Gift Basket Business Blog

Last Minute Details for Holiday Gift Basket Businesses

December 5th, 2009 at 07:48am Lorie Obernauer

Well, the holidays are here. Black Friday and Cyber Monday signaled the official start of the hectic holiday shopping season. By this time, you’ve already developed your holiday designs, created advertising materials, and started to implement your marketing plans.

But there are still some last minute details that you can take care of to make these last few weeks run more smoothly.

• Chart out your employees work schedules for the remainder of the month. Make sure that all employees double check the schedule to insure that you have adequate coverage every day. During December, employees may request some extra time off to attend  their children’s school pagents,  help an aging parent with some shopping, or just need a little extra time for their own holiday preparations. Instead of being caught off guard at the last minute, plan for these situations ahead of time. Your employees who need some time off will appreciate your understanding and be more willing to put out some extra effort on the day that one of their colleagues takes some time off.

• Double check your shipping and packing supplies. You’ve been so busy thinking about your designs, now make sure that you have everything you need to pack those gorgeous baskets so that they’ll arrive safely and intact. Check your boxes, bubble wrap, peanuts, tape, shipping labels, or whatever else you use for shipping. Contact your delivery service (UPS, Fed EX, etc) and get a copy of their holiday pick up and delivery schedules.

• Take care of yourself! In an article in the September issue of Trends and Tips Magazine, author Mary Ann Jacobs lists some “life saving tips”: take your vitamins, cut down on your sugar, select your social engagements carefully, delegate to others. I would also add that it is especially important to not miss the important things you regularly do for yourself: keep up with your exercise, yoga, meditation or whatever it is that you usually do for relaxation. Remember that you will be able to take care of your responsibilities and the important people in your life only if you’ve first taken care of yourself!

Entry Filed under: Business Tips, Employee Training, Gift Basket Supplies, Holidays