The change of year always ushers in higher costs in areas where your have no control.

If you can control costs, it’s still smart business to increase charges where necessary.

Here are three areas in your gift basket business to check today.

Shipping. Reviewing transportation records for the past 3-6 months often reveals that you’ve been undercharging. While trying to be conservative and keep costs low for customers, this sometimes means that you pay for miscalculations.

Deliveries. Has the courier that delivers your baskets increased rates this month? If so, you’ll have to do the same and notify your customers. If you are the courier, calculate how much mileage it takes to get from a general point A to point B and also factor in vehicle maintenance.

Appointments. If you haven’t been charging engaged couples for consulting with them on thank you gift baskets for family and friends after the wedding, now’s the time to start. I learned years ago at a flower industry convention that charging a consultation fee is mandatory because of the time spent giving couples ideas that may not result in a sale.

You cannot make money if you are covering costs that rightfully are passed to customers.

There are other areas in your business to review, but these are the most common. Which one will you adjust first?

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My former accountant ordered a half-gift, half-fruit basket for delivery to one of her customers located in New York City.

It’s never easy to deliver in Manhattan; however, when I arrived at the location, a street parking space was available.

That put a big smile on my face as I entered the building and took the elevator up to a cramped office where six people worked.

The person receiving the gift basket was elated to get it, and she asked me to wait while she went into another office. She came back and handed me money, and I immediately said, “I’m the owner, and I’m here personally to make sure you’re happy with this gift.”

My hands were at an angle to show her that I would not accept her money. I exited and heard happy voices on the other side of the door.

That’s how I let customers know that tipping me is a wonderful gesture but, for me, not proper to accept.

If this happens to you, how do you inform customers about your tipping rules, or do you let them tip you?

Related articles:

1. Where Do You Share Comments from Happy Customers?
2. Create What Customers Want, Not What’s “In”
3. How Will You Thank Your Customers?

Years ago when I attended a seminar, the event leader said something I will always remember.

Always Be Marketing was his success formula, and he told us that if we truly wanted success in business, we must constantly market our products and/or services.

Is this something you practice, or is marketing a task that’s done when you have time?

Marketing is the first task on my mind when I enter my studio. I brainstorm on my own each day, reviewing what I’ve done in the past and what’s on the horizon for the future.

If your marketing is not an every day practice, that’s the reason why your gift basket sales are low.

It’s time to brainstorm either on your own, with staff, or with trusted associates who can help you get your marketing train on track.

Choose either a pen and paper or computer screen to list your marketing options. This will range from direct mail campaigns to social media connections.

Try your best not to rule anything out that comes to mind. The focus of this project is to write everything down without bias. It’s wise to think big during this exercise. It’s not just about what you’ve done in the past; this is also about the grand ways you can market to many rather than to one person at a time.

Once you devise your initial list, start deciding which campaigns can be done right away, and set up a plan for that marketing on a daily basis. Yes, daily. Then move on to the next easiest, and continue until you get to the campaigns that take time to set up. Work on those campaigns until you have the steps and schedule. Then launch it without fail.

This is how to market your gift baskets. You will learn what’s working, what needs to be changed and relaunched, and what needs replacement.

There is no wrong in your plan unless you don’t follow through or you harm children or animals, and I highly doubt that’s part of your plan.

If you had time to decide to make the sell gift baskets, you have time to figure out how to put more of your dynamic gifts into customers‘ hands.

Now that you know the basics, what more do you need to make sure you market every day?

Related articles:

1. Why Target Marketing is Key to Building a Successful Business
2. Ideas to Promote Your Father’s Day Gift Baskets
3. Why Inventory Purchased this Year is Perfect for Mother’s Day Gift Baskets

People tend to become butter-fingered around gift baskets, which means this sometimes-fragile design will come apart before it arrives at its destination.

I’ve watched employees at UPS and the U.S. Postal Service drop my boxed packages right before my eyes.

Even my family, as caring as they are, bust cellophane or, like shippers, handle designs roughly.

Destructive things can and will happen to gift baskets, so do everything possible to keep each design intact.

• Firmly apply tape or glue substances in-between products.
• Practice weight distribution so one side isn’t heavier than the other.
• Wrap completed designs tightly with bubble wrap before inserting it into boxes.

What’s the one thing you fear about your gift baskets coming apart?

