Posts filed under 'Business Tips'
You may attend a certain number of industry trade shows to find new products for your gift basket designs. I recently posted a blog about one of the biggest trade shows for gift basket businesses: The NASFT Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. But there are also many trade show opportunities where you can display and sell your gift baskets.
Go to SmartTradeShows.com to learn how to find a trade show that’s right for you. The first step is to write some goals: what do you want to accomplish by being a vendor at a trade show? For example, do you want to “engage current customers, initiate new contacts, or reach future key decision makers?”
Next, you can easily find information about trade shows all over the country. “Public libraries and the internet both provide directories and descriptions of upcoming trade shows. Another good idea is to check for regional and national conventions, since many associations hold trade shows simultaneously with conventions.”
Once you identify the trade show opportunities where you might set up a display, contact the show organizers to collect some more information. Find out how many people attended prior shows and collect demographics to determine if attendees might be potential buyers of the products you sell. You can also get a list of other vendors who displayed at the show in the past and call them directly to find out about their experience.
Read the full article for more trade show tips. Also, check out Amazing Mail, one of many companies that can help you promote your business at a trade show.
January 19th, 2011
The Blogging Success Summit 2011 is for you if you’re thinking about starting a blog for your gift basket business. It’s for you if you’re an experienced blogger and want better results. This on-line business conference will take place over three weeks in February, 2011. Instructors will be presenting their sessions live… in real time…on your computer screen….in your office or your home.
You will hear from 23 of the most well respected blogging experts will be featured. “They’ll reveal all the latest techniques and proven business-building tactics that you need to know to immediately benefit from blogging.” You will learn how to:
- market your blog
- build an engaging blog presence
- increase traffic to your blog and your sales
- integrate social media platforms with your blog
- build loyal readers
You will also have opportunities to network with other bloggers, ask questions and get immediate answers.
Sign up now and save 50%. Go to Blogging Success Summit 2011 for more information.
December 29th, 2010
Register now for the 36th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, January 16 – 18, 2011. This annual show, sponsored by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), is the largest specialty food event in the U.S. Over “17,000+ Winter Fancy Food Show attendees will see more than 80,000 products featuring the world’s finest foods and beverages from more than 1,300 exhibitors representing 35+ countries.”
This year, over 120 exhibitors will be featuring natural and organic products. Hundreds of the hottest products, emphasizing the newest trends in the food industry will be presented in the “What’s New, What’s Hot Showcase”. An educational program will include information from experts including several sessions on topics related to e-commerce and social media marketing.
For gift basket business owners and designers, this is an experience that you don’t want to miss! I have attended this show for many years. Not only did I see new products, find new suppliers, and gather a lot of new resources, I always came away from the show with renewed energy and fresh ideas for my business.
Go to the NASFT web site for registration information and more details about the biggest gourmet food show in the country.
Bonus! If you’re an NASFT member, you can join a webinar on December 8th at 2pm EST and learn how to “work the show”. Make the most of your Fancy Food Show experience this Winter and be sure to take advantage of the services and discounts available to you as well as the mountain of quick tips”.
December 12th, 2010
Over the past several years, many business owners felt that they were forced to reduce employee benefits or ask employees to pick up more of the costs. But I just read a story about a company that has expanded those benefits….and the owners believe that it makes good business sense!
As described in the current issue of Specialty Foods Magazine, business owners of Clif Bar & Company have chosen to give its workforce an impressive number of healthy perks and benefits. “Creating benefits that support the well being of our employees is as important as other more traditional business goals,” says Jennifer Freitas, Clif Bar’s human resources manager. “Our goal is to foster a work environment that supports a healthful work-life balance where employees feel supported in all aspects of their lives.” She goes on to say that not only do these benefits create a better work environment, but also add to the company’s overall success. Good benefits attract well-qualified employees and this positively affects the bottom line.
Even if you’re not able to offer premium health care packages, child care, and yoga classes, you can still provide other types of benefits to your employees. Encourage employees to exercise during their lunch hour by giving them a little extra time to take a walk or head over to the gym. If you have space, set up a small kitchen area with a microwave and refrigerator and so that employees can bring in “healthy meals” from home instead of eating fast foods on the run. A few comfortable chairs might also encourage employees to take a 15 minute power nap during their break or you can provide some reading materials that emphasize personal health and fitness. And if space is available, you might even set up an area where employees can do some light exercises or mediation.
Read the full article for more ideas about how you can provide benefits to employees with minimal costs and and maximum gains.
November 28th, 2010
We hear so much talk these days about social media marketing. So many articles and resources espouse the importance of using Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools to connect with our customers. But should we all just jump on the social media bandwagon? What about that “old fashioned” method of getting the word out to our customers: US Mail.
