Archive for April, 2006
So how do you get people to come into your store? In Gift Basket Review Magazine, May, 2006, an article entitled “It’s Not Just An Open House”, suggests that those old time open houses just don’t work anymore! We’ve seen the same thing in our wholesale floral supply business. Everyone is too busy! Customers are reluctant to give up limited free time.
Here are some ideas for some events that might bring customers in. How about a tasting! Offer your customers a chance to taste the products that you’re thinking about selling for the next holiday season. Take a close look at the products that sell the best for you. Contact your suppliers that sell you those products. Explain that you are thinking about adding some new products to your line and ask them to donate tasting samples for your event. Most of your suppliers will be eager to participate in hopes of future sales.
Here’s another idea: teach a class! Teach your customers how to make a bow. Show them how to make a package look special by adding simple enhancements like silk flowers or seasonal picks. Demonstrate how they can take their home baked holiday cookies and package them in a lovely basket. And once they learn all this, they can buy all these lovely products from you!
Regardless of the type of event you try, don’t depend on a single piece of mail to get people into your store. Make a phone call to your very special customers and extend a personal invitation. Send an email reminder a few days before the event. Make sure you have plenty of signs displayed around your store and in your windows. Get your sales staff to mention your event to every customer who stops in. Offer a great give-away or a discount on certain popular products the day of your event.
Our customers need a good reason to take time from their busy lives to come into your store. Maybe the best idea is to just ask your regular customers what would be appealing. The more you cater to your customers, the more likely they’ll remember you the next time they want to send a special gift.
April 29th, 2006
I just read an article in Specialty Foods Newsletter that described a new program being launched by 7-11 Markets: a national Hispanic program featuring over 80 grocery items, beverages, and health and beauty products. This brought to mind something I had read about a month ago pertaining to the growing Hispanic market.
According to MarketingProfs.com, the growth of the Hispanic population has made it one of the most sought after markets. By 2007, the purchasing power of this market segment will be over $1 trillion!
So what does this mean for gift basket businesses? Since we are always looking for new business, this might be a good time to find out if this particular market segment is being served in your community. Are there local markets that carry a variety of Hispanic foods? If so, you might visit those businesses to find out what products they carry, and who constitutes their customer base. If there is a big demand for these products, maybe that is something you should consider adding to your line. Or, as Flora Brown suggested in her blog, sell your designing skills and offer to make gift baskets with products that those businesses could promote in their own stores.
This same type of analysis would work for any market segment in your community. Are there stores selling kosher only products, or stores that sell Italian foods or Asian foods? The customers that shop at those stores may be delighted to find out that their favorite foods or ingredients can be decoratively packed in a gift basket!
April 26th, 2006
Are your salespeople order takers or master sellers? An article in Florist Review Magazine, April, 2006 explores techniques that can be used to make the sale and close the deal. These are great tips for all business owners who want to teach their sales staff how to be more effective.
In the article, Kelly Robertson (owner of Robertson Training Group in Ontario, Canada) explains some of the mistakes that salespeople might make. First, says Robertson, “they focus on the product or service instead of asking questions”.
For example, a sale often starts with a salesperson asking the customer what he/she wants. But they often don’t know exactly what they want! So then, it’s natural for the salesperson to start describing the types of baskets the business can offer. Instead, the salesperson might ask some questions.
Let’s say the customer wants to send an birthday gift. The salesperson could ask the age and gender of the receipient. This will provide loads of information regarding the suggestions the salesperson would make about types of baskets that could be sent. Furthermore, the answer might provide some opportunities to “upsell the order”. The customer may be willing to spend a little more, or choose something very special and unique if the gift is for a close friend or relation as opposed to a casual friend or business associate.
According to Robinson, asking questions and getting to know the customer’s needs, is the vital key for making the sale. But to complete the transaction, Robertson says that the salesperson has to “ask for the sale”.
According to Robertson, “we’re afraid of being pushy. We don’t want to upset the customers or have them think we’re greedy”. He suggests a simple, nonthreatening question, “would you like to go with that” is enough to help the customer make the decision.
