An analysis of these findings indicated that “26% of these mobile advertisements were for consumer discretionary goods.”

Furthermore, “according to the Mojiva Mobile Audience Guide, 60% of mobile users click on mobile ads at least one a week”. Full report

Although advertising on mobile phones is still in it’s infancy, this topic may be something that you can  start investigating. Your gift basket business could be on the forefront of this new trend!

Check out The Future of Mobile Advertising for more information and perspectives on this subject.

Check with your Chamber of Commerce and find out what events are scheduled to take place in your community. Then, get involved. Most community festivals include opportunities for business owners to display their wares. Set up a booth and show your unique gift basket designs. If the booth rentals are expensive, share a booth with another business.  If the event will include any type of raffle,  submit one of your baskets as a prize. Be sure to take plenty of gourmet food samples to the event. Consider a small giveaway for everyone who stops at your booth and be sure that it includes all of your business information. You can even pass out coupons that could be used for future purposes.

Don’t pass up opportunities to showcase your unique designs and get to know potential customers!

First, most of the major gift shows include a gourmet marketplace: an area devoted to showcasing gourmet food products that you can use in your baskets. You’ll have an opportunity to see new products and talk with suppliers of those products you already include in your designs.

If you’re not already including gift items in your gourmet designs, you’ll see 1000’s of innovative products from premier manufacturers. Think about how you might add these products to your designs:

• Candles
• Photo frames
• Cookbooks
• Tableware such as napkins, coasters, & placemats
• Small cookware items including  decorative and practical utensils
• Plush
• Stationary
• Mugs & Small Ceramics

Most shows include educational events that offer “best practices” for any type of business. You could learn about internet marketing: building web sites, social media marketing blogging. You can get new ideas for merchandising, branding, and more. You’ll have opportunities to talk with others and share ideas.

This summer and fall, you can attend a gift in cities across the country. Some of the largest shows include:

• Dallas Gift Show, June 21 – 28
• Atlanta Gift Show, July 13 – 20
• Philadelphia Gift Show, July 24 – 27
• Las Vegas Gift Show, August 1 – 5
• San Francisco International Gift Show, August 6 – 9
• Seattle Gift Show, August 13 – 16
• New York International Gift Fair, August 13 – 18

You can also find regional shows on-line web sites:

• Great Rep
• Sullivan’s Gift Shows & Showrooms

I was just browsing through some of my old blog posts, and came across an article that I wrote about GBA: the Gift Basket Association. Since Debbie Quintana founded GBA in 2009, the organization has grown to over 500 members and includes many new resources that will benefit you and your gift basket business.

Visit the Gift Basket Association web site and learn the 12 reasons to join the organization. Join discussion forums, shop the Gift Basket Supply Marketplace and enjoy discounts from supplier members. Get unique ideas from Trends and Tips Magazine and if you’re so inclined: become a contributor! Learn how you can creatively use internet marketing to promote your business.

Join the Gift Basket Association and become part of a collaborative effort to “uplift the global gift basket industry in the spirit of support and collaboration”.

If you’re planning a special gift basket promotion for Teacher Appreciation Week, how about giving your customers an opportunity to send in a “virtual card” to express their thanks to teachers all across the U.S. for a job well done! Go to the NEA web site for more information on how you and your customers and create virtual cards and join the “Teacher Thank-You Project”.

1. April 1: April Fools Day
2. April 2: International Children’s Book Day
3. April 6: National Day of Hope
4. April 10: National Siblings Day
5. April 16: Husband Appreciation Day
6. April 17: Family History Day
7. April 19: Passover
8. April 23: Movie Theater Day
9. April 24: Easter
10. April 27: Administrative Professionals Day: Check out the photo above. A calculator, a picture frame, a decorative pen and pencil holder plus some chocolates, snacks and candies, all wrapped in beautiful papers. What a terrific gift for any professional!

For more information about special holidays and events, see the “Idea Calendar” in the March issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor magazine.

Ari wrote an article called “12 Natural Laws of Business” to try to answer the question he’s often asked: “What’s the secret to your success?”

So here are Ari Weinzweig’s 12 Natural Laws of Business. Read the full article to really understand how these work at Zingerman’s.

The 12 Natural Laws of Business

1. You’re more likely to get to greatness if you have an inspiring and strategically sound vision.
2. If you don’t give customers compelling reasons to buy from you, they won’t.
3. If you don’t create a great, rewarding place for people to work, they won’t do great work.
4. If you want the staff to give great service to customers, you have to give great service to the staff.
5. If you want staff to give great performance, you have to give clear expectations and training tools.
6. Successful businesses do the things that others know they should do but generally don’t.
7. If you aren’t consistently getting better, you’re not going to get long-term greatness.
8. Success means you get better problems—but there will always be problems.
9. Whatever you’re good at is likely to also lead into areas of weakness.
10. It takes longer to make something great happen than people think. Profit is good.
11. Great organizations are appreciative and the people in them have more fun.
12. Appreciate all those people with whom you work: customers, staff, suppliers….and appreciate them everyday!

Does your company have an energy crisis? Are you asking yourself these questions over and over:

What’s wrong with all my employees? Why don’t they get it? Where are the customers who used to come in to shop? What happened to loyalty? Will the economy ever improve?

“The truth is that the (low or negative energy) issues starts with us as managers and owners. And, therefore, the solution starts with us: the people in leadership roles in any business, organization”.  Read the full article and learn 4 key points that will help you put the energy back in your business. And let us know what you do to put the energy back into your company.

An example of a great article: 26 Ways to Enhance Your Blog Content , posted on Social Media Examiner, on February 2nd. Sign up now…don’t miss another issue.