“If there’s one painful lesson that every investor learned when Wall Street crashed, it’s that you need to diversify. So when haven’t marketers learned that same lesson when it comes to their communications?”
This quote, from an article in the October issue of Deliver Magazine, published by the United States Postal Service, should be seriously considered by all gift basket business owners who are hoping to stand out from the crowd this holiday season.
Consider this: “the average consumer receives 14-15 emails a day from companies or brands…the average household received about 16 pieces of advertising related mail per week“. This means that regular “snail mail” offers some great potential for capturing the eye of the receiver.
But this doesn’t mean that we should ignore on-line marketing strategies. Our USPS piece of mail can provide an address to your web site, a nod to your Twitter and Facebook pages. Furthermore, you can actually get a sample of your product to the customer….what could be be more persuasive than a taste of the delicious products they’ll get in one of your baskets.
Check out the USPS for tips on getting the most from a direct mail campaign.
November 23rd, 2010
In the September issue of Gourmet Retailer Magazine, check out “Gift Items” for a review of products that consumers are likely to purchase this holiday season. Author Anna Wolfe, cites statistics from Unity Marketing’s Gifting Report 2010 ranking the top gift selections for 2009 holidays. “Ranking #11 was gift baskets with 16% of gift givers saying they gave a Gift Basket, including cookies, snacks, fruit, candy, wine and other consumables.” Based on these survey results from 1,680 gift buyers, we can be optimistic about the holiday season sales for gift basket businesses.
Other interesting notes and ideas from Pam Danzinger, president of Unity Marketing…
“consumers want more bang for their gift buck and want to give, and receive, gifts that are perceived to be high quality and more expensive than they really are”…With this perspective in mind, Gift Basket professionals should carefully consider the “extras” (keepsake containers, bows, wrappings, ornaments, etc) that can be used to enhance the perceived value of their gift basket designs.
“as much as 44% percent of consumers’ gift -giving budgets are spent on personal gifts such as birthdays, friendship, anniversaries, baby showers, etc. that occur throughout the year”….This should remind us that gift baskets are a perfect solution for other special occasion gift giving. Consider giving a gift certificate for a future purchase to the buyer AND the recipient of your baskets that they can use on a future purchase.
November 15th, 2010
Read “Winning On The Web” for a plethora of exceptional suggestions for revving up holiday sales. Author Marshal Marcovitz includes recommendations for planning your promotions, analyzing your promotional mix, marketing on a shoestring and managing your customers.
He also points out it that “costs seven times more to acquire a new customer than to retain a current customer”. Keeping that in mind, he proposes that we consider a customer “life cycle” in which there are different tactics for securing new customers, growing their business, and retaining their loyalty.
Read the full article article for some of the best marketing ideas I’ve seen!
November 7th, 2010
Mark your calendars: August 4 – 6, 2011. The National Gift Basket Professional Convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio. Convention hosts Pam & Tom Newell have put together 3 days of education, networking, seminars, workshops, discussion groups and a trade show including a splendid collection of gourmet and gift vendors who will display the newest products and trends.
For more information about this “must – do” convention for gift basket professionals, go to the 2011 National Gift Basket Professional Convention web site. Read testimonials from attendees from prior years. Also, be sure to get out details about early bird registration: just $99 if you register before Dec. 31st.
October 31st, 2010
Read in Gourmet Retailer online magazine: a summary of NASFT’s annual report on consumer purchasing habits and trends in the specialty foods category. Most of the products that we include in our gift baskets fall under the category of “specialty foods”. Not only will you learn about WHO is buying specialty foods these days, but also a lot of valuable information about their buying habits. This can give you great information about what products to include in your gourmet baskets, and also, who your target markets might be.
Some things you’ll learn:
- Those in the 25-34 year age bracket are big consumers of specialty foods. With this in mind, you may choose to market your gift baskets in particular print publications and online venues that appeal to consumers in that age group.
- The specialty food consumer is concerned about sustainability of the foods he/she purchases. This might prompt you to include products in your baskets that have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way.
Read the full summary, and look for the full report in the October issue of the NASFT’s Specialty Food Magazine.
You can learn more about sustainable food products at these web sites:
October 24th, 2010
How you can be sure that your emails will be opened? The July issue of Target Marketing describes six sure-fire methods to insure that your emails….and your direct mail pieces….will be opened.
Read the full article to learn classic techniques that have been used for years and still work today. Some suggestions include:
- Offer time-savers and enhanced performance. “Find the newest products and trends on the most updated and easy to use web site”
- Use a provocative question or statement. “Are you ready to be the best?”
Make sure that your email subject lines and direct mail pieces entice your customers to learn more.
October 17th, 2010
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