Archive for November, 2008
In the November issue of Fancy Foods Magazine, the editorial director wrote a letter to all of us who are wondering how to adjust our businesses in these tough economic times. He made several suggestions that I’ve discussed in other blog posts: improve your service, know your customers, create relevant promotions. Read Full Story.
He included one other suggestion that I think is so important that I want to share it with you in case you don’t have a chance to read the full article.
“Look at the numbers. Numbers are not sentimental; they’ll always tell the objective story without bias or opinion. Even in hard times, taking a good hard look at the numbers will likely reveal some positive trends and successes. This is where your business is making headway, even in the face of the tough times. Look at investing in these areas to maximize their potential. Conversely, pinpoint what’s clearly not working and invest fewer resources in these areas or consider eliminating them altogether. Put each aspect of the business through a thorough return on investment (ROI) analysis and do more of what the numbers tell you works and less of what doesn’t.”
Downturns eventually turn around. Start to create your own “turn around” by looking carefully at the numbers. You may have to make some hard choices, but you will poise yourself for success when business starts to pick up.
November 30th, 2008
The Jewish holiday of Hannukah begins at sundown on Friday, December 11th. It is a celebration that commerates the military victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Greek-Syrians. “Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days. A Menorah, or a candelabrum is lit one at a time for eight nights. On the last day of Hanukkah all the candles are therefore lit. While the candles are being lit chants are sung and blessings are recited. Afterwards families can sit down to a prepared meal, play games or exchange gifts.” For more information about this holiday, visit All About Hannukah.
Because this is a festive and fun holiday, enjoyed with family and friends, a gourmet food basket would be a perfect gift to take to a Hannukah celebration. Since many Jewish families eat only Kosher foods, it is important that you learn what to look for when buying Kosher products for your baskets. Basically, Kosher foods are prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary laws and you can learn more about this at About.com: Kosher Food.
“Products that have been certified as kosher are labeled with kosher symbols. The symbols are printed on the food’s package. Kosher symbols are registered trademarks of kosher certification organizations, and cannot be placed on a food label without the organization’s permission.” For more details about kosher symbols, go to About.com: Kosher Food.
Check with your gourmet suppliers and ask if they carry a line of kosher products. Most suppliers will also have documentation from manufacturers that certifies their products as kosher. You’ll see a variety of kosher products at Apex Gift Foods including cookies, chocolates, salmon, crackers and snacks.
November 24th, 2008
An article in Business Wire suggests that this year, given the uncertainty of our economic situation, “people will try to take greater control of their lives and find pleasure in the simple things.” According to researcher Joan Hollaren from Mintel, “people around the world are feeling insecure and are already looking to reestablish a sense of stability in their lives. In the coming year, it will be more important than ever for businesses to respond quickly and creatively to changing consumer needs and desires, as we all become more selective in how we spend our money.” Full Story.
What does this mean for our gift basket businesses? First, if consumers are going to be more careful about what they buy, they will also will be concerned about getting exactly what they want. Gourmet basket businesses are already familiar with creating gifts that are targeted to a special occasion or a customer’s special requests. In marketing efforts for the holidays, we can bring this “individualized service” to the attention of our customers thereby satisfying their need to have some control over their purchases.
Another interesting point is mentioned in this article. Given that people may be a bit more stressed out this holiday season, try to “lighten the mood”. Think about gifts that include a “range of products that soothe, energize or simply lift the spirits.” Bath and body products, candles, and decadent gourmet chocolates certainly fit the bill! Also, if people are staying home for the holidays in order to cut down on spending, consider gift baskets that include games, videos, and books that can be enjoyed with the family.
November 20th, 2008
A friend of mine who was very involved in this year’s elections is looking for a new job and she’d like to help out some the politicians who she supported. We talked about her checking out the offices of those politicians who won their elections on November 11th. The assumption is that those local offices will need to keep operations running even when the winner takes on his/her new responsibilities.
It occurred to me that these same politicians might be a source of business for gift basket businesses this holiday season. For the winners, there are probably many people who need to be thanked and acknowledged for their support. A gourmet gift basket would be a perfect way of saying “thanks”.
Why not take a gourmet basket to that local office along with your business cards and a “menu” of baskets that you offer. Before you go, try to get the name of the person who runs that office, then leave your basket and information with him/her. The local addresses for the politicians in your city are available on the internet. Who knows: you might get a holiday order!
November 17th, 2008
emarketingandCommerce.com (eM+C) is an online magazine that provides information and data about effective online marketing strategies. I read an article in the October issue that offers some interesting facts and suggestions about how to control your shipping costs while hoping to attract shoppers who shop online. Full Story.
