Posts filed under 'Gift Basket Supplies'
There’s a new trade industry magazine for gift basket business buyers who want to expand their product line. Gift, Gourmet, & Decor Plus is for the buyer who wants to stay ahead in the competitive marketplace. Presented by Giftware News, a long time resource for gift basket businesses, Gift, Gourmet, & Decor Plus will allow buyers to view products in a variety of market segments, identify trends, find out about industry trade shows, and discover new opportunities for cross merchandising.
Check out the August issue of this new online magazine and find the perfect products for your gourmet and gift sales. Go to the Gift, Gourmet & Decor Plus website, and sign up for your complimentary, online subscription.
September 1st, 2010
Now is the right time to prepare for the holidays. Yes, it’s not even Labor Day, but the holidays will be here before you know it. And by preparing now, you can be ready for any surprises that may come up during the hectic days in November and December.
I just read a good article that offers six suggestions for holiday prep work that you can do right now. Read the full article for all the suggestions….and consider some of these:
- Think about the customers who you want to attract. Who bought your gift baskets last holiday season? Were most of your holiday sales made to women? to men? what age group? Use this information to design advertising materials and promotions that will appeal to those customers.
- Start looking through industry magazines and web sites to get an idea of the gourmet products that are “hot” this year. Specialty Food News is a great resource to learn about trends in our industry.
- Browse the internet and look at holiday products that are being shown by large retailers. Are you seeing certain design styles or colors?
- Confirm with your vendors that you’ll be able the items that you want to use in gift baskets will be available.
- Check with your usual shipping company to find out if rates will be increasing. Take the time to check other shippers to find out about their current rates.
August 27th, 2010
Mark your calendars and make your travel plans: The Ultimate Gift Show National Gift Basket Professional Convention will be held in Canton, Ohio, July 23 – 25. Don’t miss this opportunity for 13 hours of seminars, 10 hours of trade show, unlimited networking and hands-on workshops.
Check out the fantastic selection of educational seminars and workshops. Top leaders in the gift basket industry will be sharing their best ideas! You’ll learn how to organize your design room for maximum efficiency and your displays for maximum impact. Debbie Quintana, from the Gift Basket Association, will tell you how to promote yourself and your business. Learn how to expand bridal events with Mary Anne Jacobs. Get tips on managing your inventory, handling your customer service phones and much much more.
You still have time to take advantage of special registration and hotel rates. Don’t miss this premier industry event!
June 26th, 2010
Many of us believe that email is the only way to communicate with our customer. Pick up any marketing magazine or go online to check your email and you’ll see articles about email marketing, and using social media to promote our products. There’s no doubt that we need to use new technology in our advertising and marketing efforts, but maybe we shouldn’t forget about direct mail so quickly. According to Denny Hatch, a marketing consultant who writes for Target Marketing Magazine, “direct mail is alive and well”. Full Story.
Market research conducted in 2009 indicates that approximately “75% of 18 – 34 year olds have made at least one purchase resulting from direct mail”. Author Hatch postulates that the overwhelming number of emails that we receive, including lots of spam, is actually decreasing the effectiveness of many email campaigns. And, if you ask someone over 62 years old, you’ll probably hear that they too prefer the old days: newspapers, magazines and direct mail!
I did a quick google search on “using direct mail” and found an article in INC. that while written in 2000, still conveys some good advice.
- Make sure you have a “good list”. Double check addresses and try to make sure that your mailings are going to customers who will be attracted to your products and services. “There are many ways to compile a qualified list, as simple as putting it together yourself from all your contacts and prospects. You can also buy lists from a mail house or list broker, your local chamber of commerce, and other professional groups.”
- Craft a good message. Make sure you have a strong offer (10% off is not usually enough incentive to attract new customers). Make sure your presentation matches your message (if you’re selling upscale gift baskets, a plain post card probably won’t send the right message about the quality of your products). Don’t forget to list your hours, contact information, and address.
Read the full article for more suggestions about your next direct mail campaign.
May 10th, 2010
Chicago, Illinois is the home for the 2010 Sweets & Snacks Expo (formerly the All Candy Expo), May 25 – 27, 2010. This is the largest venue in the Americas to see new products and new trends, in new categories, with new merchandising concepts, from new exhibitors.
At the New Products Showcase, you’ll see the best new products that will be introduced at the show. Over 450 exhibitors will be displaying chocolates, candies, cookies, crackers, snacks, nuts and more. And keynote speakers at informative education sessions will present topics that will help you grow your business.
For registration details, go to Sweets & Snacks Expo 2010.
April 6th, 2010
Want to make it easier for your customers to find you online? Major search engines now have local business listing sections. According to Daniel Owen, vice president of a New York interactive advertising agency, “these sections allow you to list your local business for free” (read full story).