Customers like to do business with people who know them and know what they want. Asking the right questions will build those relationships and create loyal customers who return again and again.
April 24th, 2006
One of my recent posts included some ideas about how you can get the most out of attending industry trade shows. The Spring Fancy Food Show will be held in Chicago, IL, May 7-9. 2006. If you’re not able to attend, you can still learn a lot about new products that will be featured at the show.
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, NASFT, is the sponsor of the Spring Fancy Food Show. On their website, you can see loads of information about the upcoming show in Chicago. Check out the Focused Exhibits Showcase on their web site where you can see photos of many new products.
If you’re lucky enough to attend, go to the NASFT web site for registration information.
April 20th, 2006
Specialty Foods Magazine, April, 2006, includes a great article about what makes a business stand out from the crowd. Author Ari Weinzweig suggests that a special attitude and energy, coupled with a willingness to be daring, to go the extra mile, and to have fun all contribute to making a business special. Read full story…
What really struck me was Weinzweig’s idea that “people who create special businesses place tremendous value on the opportunity to contribute to the lives of others”. What a terrific outlook on life! And what a terrific way to run your business!
Use the summer months, a usually slow time of year for gift businesses, to find ways that your business can make a difference to others. Find out about community activities that will take place over the summer months. Does the local school district have end of year activities? When is the senior prom? Does your community have little league teams? Are there special 4th of July events in your neighborhood? Think about ways that your business could support those activities by contributing a door prize or gift certificates or helping with decorations or favors at a community event.
Not only will you benefit from the act of giving, others will remember your efforts. It’s a winning formula for success!
April 18th, 2006
According to the US Census Bureau, there are about 82.5 million mothers in the United States and retailers report that Mother’s Day is the second biggest gift giving holiday. Although Mother’s Day is still four weeks away, it’s not too early to make sure that your gift basket business is ready to deliver the goods to Mom!
- Check your gourmet foods! Make sure that you have stock of all gourmet food items that you’ll be using in your Mother’s Day baskets. It’s hard to know how much you’ll sell. You can look at prior years sales or take your best guess based on orders you took for previous holidays. In any case, have a back up plan in case you run out of an item you are planning to use in a particular design. Make sure you know where you can buy the product if your usual supplier is out of stock. Or choose a reasonable substitute that you know can get quickly.
- Check your “non-food basket” items! This includes everything you are using in your designs other than food items: ribbons, fillers, and enhancements. As with the foods, have a plan in mind for substitutions if you run out of stock of any of these items.
- Check your supplies! Make sure you have plenty of supplies for packing and shipping your designs: boxes, packing paper, tape, shipping labels.
- Do advance work! Complete projects that can be done ahead of time (making bows, assembling packing boxes). Organize your inventory so that all of the items used in each design are stacked together in your work room and easily accessible.
- Post a work schedule! Give your employees plenty of advanced notice about their schedules during the weeks before a holiday. They have plans and preparations of their own. By letting them know what your needs and expectations are, everyone concerned can balance their personal and work responsibilities.
- Be prepared for last minute orders! Whether you work by yourself or have several employees, it’s worthwhile to know how you will handle last minute orders that are sure to come in. How late will you work? How late do you expect your designers to work? If you have delivery drivers, how late do you expect them to be on the road? By thinking ahead, you can sure to satisfy your customers, your staff and yourself!
April 16th, 2006
In my last posting, I offered some thoughts about how to prepare in order to get the most out of attending an industry trade show. There are quite a few industry events coming up in May. Check out Fancy Food & Culinary Products Magazine for a complete schedule.
Before explaining how I use my time at trade shows, I want to share what I consider to be my best idea. Industry trade shows are a great place to learn. Make time to participate in the trade show events such as educational activities, cocktail parties, and other get togethers that will give you opportunities to talk with others who do what you do. I’ve gotten my best ideas from talking with other gift basket wholesalers and finding out what they do, how they do it, products they sell, etc. There are many others who own gift basket businesses who would be happy to share their ideas with you.
