There are plenty of ideas and situations that enter your mind as possibilities to launch or grow your gift basket business.

Lots of those thoughts receive a “no” response right away, but which ones get an immediate “yes?”

I find my mind telling me not to move forward on an endeavor or project for very strange reasons, strange because the reason simply isn’t true.

You’ll fail.

You’ll waste time.

If your mind tells you the same, why not silence those thoughts and try the idea on a small scale which can create a huge, positive impact on your business? For example, when these non truths come to mind, I tell myself:

This is a great idea.

Your money will be spent wisely.

Had I not taken action to connect with local media, my photograph would not have been featured on the front page of a newspaper, which you see in the above picture.

Some designers I mentor in the Golden Basket Club are experiencing growing pains, and they’re taking positive steps that are increasing profits each month.

What projects have you stopped before starting just because you refuse to take a chance? Starting your business was a big chance, and you succeeded. Take another step. Quiet the voices, take action, and next month you’ll reap big rewards.

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. Here’s Why Taking Chances to Grow Your Gift Basket Business is Worth the Anxiety
2. Why Local Warehouse Suppliers are Worth Visiting Now
3. How Did You Turn Valentine’s Day Baskets into Future Business?

An article I recently read shared news about a new home-based gift basket business that celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

What did your grand opening celebration consist of?

If you’re still planning to open, how will the launch look?

How will you celebrate your fifth, tenth, and future years in business?

Our industry is one that celebrates life at all stages, and that means our own in-business ceremonies must lead the charge to get people knowing who we are and interested in what we offer.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is just the beginning. In fact, there are grander ways to launch a business and celebrate its continued operation, ways that get media and customer attention so business continually grows and profits.

A list of what to do for your launch and subsequent events is brand new in the Golden Basket Club, and this initial list will expand in the coming months.

How did you tell local customers that your business is open, and if you’re planning your opening now, what does your marketing and publicity campaign look like?

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. Create What Customers Want, Not What’s “In”
2. Why Bereavement Baskets Create Strong Customer Bonds
3. How to Make the Leap from an Okay Business to a Profitable Enterprise

Thinking of starting a gift basket business but don’t yet have any information about this creative enterprise?

Send anyone who asks what you want for Mother’s Day to this link:

www.GiftBasketBusiness.com/membership.htm

In the Gift Basket Quick Start Pack, perfect as a Mother’s Day gift, you’ll receive:

• The most-popular gift basket book (How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business)
• Instructional DVDs, and
• An audio CD along with catalogs and other items to start quickly and with lots of mentoring.

The person who orders can request that the book be autographed with your name, and complimentary gift wrap is also available on request.

It’s time for you to receive exactly what you want on your special day, and with the Quick Start Pack, you’ll always have fond memories (and realize your bright future) every time you read and listen to items in this package.

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. How Did You Turn Valentine’s Day Baskets into Future Business?

How many times have I heard the question, “Where do I start?” when a budding designer is ready to begin making gift baskets?

The answer is that I’m asked this question more than than you can imagine.

Is this what’s also on your mind?

My beginnings were very sketchy because there was no blueprint like the Gift Basket Fast Track System available back in 1990. Back then I attended lots of gift shows but still had no detailed information on what I needed and how to put the business together.

Because of that, I made tons of mistakes that were draining in terms of time and money.

This is why I created the Fast Track System so new designers, like some of you reading this, won’t make many of the errors I experienced.

What’s your biggest dilemma in starting a gift basket business?

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

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One thing that makes the difference betweeen operating a lackluster business and operating a wildly-profitable business is to have someone in your corner who makes sure you are accountable for your daily actions.

Every successful business owner meets with one other person or group of people in person or by phone on a daily or weekly basis to discuss where their business is right now, where they want to be, and what they’re doing to make it happen.

Every time I see a new appointment in my calendar scheduled by a Club member to speak with me about their goals, I know that the designer is serious about being accountable.

There are no excuses.
There’s commitment.
There’s determination.

If you believe that accountability will make the difference in your business, find a partner, or become a Club member and try a partnership with me for one month. If it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to continue.

Remember, there’s a difference between being in business and being profitable. Which one of these is your goal?

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. Why Mistakes are Necessary to Build a Profitable Gift Basket Business
2. Make Time to Make Changes You’ve Put Off
3. Happy to Make and Sell Gift Baskets? You Have Lots More to be Thankful For

Did you quote a customer the price of a gift basket and found out later that you undercharged yourself?

How did you feel when realizing your mistake?

• I wanted to kick myself.
• I cried myself to sleep.
• I was very, very angry.

It stings when you make errors. But know this: making mistakes is a trait of every great entrepreneur.

Mistakes indicate that you are diligently working on your business. Mistakes help you to uncover problems that are best solved now rather than later as you compound the errors.

Mistakes are what we address in the Golden Basket Club, and with it comes clarity, solutions, and better, more profitable businesses.

It is so gratifying to both the designer who’s made the decision to discuss their business with me each month and for me to uncover the mistake, before or after it happens, and get very clear on how to make smart adjustments so the next actions will benefit both the designer and her clients.

Which mistakes have you made in the past that you have remedied so that you are confident about the outcome the next time?

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. “I Beat Myself Up” and Other Things Not to Do When Mistakes Happen
2. Here’s Why Taking Chances to Grow Your Gift Basket Business is Worth the Anxiety
3. Three Tips to Take Your Gift Basket Business to the Next Level

When customers call me to orders gift baskets for delivery on February 14, I immediately put into action my plan to multiply the sale into numerous orders throughout the year.

Perhaps you haven’t been thinking this way, so it’s time to stop taking orders and start building relationships with individuals and corporate representatives who need gifts and baskets for occasions beyond Valentine’s Day.

You’ll have to create a script to consult each time you complete an order.

• How will you segue into the subject of future gift baskets after thanking the customer for his business?
• What will you send the customer to remind him about the conversation so he commits to the orders he mentioned?
• How will you set up a timeline in your database that allows you to connect with each customer in time for new orders?

When you commit to extending your business beyond single orders, that’s when your business will blossom from repeat sales and referral customers.

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

Related articles:

1. How to Take a Negative Gift Basket Story and Turn it Into a Positive Experience
2. Here’s Why Taking Chances to Grow Your Gift Basket Business is Worth the Anxiety
3. Ideas to Promote Your Father’s Day Gift Baskets

There’s no way that everything you attempt with gift baskets will go smoothly, on course, or conclude with an order.

If that was the norm, you couldn’t enter this business because it would be filled with designers with the bucks to block your entry.

So how do you proceed when problems occur? Here’s what I’ve heard from designers.

“I lay down and go to sleep.”

“I cry myself to sleep.”

“I quit and come back the next day.”

My early years of not-so-great days were similar, but I didn’t think about quitting. My thoughts went in one of two directions:

I made lots of marketing telephone calls. If someone said “no,” the situation that happened earlier shielded me from feeling worse.

I cleaned my office, rearranging items for better efficiency so the next day felt like a better day with “yes” responses to come.

It’s easy to turn inward and get upset if you make a mistake; however, recognize that you’ve hit rock bottom. The deed is done. Now it’s time to get back up and continue bringing value to the customers who count on you to create masterpieces they adore and appreciate.

Shirley George Frazier

Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the world’s authority on the gift basket industry. She is head basketologist at Sweet Survival LLC (known on the web as GiftBasketBusiness.com), which assists creative people to turn their passion into rewarding businesses. Shirley is also author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. If you're looking for a speaker who's easy to work with, one that attendees will thank you for bringing to the event, contact Shirley at 973-279-2799 or Shirley@ShirleySpeaks.com.

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