Check out these search engines for information on how to add your business to their business listing sections.
You might also want to consider paid search marketing as a means to help customers find your online business. But before going in that direction, learn how that process works. I found a series of articles called “Introduction to Search Engine Submission”. Although written a few years ago, I found it to be a good primer on how search engines work. You can also read read Biznology Newsletter and Blog. for a more recent “take” on the topic.
March 23rd, 2010
The National Gift Basket Professional Convention has merged with the Ultimate Gift Show for a bigger and better opportunity for 2010! The convention will be filled with over 15 hours of seminars, including a 3 hour, hands-out workshops. Attendees can visit with vendors at the Trade Show to see the newest, hottest products in the marketplace. Time is scheduled for “Discussion Groups” so that you can get answers from the experts. And networking opportunities will be unlimited.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: JULY 23-25, 2010, CANTON, OHIO
Who should attend this extraordinary event?
- Retailers and Gift Providers
- Gift Basket Professionals
- Floral and Balloon Designers
- Hospital Gift Shop Managers
- Resort Gift Shop Managers
- Coffee Shop and Tea Shop Managers
- Garden Centers
- Wineries
- Event Planners
- Everyone who wants to take their business to a higher level!
Register today and take advantage of Early Bird Specials! Go to the Gift Basket Professional Convention or the Ultimate Gift Show web sites for full registration and travel details.
Representatives from Apex Gift Foods will be there to show you the best selection of gourmet products for the 2010 holiday season. Hope to see you there!
January 23rd, 2010
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!
December 5th, 2009
As we move into the Fall and Holiday season with assurances that the economy may be making a comeback, we still need to think about ways to attract customers. Many people are still being very careful about what they spend. So it’s up to us to think about ways to assure our customers that we are still trying to give them the best quality products and service that we can offer.
With this goal in mind, Apex Gift Foods is introducing several new programs this year.
- With the “Apex Xtras Value Priced Items” program, Apex has designated many popular products that have been priced so that customers receive the best values in the marketplace. These are all “name brand” items from major manufacturers who cater to gift basket businesses such as Ghirardelli, Mille Lacs, First Colony, Vision Pak, Lindt, Walker and Nikkis Cookies. As a buyer for your gift basket business, you can be assured that your customers will receive high quality gourmet items while you save on your purchases.
- A new line of “Recession Buster Gourmet Assortments” is also available this year at Apex. The same fine quality nuts, snacks, candies and chocolates that Apex has sold for years, have been repackaged in smaller bags. Once again, you can feel confident that your customers will receive the excellent products they have grown to expect in your gift basket designs.
In your gift basket business, you can offer the same type of “value” in the baskets that you design. By pricing your most popular baskets at prices that are a lower than in the past, you may make up in volume what you will lose in your mark-up. For customers who are willing to spend a bit more, offer similar designs that include more products, a fancier container, or more enhancements.
You may also want to consider a line of “Recession Buster Baskets”. Design a line of gifts that are a little simpler than some of your current baskets. Use a fewer products or choose a less expensive container. Take advantage of sales offered by your vendors to purchase the products that you like. Continue to offer “good value” by creatively presenting the basket design accented with an inexpensive, colorful wired ribbon bow. Show these “Recession Buster Baskets” alongside more expensive versions of the basket for those customers who are willing to spend a bit more.
Now is the time to think creatively. Let your customers know that you have their needs and concerns in mind. You’ll be satisfying your existing customers while attracting a new group of buyers who will come back again.
August 16th, 2009
Have you ever created a great gift basket design that isn’t selling as well as you expected? This is a good time to sit down with your staff and start asking questions!
Get your staff together (with some coffee and snacks) and take a serious look at the design. Come to the meeting with some facts and figures.
- Look at the overall design. Consider the colors and shape of the basket. Does it look elegant? fun? sophisticated? feminine? masculine? Is packed full with product or include just a few gourmet items? Did you use enhancements? Is there a theme? Does the send “send the message” that you had intended? (For example, if you designed a basket full of spa products, you probably want to send a message of “luxury”, “pampering”. Does the container, product, and enhancements that you used convey that message?)
- Look at the individual products. Are these your most popular items? What is the combination of cookies vs. snacks vs. chocolates, etc? What are the price points of each item? Are the individual boxes/packages large or small; simple in design or upscale? (For example, if you created a basket for a corporate setting, does it include products that can be shared by staff instead of all “single serve” items?)
- Look at the customers who have purchased this design: male? female? corporate? For what type of occasion was the basket purchased? Is the basket being purchased by the customers you thought would buy it?
Once you’ve answered some of these questions, you can brainstorm ideas for changes to the design that might better match the goal you had in mind when you originally created the basket.
How can you use these questions to create baskets that are sure to sell? What other questions should you be asking?
June 14th, 2009
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