Ok, now you’re at the show. So how and where do you begin? Hundreds of vendors are anxious to show you their products and have you taste their newest gourmet offerings. How can you really get anything accomplished?
Here’s some ideas about how I, along with the other buyers at Apex Gift Foods, get the most out of these industry trade shows.
- On the first day, we “walk the show”. We try to see as much as possible. We try not to get distracted by too many offers for tastings (although we do taste a lot!). We don’t stop for any detailed discussions. We pick up lots of brochures and take lots of notes and think about where we want to return for further information.
- At the end of the first day, we go to work! We review brochures that we collected and discuss the products that we liked. We refer back to our planning notes (see my last post) and make sure that we have identified possible sources for each of the items that we want to add to our line.
- We review the vendors information book that we received upon registration (or when we preregistered) and make sure that we have seen all of the vendors that we wanted to visit. If not, their booth number goes on our list for the next day.
- On subsequent show days, we go back to visit booths of interest. After we explain that we are interested in adding their products to our line, we find out who we should be talking with. We get the name of the person who we should contact after the show, the person who handles new accounts, samples, etc. Keep in mind that these vendors talk with hundreds of people over the course of a trade show. Often, the people working at the booth are “extras” and not the regular company personnel. Even if you speak with an owner, It’s impossible for them to remember everyone they meet. I leave my business card, a copy of our catalog, and a list of the products in which I am interested. I don’t even ask for samples at this time. Once again, they get hundreds of sample requests at trade shows. I wait until I contact them after the show.
- When I return home, I followup with a personal contact to each vendor with whom I hope to do business. Again, I explain who we are, what we want to add to our line, and request the specific samples I would like to see.
I hope that my tactics for working at industry trade shows give you some ideas about how you might make the most of your experience. Any thoughts about how others organize their time and efforts at trade shows would be greatly appreciated!
April 13th, 2006
How do you find new products that will continually entice your customers? At Apex Gift Foods, we are constantly looking for new items that we can add to our line. One of the best ways that we’ve found to do this is to attend industry trade shows as often as possible.
In May, there will be several gourmet food shows taking place in Chicago that can provide a great opportunity for you to see what’s happening in our industry. Two of the shows that might be of special interest for those of you in the gift basket industry are the NASFT Spring Fancy Food Show and the All Things Organic Show. You can read more about these shows in the April issues of Fancy Food & Culinary Products and Specialty Food Magazine.
So how can you make the most of these experiences? These shows are quite big: there are 100’s of exhibitors and you can walk miles and miles every day and still not see everything. There are so many new products, and you are constantly enticed to stop and taste. How can you get anything done?
This is the first part of a two part post. Below I’ll share some of the things I do to get ready to attend an industry trade show. In my next post, I’ll share some ideas about what I do once I’m there.
Prior to the show, I read everything I can about the upcoming event. Many of the industry trade magazines do features on upcoming shows a month before the show.
- Take time to read these articles and make notes about new products that you want to see.
- Look at our list of Industry Resources on this blog for a list of the trade magazines.
Before the show, I try to identify the specific types of products we’re looking for. For example, if we know that one of our cookie manufacturers has gone out of business, we have to replace those cookies. Likewise, if we know that many customers had been requesting organic coffees and teas, we add that to our “need to find” list.
- Look critically at what sold and what didn’t sell for you during the prior season.
- Talk to your staff about what customers requested but you didn’t have.
- Ask your best customers about products they hope you’ll have in the future.
During this planning phase, I also visit the industry web sites where I can register in advance for the shows. There is lots of information about the show as well as educational events that might be of interest.
- If you don’t receive it when you pre-register, call and get a list of the exhibitors who will be at the show. I check off those vendors whom I’m especially interested in seeing. I mark the booths of each vendor that I want to visit so that I’m sure not to miss anyone.
Once you’ve done this work, make a list of all products that you want to find and all vendors you want to see. If you want to attend any educational events, make sure you are registered and know the date and time of the event.