While your customers may actually pay the shipping charges for their orders, it is in your best interest to find the best shipping rates. According to the author, “higher than expected shipping charges is considered the top reason that consumers abandon their online shopping carts”.
First, you need to consider how you want to work with shipping companies. You can choose to work with one carrier and build a loyal relationship. Or, you can use a variety of carriers and ship each order based on the least expensive quote. Both of these options have pros and cons. By building a relationship with one carrier, you may be able to take advantage of volume discounts that the shipper offers. On the other hand, with shipping rates that are constantly changing, if you use a variety of carriers, you may be able to offer your customers lower shipping costs.
Your best strategy is to contact shippers in your area and meet with a representative who will explain all the details and services that their company offers. You can start your research online, but at Apex Gift Foods, we have found that direct conversations with company representatives can result in many accommodations that the shipper will offer to meet your specific needs. Following are links for a few of the major LTL (less than truckload) shipping companies where you can start your investigation: UPS, FedEX.
November 16th, 2008
“Baskets-n-Beyond, a specialty gift basket company located at 39 West Madison Avenue in Dumont, New Jersey, has partnered with Tavern on the Green Specialty Foods in an effort to support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and its mission to help missing, sexually exploited, and sexually abused children.” Read the full article about how this gift basket company is doing it’s part to help others in need during this holiday season.
There is so much to be done and so many ways to help. Think about partnering with your favorite charity and donating a percentage of your holiday sales to help those in need. Your customers will be gratified to be helping too.
November 12th, 2008
With reports that consumer spending may decrease this season, gift basket retailers still have time to jump on the email marketing train. In an article posted by The Associated Press, “Kurt Peters, editor-in-chief of trade publication Internet Retailer, noted that stores can easily react to a sharp sales slowdown in a matter of hours by sending out e-mail blasts, which is faster and more cost-effective than redoing a mailer to consumers. Julie M. Katz, another Forrester analyst, estimates that it costs about $2 for every thousand e-mails sent. The Direct Marketers Association estimates that marketers reap $45.06 in return on investment for every dollar they spend on e-mail campaigns. That compares with $7.28 for catalogs and $15.55 for direct mail pieces.”
The first thing you must do is collect email addresses from your current customer base. If you don’t already have these on file, have your employees start calling customers right away to collect those addresses. When they have some down time, each employee can call 5-10 customers per day. Your email program includes a way for you to create a “Group List” where you simply type in all of these addresses. Then, when you’re ready to advertise your gourmet baskets or run a special promotion, you type a single email and send that to the group list that you created.
You can even build “unique group lists” that target your special customers. For example, build a separate list for your corporate accounts, or customers who usually spend a certain amount on their holiday gift baskets, or customers who often order baskets that include particular brands of gourmet items that you carry. Then you can target those groups with very specific email promotions that appeal to their particular needs.
Use email marketing this season to boost your holiday sales. With a minimal amount of effort, you can create special email groups that include customers who will be gratified to receive your messages that are relevant to their buying habits.
November 9th, 2008
This holiday season, many people will be thinking carefully about gifts that they purchase for others. I just read an interview with author Mary Hunt, author of “Live Your Life at Half the Price” in which she gives advice for how to be thrifty this holiday season. Read the full story for her tips.
I especially like her answer to this question: How much is it appropriate to spend? As we choose gifts for family and friends, Ms. Hunt suggests that we should instead, start with this question: How much do I have to spend? This is very different than how much do I want to spend? Once we realistically determine how much we can afford, we can consider our choices with more focus and less possibilities for facing a credit crunch when the holidays are over.
In her interview, Ms. Hunt also talks about the types of gifts that we can give. She points out that many people spend the holidays at home, with families and friends. And this brings me to the topic of Hostess Gifts!
It is always thoughtful to bring a Hostess Gift when you are invited to a holiday gathering. Hostess Gifts are often items that become keepsakes; items that can be used again and again with great pleasure. And Hostess Gifts can be a perfect addition to your holiday gourmet designs.
Read “Top Ten Gift Ideas for Thoughtful Hostess Gifts” for some great ideas for Hostess Gifts that can easily be inserted in a holiday gourmet basket. Also consider beautiful Holiday Table Accessories: Ivory place mats, napkins and napkins rings, table runners and coasters decorated with rich, brocaded poinsettias. All of these suggestions are wonderful keepsakes that your customers will be proud to give to their families and friends. Your creative use of these gift items in your baskets could be the beginning of a profitable trend for your business as your customers continue to search for gifts that people can enjoy after the delicious gourmet treats have been eaten.
November 3rd, 2008
