Archive for January, 2007
Ron Tanner, editor of Specialty Food Magazine, wrote an article in the January, 2007 issue called “The Neighborhood Merchant”. Tanner tells a story of two entrepreneurs who, after working for many years for a food industry giant, decided to open a neighborhood market. Their concept of a neighborhood market was to be a place that was all about the customers: “It’s the place where they greet you by name, remember your favorites, and suggest your favorites to be”.
This simple concept is one that we, as gift basket business owners, can apply to our businesses. If you were concerned over the holidays that your customers were going to the mass merchandisers to buy their gifts, the “personal touch” that is advocated by these young business owners may point the way to your success.
MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL SPECIAL!
1. Remember your customers’ names. We all like to be recognized and remembered. It makes us feel special when we walk into a store or into any social gathering and are addressed by name. It makes us want to go back again.
2. Learn your customers’ preferences. Watch what they buy and make suggestions for future purchases accordingly. Keep notes about the products that they usually buy, then introduce them to new products that are similar, that you think they might like. Each time that one of your suggestions “hits the mark”, you give your customer another reason to keep coming back. They know they’ll be satisfied!
3. Make sure that your staff follows these same practices. Your customers should feel as comfortable working with your staff as with you. That way, you will still have time to take care of the many other responsibilities for managing your business.
Set up a simple system whereby any employee can access customers’ names and preferences. Insist that all your employees, including warehouse staff, office and delivery personel, cordially greet your customers and ask if they are getting the help that they need.
This same premise works for customers who call in to place orders. Make sure your sales people start each conversation with a friendly greeting and ask the caller for a name. If your system allows, your salespeople can even mention when the customer placed his last order and thank him for coming back. Or if it’s a new customer, he can be welcomed to the “fold” with a small free gift upon making his first purchase.
What are some things you have done to add the “personal touch” to your business? I’d love to hear your comments.
January 27th, 2007
Gift Basket Review Magazine is now available in a new, on-line version! The first issue has been published and is chock full of information for gift basket business owners.
A section called Business Tools includes several articles about inventory management: how to plan and how to buy. There’s also a comprehensive list of 50 great products that a new business should include when making their initial purchases. These articles are a “must-see” for anyone who is thinking about starting a gift basket business.
Apex Gift Foods wants to help out new gift basket business owners too! Call us and mention that you saw this blog posting about new gift basket businesses. When you place your first order, Apex will give you 15% off the entire order!
Just print out the start-up checklist from Gift Basket Review or ask Apex for a copy of the checklist. Apex carries a full line of shelf stable gourmet food components and gift basket packaging supplies. The sales staff at Apex will be happy to make suggestions and answer your question to help you be successful in your new venture!
January 22nd, 2007
If you don’t have an opportunity to attend the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, don’t despair: you can still keep up on industry trends! The specialty gourmet food industry has several excellent trade magazines. Although these may not be directly related to your gift basket business, reading these on a regular basis will keep you aware of what’s happening in the food industry and can provide a multitude of great ideas that you can adjust for your business needs. Better yet, most of these magazines have on-line versions that you can subscribe to at no charge.
Check out these links for information about each online magazine. Information is provided on each web page if you prefer to subscribe and receive the print version.
Specialty Food News
Gourmet News E News
Fancy Foods NewsBytes
Gourmet Retailer
January 20th, 2007
I just read an article in Flowers & Magazine about using floral designs to attract customers from a variety of age groups. “Tweeners”, children between the ages of 8 and 14, were identified as a hot consumer group, with enough purchasing power to be a force!
I decided to find out more. I did an internet search on “tweeners” and learned in Trends Magazine that they “independently spend $51 billion. They get this money from a variety of sources, like gifts and allowances. Similarly, they hold considerable sway over the additional $170 billion spent directly on them each year”. Well, given that kind of buying power, it seems like a great idea for gift basket businesses to think about targeting those consumers!