This may be the most important tip I can share with you: pack several pairs of comfortable shoes. Walking up and down the aisles is hard on your feet and back. Don’t underestimate how hard you will work.
By planning ahead, and talking with your staff and customers, you can get the most from attending these important industry events.
Look for my next posting that will offer some suggestions about how to organize your time and efforts while you’re at the show.
April 12th, 2006
Today was opening day of baseball season in my hometown. The Pittsburgh Pirates played the Los Angeles Dodgers and I was there. I went to the ballgame with my Dad. On the way to our seats, we stopped for snacks: hotdogs, fries and beer. By the end of the third inning, I was back at the concession stand buying popcorn and a hot pretzel for my Dad. And another beer.
What’s better than a day at the ballpark! It was warm and sunny and the stands were full. At the beginning of the season, there’s optimism in the air. Fans discuss the ups and downs of prior years and predict which player will have the best record for this season. And of course, during the 7th inning stretch, we all stood and sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. (You know: “buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks”.)
So in honor of this special time of year, celebrate the beginning of baseball season with a promotion at your store. Create a sumptuous snack basket that will feed a crowd at the ballpark or satisfy the cravings of those couch potatoes who prefer to watch the games from home.
And to help you out, Apex Gift Foods will give you $3 off any case of peanuts in our line. (Sorry, we don’t carry crackerjacks). Just mention “Ballgame Blog” when you place your order.
The Pirates lost to the Dodgers, 8 to 3. But that didn’t really matter. We all left the park carrying the remnants of our snacks and gleefully anticipating the next game.
April 10th, 2006
If you’ve been in business for a while, you probably have a group of loyal customers, who come back again and again. I think there’s a lot to learn from these customers.
When we start out in business, we choose products and offer services that we think will appeal to our customers. But early on, it’s important to shift your view from what you think is “good” to what the customer is telling you. And you can do this easily by analyzing the buying habits of your loyal customers.
First, look at the products that these repeat customers are buying. Do they want “name brands” or do they look for something unusual that might not be found in other stores?
- Keep track of what sells; not what you like. Then make sure you keep those products on hand.
- Go a step further and think more about your best sellers and ask yourself more probing questions. Let’s say that your customers frequently request cookies in their baskets. What kind of cookies? Single serve or boxes? Flavors? Price point? This will give you a lot of information when you’re ready to add new products to your line.
Second, analyze the types of designs that your loyal customers buy. What is the price range on your best selling baskets? Do they include a lot of products other than gourmet foods? Do your loyal customers come back for your clever designs that include lots of enhancements and accessories, or do they buy the “basics”?
- Try a variety of designs that show the range of baskets that you can offer, then beef up your line with those types of designs that your customers prefer.
- On the other hand, don’t be afraid try something new! Even if your customers continue to order “old favorites”, you never know when one of your new, unique basket designs may become a “new favorite”!
Third, think about “how” your best customers buy. Do they like to come to your store and look around or do they prefer to order by phone?
- If you find out that customers like to come into your store, watch them carefully when they arrive. Do they like to browse? If so, what makes them stop and look? Do they like to talk with a particular salesperson? If so, what does that salesperson do that is unique? Answers to these questions can give you a lot of insight about how you might want to set up your displays or how you might want to train other salespeople.
- If you find that your best customers like to order by phone, think about preparing a “cheat sheet” for phone sales. It’s hard to be a creative salesperson on the phone! Your phone sales might increase if your staff has a “script” to follow that helps them describe basket contents and design options.
There’s an endless number of questions you can and should be asking yourself about what works best in your business. But don’t depend on your instinct alone. Look carefully at your regular customer’s buying habits. You may start to see certain patterns that give you insight as to why they keep coming back. This can help you start to find your unique business identity and can be the basis for future marketing efforts.
Pay attention to your customers who keep coming back. They are telling you a lot that can help you grow your business.
April 8th, 2006
Previous Posts
