What Makes Corporations Buy Gift Baskets?
Emily asks:
“I’m trying to get corporations to buy my gift baskets, but it’s not working out. What’s the best way for me to get these accounts?”
Corporations, like individuals, buy from people they know, like, and trust.
If you send a letter, postcard, or other marketing material to a corporation, and it doesn’t have the name of a specific person (example — Attention: Marketing Department), that’s a sure way to have your material thrown into the garbage.
You have to know someone within the corporate business to get their attention. That connection creates a 360-degree change in your ability to convince a corporation to buy from you.
It’s also important to recognize which departments within an organization, and which people within those departments, have the power to say “yes” and approve the order. Without it, you’ll find yourself talking to powerless people who will eat all of your samples, smile, and watch you walk out the door without a sale.
This is a huge hurdle that’s discussed by phone in the Golden Basket Club with Elite members who are breaking through corporate barriers to get sales and expand their businesses.
Get to know all about the corporations you target for marketing, which hopefully leads to bountiful sales in the near future.
How to Get a Corporate Account that’s New to the Area
Carissa asks:
“What is the best way to contact executives at a company that’s new in town? I want to make them my customer before they start buying from another gift basket company.”
One way that’s proved both popular and successful with other designers is to send the top executive a letter welcoming him and his staff to the area.
Consider sending a low-priced, yet high-quality gift basket as a follow-up one week later.
There are other ways to get their attention and account whether you send the gift basket or decide not to.
- Monitor the chamber of commerce to learn if executives join so you can meet them there.
- Review the local newspaper for several weeks for any announcements about the firm.
- Ask colleagues and clients if they know anyone who works at the company.
Remember that you not only want to contact the executives but also want to be armed with information that lets you provide them with reasons why your gift baskets are important to their success.
I have a good feeling that your being proactive will encourage this company to become your customer.
How to Get Human Resource Managers to Buy Gift Baskets
Kara asks:
“I want to target the human resource departments at large corporations to buy from me but don’t know how to begin. What should I do?”
My first idea about this, when I entered the gift basket industry, was to get the names of all human resource managers and send them letters introducing my gift basket service.
Just before I set up this campaign, I met another designer who tried a similar method to get this group’s attention. She sent out 600 letters.
How many people responded? Zero. That let me know that this cold-call type of communication would not work.
Here’s three ways to get their attention.
1. Human resource managers are chamber of commerce members. Find their events in your area and attend several meetings where you can introduce yourself to managers who also attend, shake their hands, and get to know who they are and how to get their business.
2. Ask customers who work at corporations for their assistance. Knowing someone on the inside is an easier way to get human resource accounts than sending letters to people who don’t know you.
3. Where are lunch and learn programs in your area? Many corporations allow outside vendors to come inside of their facilities at noon time to educate employees. Call the human resource departments of companies you want to do business with and ask if they have such a program. That will help you connect with the person in charge to discuss employee gifts and more.
If human resource managers are your target, these three tips will help you find the right way to get close to them and win accounts.
