Gift Basket Business Blog » Promotions

Boost Your Gift Basket Business with Good “PR”

Lorie Obernauer — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:32:17 +0000

Public relations…it’s about getting good publicity for your business! As opposed to marketing, which usually involves proactive goals and strategies and usually costs money, public relations is all about activities that will help your business be noticed…and is often free.

Read “How to Make Headlines” in the July issue of The Gourmet Retailer magazine. Author Deborah Cassell presents many “easy to accomplish” suggestions for bringing your business to the public’s attention. Radio and TV may be the obvious PR choices, but Cassell warns that you must “communicate effectively and contact the media at the right time”. As Cassell notes: “just because you have a store, doesn’t mean you have a story”.

Other choices for “PR” include social media and business to business partnerships. Supporting local charities and participation in community events can also generate free publicity for your business as well as help those in need.

Read the full article for many specific examples of how gourmet retailers have taken advantage of opportunities for “good PR”.

Also, check out www.retailminded.com for more creative ways to let people know about your business.

Perfect Gifts for Teachers

Lorie Obernauer — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 02:51:22 +0000

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2 – 8. In 2007, the NEA (National Teacher’s Association) launched a project to give teachers a ” big thanks” on National Teachers Day. Thousands of people responded by sending thank you cards which were used to create a huge mural that hangs in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

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”.

10 Gift Basket Holidays in April

Lorie Obernauer — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:45:58 +0000

Little did you know! During the month of April, you can create unusual gift basket designs for 10 holidays and special occasions. Put on your creative thinking hat, think outside of the box and produce some imaginative designs that will entice your customers and create new opportunities to increase your sales. Can you come up with a unique design for any of these holidays? Please share your ideas….send in your photos and I’ll post your design with your business information!

April 1: April Fools Day
April 2: International Children’s Book Day
April 6: National Day of Hope
April 10: National Siblings Day
April 16: Husband Appreciation Day
April 17: Family History Day
April 19: Passover
April 23: Movie Theater Day
April 24: Easter
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.

Gift Baskets: Be Optimistic For 2010 Holiday Sales

Lorie Obernauer — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:27:20 +0000

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.

Bold Steps to Revive Gift Basket Sales

Lorie Obernauer — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 19:44:43 +0000

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!

Subject Lines You Want to “Click”

Lorie Obernauer — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 04:37:58 +0000

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.

Test Your Gift Basket Business Website

Lorie Obernauer — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:38:35 +0000

How engaging is your web site design? You can answer this question by taking a test that appeared in the July online issue of Target Marketing magazine.

Author Joe Dysart poses five questions that will help you take a new look at your website. You’ll learn:

the maximum number of clicks that it should take to get to critical information
what you should put on the right side and left side of the home page
how often you should check out the effectiveness of your promotions
the best time to ask visitors to register
how fast your pages should download

Read the full article to learn how you can make your website be most effective.

Check Your Calendar for Gift Basket Promotions

Lorie Obernauer — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:20:19 +0000

There’s a new industry trade magazine that includes monthly calendars that list a multitude of ideas for your gift basket business. Each issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor Plus magazine has an “Idea Calendar” with suggestions about seasonal promotions as well as notes about national and legal holidays. In the August issue, flip to page 6 in the online magazine and you’ll see ideas for promotional activities that you might try in September and October.

For example, September 8th is International Literary Day. How about a gift basket design that includes a best selling novel. You might even work with a local book store in your neighborhood for this promotion.

The calendar also notes two Jewish holidays in September: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and National Grandparents Day is celebrated on September 12th. Bosses Day and Sweetest Day will both be observed on October 16th. With this calendar, you can plan ahead and create new baskets designs for some unique holiday promotions.

Get your complimentary subscription of Gift, Gourmet & Decor Plus and stay ahead one step ahead of your competitors.

Don’t Forget About Print for Gift Basket Marketing

Lorie Obernauer — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:51:33 +0000

In May, 2010, FedEX Office released the results of its third annual survey of small businesses. Read the full article and consider their findings as you make your marketing for the remainder of the year.

The first interesting and encouraging finding: “almost three-quarters (72%) of small business owners say they will be the driving force behind the U.S. economic recovery in 2010″. This optimism is a real testament to the veracity of small business owners and the importance of small businesses in the marketplace.

Other provocative findings: 61% believe traditional marketing and advertising methods are more effective than web-based counterparts at bringing in customers”. And 44% of small business owners plan to grow business in 2010 by increasing communication with customers via printed materials”.

While we need to keep up with our on-line presence, don’t forget about more traditional avenues for advertising such as newsletters and direct mail.

Don’t Miss the National Gift Basket Convention

Lorie Obernauer — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:22:50 +0000

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!