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.

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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.

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!

According to this survey, consumers reported increased use of the internet to investigate products and prices before making a purchase. With easy access to the internet through our mobile phones, people are increasing comparing prices. So what does this mean for our gift basket businesses? If you were offering special pricing or products during the worst part of the recession, you may need to continue to do this. But take some time to analyze which gift baskets your customers bought, and what price points were popular for which occasions. It is unlikely that you will need to always offer a “sale”, but you may need to do that at certain times of year or on certain product.

Researchers also found that consumers are relying more on social media for reviews of products and to find out abut special pricing and promotions. If more shoppers are checking out the web before they make purchases, this might be the time to “spruce up” your web site and make sure that it is appealing and easy to navigate. Consumers won’t stick around too long on a web site where it is difficult to find information.

Although consumer purchasing may be on the upswing, be sure to continue to monitor your business practices and be responsive to your customers’ buying patterns and habits.

I recently read an informative blog post about the importance of choosing a name for your newsletter. The writer suggested quite a few great tips for making this determination:

• Determine your focus. What do you want your customers to think about your business? What image do you want to portray?
• Think about a name that’s friendly and inviting. Keep it short, but concise so that it’s easy to remember and if emailing, so that it will fit into the subject line.
• Set your expectations for delivery. How often will you publish your newsletter.

While you’re thinking about your newsletter, check out this publication from SCORE. Author Roger Parker lists 12 steps for a successful newsletter and makes several suggestions about stylist things such as layout, spacing, columns, color and more.

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.

• American Red Cross Month
• Irish-American Heritage Month
• National Nutrition Month
• National Noodle Month
• National Peanut Month
• Women’s History Month
• Workplace Health and Safety Month

Any of these can serve as a basis for marketing your gift basket business.

And most of these have web sites that include information to support your promotional efforts.

For example, the American Red Cross offers a multitude of opportunities for Americans to donate time and money to many worthy causes. Have you ever checked in with your local Red Cross office to find out about their activities? Maybe you can arrange to have some percentage of your gift basket sales donated to the Red Cross? Your customers may appreciate this opportunity to have their gifts also be a “gift” for someone in need.

You might check out the National Irish-American Heritage Month web site and get some ideas about what local communities may do to celebrate. If you find that local organizations in your community are holding a parade or some type of special event, you may be able to promote your gift basket business by joining in the festivities. Donate a basket to giveaway or set up a booth on the parade route.

National Peanut Month or National Noodle Month provide opportunities for you to design and promote a special basket featuring those products. If you do more research on the web, you can find recipes that you can add to a “pasta” basket or “fun facts” that you can use to make your “peanut” basket unique. (Did you know that four of the top 10 candy bars manufactured in the USA contain peanuts or peanut butter…how about a peanut butter candy bar basket?)

Spend a little time on the web and use your imagination to learn about these “national holidays”. Then, create exclusive basket designs and unusual marketing opportunities to promote your gift basket business.

Read the full article “Reaching Younger Generations in the Mail”  for author Ethan Boldt’s ideas. But here’s one interesting idea from the article that caught my eye: “According to Keith Goodman , vice president of corporate solutions for Modern Postcard, seniors and boomers are more receptive to the more traditional letter-type formats, while Gens X and Y are more receptive to postcard and other self-mailer formats.”

So if younger buyers may still be attracted to direct mail attempts, I started to think about sending postcard promotions. This led me to check out the United States Postal Service where I found a link to the “Premium Postcard.com”.  USPS now provides a way for businesses to create and send postcards to promote products or special events. Check out this web site and find out about all the options that are available including a variety of postcard sizes, many different template designs, design and graphic services. You can use your own mailing list and buy new mailing lists. Be sure to look into this great service offered by USPS and use direct mail to attract many new customers to your business.

It occurred to me that 2009 could also be the perfect time to incorporate charitable giving into our daily business activities. How about promoting a particular gift basket design by donating a percentage of sales to popular charities in your community? Involve the charity that will benefit by having them announce your promotion in their newsletter.

Or, think about asking your customers to help out with your charitible giving program. When customers place their orders, they might also purchase one or two extra products ( eg: a box of cookies or chocolates; a package of popcorn or nuts) that you will include in basket to be taken to a local nursing home before the holiday. The more products purchased, the more baskets you’ll be able to create, the more nursing home patients and staff will benefit!

Think of ways that your business can provide opportunities to give to others. Your staff will be proud to participate in these giving programs and your customers will support you with their loyalty!

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.