Ask The Gift Basket Expert » Marketing

How Do I Market My Gift Baskets?

Shirley George Frazier — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:27:37 +0000

Edith asks:

“How do I market my gift baskets? I can design but am not sure how to sell.”

There are three parts to my answer.

1. When you originally decided to start a gift basket business, who was your target customer? In other words, what made you decide to get into this business?

Whoever was sharing their gift-finding problem with you is a good start to recognizing your target market.

2. Where’s the best place to reach your market (the people who will buy from you)? Is it in magazines, at networking events, or through social media?

The people in your target market will share their activities with you so that your marketing messages reach them. Your customers are probably similar to those served by other gift basket designers, and you’ll find their solutions in the book 101 Ways to Market Your Gift Baskets.

3. Take advantage of appointments set up with independent professionals such as accountants and educators.

After speaking with them about the main reason for the meeting, you can turn the tables at the end by talking about your business and how your gift baskets benefit their lifestyles.

© 2008-2010 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the leading authority on the gift basket industry. She is author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for videos, CDs, reports, tips, online newsletter, and much more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

How Do I Send a Brochure When I Don’t Have One?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:36:13 +0000

Brenda asks:

“I’m getting calls from people who want me to send them a brochure, and because I don’t have one, I keep telling them to visit my Web site.

I feel like I’m losing sales because I hear these people say they don’t have a computer. How can I send a brochure when I don’t have one, don’t know how to make one, and don’t want to have them made because of the expense?”

I’m not sure which way you view a brochure, because in one sentence you say you think you’re losing money without one, and in another sentence you say that it’s an expense.

A brochure is either considered as an investment in your business or as an expense because its creation and distribution won’t increase your profits.

If you choose to not make a brochure, then stick to that choice. No designer can satisfy everyone that comes their way. However, keep tabs on the number of people requesting a brochure, because in time you may realize that there is a large amount of orders you’re deflecting without one.

Online printers make brochure creation available, and the investment of time and money may be worthwhile.

Look at the brochures through this link and this one, too (look for two more pages of brochure designs through those linked pages).

They weren’t made with online printer support because the Web wasn’t as popular then as it is now, but today these types of brochures can be designed online.

If your primary customers have computer connections, perhaps you don’t need a brochure. The decision is yours to make or break. Monitor the requests, and stay focused with or without printed material.

How Do I Keep Business Going Now?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:55:18 +0000

Savannah asks:

“My gift basket sales are way down now, and I know I’m not alone. I’m very concerned. How do I keep my doors open while waiting for this economy to bounce back?”

The media continues to paint a grim economic picture, and while the facts are true, I still believe that “waiting for this economy to bounce back” will destroy your business.

Individuals are still celebrating life’s occasions.

Corporations have budgets to encourage employees to be productive.

Independent businesses need methods to thank current customers for their loyalty.

These three examples represent reasons for buying gifts and baskets, and your business is in a great position to get these sales.

When a baseball is hit, the on-field team runs toward the ball rather than wait for the ball to roll to them. Waiting allows the other team to score or get into position to score. So, for you, waiting is similar to allowing a competitor to get the account.

Get into the sales game by going after clients rather than waiting for them to come to you.

Invest in breakfast or lunch with a loyal client. Mail letters or postcards. Do what’s necessary, within your budget, to make contact.

Waiting for the economy to get better is not an option.

Can I Get Customers Through a Mailing List?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:51:11 +0000

Samantha asks:

“I bought a mailing list of corporate names and addresses, and I sent all of them a letter and my business card to order my gift baskets. It cost me a lot of money, and none of them ordered. I don’t know what to do now.”

I’ve spoken with other designers who, over the years, have had the same negative results. It happens for one main reason: people who don’t know you and don’t have any connection to you treat your mail like junk and feel no obligation to buy.

I thought about using this same route to build my business back in 1990, but the cost to rent a mailing list was too much for my budget, so I started treating the people in business that I know as if they were already customers.

These people have been mentioned in the past in my newsletters and on the Gift Basket Business blog: my doctor, insurance agent, accountant, bank manager, dog’s veterinarian, and others who already knew me. Getting them to buy was easier than asking strangers to become buyers.

I developed a group of letters, which are available here, to contact them, and through those letters, business grew steadily.

This is one of the major growth areas that stop many of us from succeeding and why designers in the Golden Basket Club get full doses of training in this area and watch their sales increase every month.

Use my example as one to create your own dynamic business.

How to Market Gift Baskets to Men

Shirley George Frazier — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:31:14 +0000

Karen asks:

“I have found that my customers are at approximately a 3 to 1 ratio, men over women. This just from customers walking in.

What’s the best way, and (how do I find them) to market to men?”

Have you asked your male clients:

Which media they watch

Which part of the newspaper they read

How they found you/who recommended them to you

What they like about your products and services

This will provide solid clues to connect you with more of this segment so you can increase sales.

I often ask men exiting Costco with gift baskets why they chose to buy from this source. Their response, overwhelmingly, is “convenience.”

That tells me that area designers aren’t capitalizing on marketing their easy deliveries and other incentives to this segment, as price isn’t a major concern.

Costco is also mentioned in this blog article about competition.

When you survey your male clients, you will uncover the best ways to market to them.

You’ll find more sales information in articles on the Success Tips’ and Success Articles’ pages.