Related articles:

1. How to Turn Gift Basket Products that Don’t Sell into Appreciation Gifts
2. Business at Home is Becoming Legally Acceptable, and That’s Good for Us
3. Does the Law Let You Make or Drop Ship Gift Baskets?

Flowers and foliage wrapped onto a pick or vine are two examples of what’s added around and in-between gift basket products.

It’s an adornment that pulls the theme together and elevates its attraction.

But are enhancements required, or have we become so used to adding them that it’s now a necessity?

I didn’t buy enhancements when I began making gift baskets. I only wanted gifts, shred, and some stabilizing materials within my designs.

Then I started experimenting with adding picks, which I believed were pleasing to my clients, the people who have the final say with their dollars about what they’ll buy.

I found that my clients didn’t care whether or not enhancements were included. They wanted beautifully-constructed gifts that were worth the price. That’s their bottom line, so sometimes I’ll add foliage and other times I won’t depending on the theme and recipient.

How about you? Are their times when making gift baskets you ask yourself, “Do I really need these enhancements?“

Related articles:

1. Enhancements Tie Each Design Together

My aunt was never pleased to see the name of her son misspelled in letters written to her by relatives and friends.

“There [they] go again,” were the words I remember hearing as my aunt noted the wrong spelling. Her face was frowned, and her temperament changed from a generally-good mood to surly. I made sure not to ask questions like, “Can I have some ice cream?” until her mood changed.

This is how a prospect or long-time customer may feel when you misspell their name misspell the name of the person receiving their gift basket. If you don’t get this one part of your gift basket business right, you may not have a business for long.

I’m bringing this to light because I notice, on the Gift Basket Business Facebook page, that some people who engage in conversations with me fail to spell my name correctly. While seeing my name misspelled doesn’t negatively impact my mood, the same may not be true for your customers.

• If you have any doubt about how to spell anything related to an order, call the customer for clarity.
• If you have a tendency to transpose letters or numbers, have someone else double check what you type before it’s shipped or emailed.
• If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to review what you’ve written, you may be on your way to losing customers. Stop, recheck, and move forward.
• If you find that you’ve misspelled a name, acknowledge it to the customer and/or the recipient with an apology card sent by mail noting the appropriate spelling. I’m far from perfect, and this is how I handle the situation when it occurs.

Pay attention to the small details. They are key to getting and keeping the big accounts whether you serve individual customers or large corporations.

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When you attend this season’s trade shows, you’ll see lots of ribbon and be very tempted to buy.

What about the spools of ribbon currently in your workspace? Do you really need more?

Now’s the time to take inventory of the sizes, colors, and styles you have so you don’t duplicate what’s already in stock.

Here’s what to consider.

• Which styles sell faster? Replenish it.
• What colors are missing? Even though you have none, think before you buy.
• Which ribbon in your inventory needs a partner? A second color to make a two-tone bow will make good use of what you already have.

Ribbon is very intoxicating, and it’s also a huge expense if you’re not careful.

Know what you own. Buy what sells.

Related articles:

1. How to Stop Buying What No One Except You Wants
2. Why Bows Enhance Each Gift Basket’s Beauty
3. She’s Going Out of Business. Can I Buy Her Inventory?

Each morning, you walk into your gift basket workspace, turn on the lights, and think to yourself one of the following statements:

“I am so lucky to surround myself with products that bring out the best in my creativity.”

or

“I am so tired of looking at this mess that I have to clean up before I get started.”

Which one do you say to yourself most often?

If it’s the first, pat yourself on the back. Not only do you get to process orders quickly and efficiently, you also use your time wisely by staying organized and tidying up by day’s end so you’re energized in a way that no other business can inspire you.

If it’s the second, pat yourself on the back! You have the foundation, and now it’s time to consider how you’ll re-structure your workspace so it’s the show place you envisioned when deciding to start your business.

Clean the worktable, putting items away properly and brushing off the table so there’s no shred or grime.

Stand in front of the table and think to yourself:

“Where’s the best place to put the shred so I can grab a handful and put it into the basket?”

“How can I attach the scissors to the table so they don’t seemingly walk away every time I need them?”

“What products do I need on the side of or below the table because it’s used for each design?”

By positioning items in useful spaces and spending about 15 minutes at day’s end putting everything in it’s place, you will find yourself stating the first sentence more often.

Start this New Year with better habits, and you’ll find yourself efficiently serving more clients who order because of the positive spirit inherited from re-structuring your workspace.

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