food & Culinary Products, March, 2006, author Jessica Harlan writes about upscale cleaning products that are far more special than those you find on your grocery shelf. Sophisticated packaging, carefully formulated scents, and natural ingredients are some of the attraction to this new category of upscale products.
According to Monica Nassif, owner of two “boutique” cleaning product lines, “every product category has a luxury end to it.” Consumers are already buying expensive, upscale bath and body products. Says Nassif, “Today’s consumers…are using exotic fragrances in their hair and on their body. It doesn’s take a huge leap to say they might want to clean their house with them”.
Upscale cleaning products include cleansers, deodorizers, hand soaps, polishes and more in a variety of luxurious scents and exotice flavor combinations. Check out these web sites for more information about these new products. You’ll “clean up” with your “Welcome to the Neighborhood” baskets.
www.mrs-meyers.com
www.iliofrangrances.com
www.vermontsoap.com
www.haroldnaturals.com
www.uppercanadasoap.com
www.fresh-wave.com
www.caldrea.com
www.stonewallkitchens.com
March 12th, 2006
Apex Gift Foods carries a variety of novelty containers for your Mother’s Day basket designs.Go to Apex Gift Foods to see more containers that are great for all the spring holidays!
Stuff one of these adorable purses with your gourmet treats and Mom can enjoy her gift long after the taste treats are gone.
These great tote bags are another “hot” way to say Happy Mother’s Day. Mom can bring her tote bag back to you to fill with more treats for the beach!
And check out these butterfly baskets: textured sinemay fabrics accented with feather butterflies. Try these for an unusual Easter design.
March 2nd, 2006