The best way to start might be to promote gift baskets for “tweeners” to the customers you already serve: their parents. First, design a “tweeners” basket with a playful design. Think bright colors and fun shapes. Use snacks that kids like: chips, cookies, chewing gum, and candy. Add a CD (your local music store will help you select the right one), or two passes to the local movie theater. Talk to kids that you know to find out what’s popular among this age group.
Then, take a photo of your design and send a flyer or email to your customers to introduce your “tweener’s basket”. Suggest the basket as a reward for a good report card, as a “thank you” for doing extra chores around the house, or simply as a way to say “you’re a great kid!”.
Once kids start to receive your baskets and enjoy the goodies that are enclosed, they may think of you when they need to give a gift to a teacher or a sick friend. And the sales go on and on!
January 17th, 2007
I read an interesting article in a floral industry newsletter offering some interesting marketing suggestions that can be applied to our gift basket businesses. The basic theme was partnering: joining with local organizations and other businesses as a means of promoting your business.
One idea is to partner with charitable organizations to help them promote their cause while advertising your business. For example, you might create a special basket for your local chapter of the Red Cross and offer to donate a percentage of sales of that basket to the charity. The organization might be interested in sponsoring a special event featuring your basket thereby ensuring donations to their cause while highlighting your business.
Another idea involved partnering with a local business. For Valentine’s Day, jewelry is a popular gift. Think about a lovely necklace nestled in a beautiful box that also includes a pack of gourmet raspberry truffles! Or drape that gorgeous necklace over a $100 chocolate bar for fun!
The ideas are endless! Take a moment to get to know what is going on in your town and think about ways you can support community efforts and other local businesses while promoting your own business.
January 15th, 2007
Fancy Foods & Culinary Products Magazine, January 2007, includes an article called “Shop the Show”. For those of you attending the Winter Fancy Food show in San Francisco, this is a “must read”.
This shopping guide is organized based upon where each company’s booth is located at the show. If you follow the guide, you can plan your time at the show so that you visit the companys’ booths that you want to see in each row: no backtracking. For those of you who have attended the show, you know how large the Moscone Center is and this can save you lots of walking! Plus, by reading the article, you’ll get a preview of some of the hottest new items that will be displayed.
Good preparation and planning is essential when you attend a large trade show. See my blog entries about things you can do to prepare for a show as well as how to organize your time at the show to make the most of your visit.
For more information about the show, visit the Fancy Food Shows web site. You’ll see information about registration, hotels, educational events and more.
January 10th, 2007
Here’s a good one: January 16th is National Nothing Day! Who thinks these up???
But why not take advantage of a silly idea and create a “For No Reason” basket for your customers. This basket would have no theme! Don’t send it for a birthday or anniversary. Don’t send it when you get a request for a “golf lover’s” basket. Just promote it as a “BASKET TO SEND FOR NO REASON AT ALL”
I’d love to get a gift for no reason….just because! What a nice surprise!
January 5th, 2007
Did you know that January is National Diet Month? What worse news can a gift basket business owner get? We specialize in creating gourmet baskets full of decadent, rich treats. But after the holiday parties are over, too many of us are talking about diets! So how can we encourage customers to order that sumptuous gourmet basket?
In Fancy Foods & Culinary Products magazine, November, 2006, Natalie Noblitt suggests that we don’t give up indulgences like buttery cookies and creamy chocolates. Rather, we can INDULGE SMARTER. And one way to do this is by not cutting out our favorite indulgences, but eating less!
Many manufacturers offer “portion control packaging” that would fit the bill! Walkers Cookies offers their rich shortbread cookies in small packages that contain just two cookies. Nikki’s and Brent & Sam’s are two other manufacturers that include a variety of delicious cookies in small packages.
How about creating an INDULGE SMARTER GIFT BASKET for your customers? Let them know that they can still send those delicious treats to their friends and family while still respecting their waistlines!
Go to Apex Gift Foods to see a wide variety of cookies, chocolates and other great snacks in smaller, portion controlled packages.
January 2nd, 2007
