To Stay In Business You Gotta Sell Them!
Although you don't run it on a day-to-day basis, this is still a retail establishment, so you should rotate your baskets from time to time to keep things looking fresh. Change your display seasonally just like you would for your own retail store. You may also want to include various gift items to increase impulse buying. Stop by periodically to see how things are going. With a minimal amount of time and effort, consignment shops can be a lucrative resource for gift basket businesses.
Web-sites/Online Stores-In this day of technological advancements, it is indeed a rarity to find a business that does not have a presence on the world-wide web. Thanks in part to Ebay, buying and selling online has become big business as well as second nature.
According to a report published by Bigfoot Interactive, 94% of adults that received permission-based e-mail have made a purchase from the retailer that sent them the e-mail. What does this mean to gift basket companies? Design your e-mail campaign, and get ready for the 2004 holiday season.
Here's an idea to help you get started. Design the most beautiful holiday designs you can imagine. Place them on your web-site along with an announcement for your annual HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE. Visit www.evite.com and design an invitation to compliment your holiday theme. Invite all your family, friends, co-workers, past, present, future customers, everybody you can think of to come to your holiday open house. Give away prizes or discounts for orders placed the day of the open house. I have a red satin bookmark that says "Jesus is the reason for the season" imprinted in gold that I will be giving to all my customers this year. I purchased these last year--I think I paid 5 or 10 cents a piece for them.
By hosting your open house via the web, you get the benefit of having an open house without the hassle of finding a venue, decorating, serving refreshments and having to clean up afterwards.
Trade/Craft Shows-I personally don't do shows. The cost involved is just too great for me, not to mention the time involved to travel, setup, and breakdown. Each year there is Kwanzaa Festival that I participate in only because the cost is very small, it's local, and it's also where I made my debut as a gift basket business. It's become a tradition that I do each year to celebrate another year in business.
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