Wouldn’t it be great to get paid for every gift basket order that comes your way? Sadly, that’s not possible. Here’s why you cannot satisfy every customer.
Prepare for wins and losses
Not everyone who comes to you for an order will agree to the contents, delivery, or overall design of your gift baskets. It’s simply not possible to have a 100% order rate. That’s okay.
Marketing is all about finding the right people to buy, which the definitive article on marketing your gift baskets explains. There will be loyal customers, and there will also be people who don’t fit your model. That’s true in every business.
Here are two examples.
Picky production
After my appearance on a television show, a production staff member wanted a gift basket for a senior member of her family. I took notes while asking her about the gentleman’s life and preferences.
After returning to my studio to review inventory, I called the staff member with options for the gift. She didn’t like what I proposed. I wrote down more details and called her a second time with new options. Still, she said no.
At that point I referred her to another area gift basket designer. I don’t know if a sale was made, but I did the right thing sending the order to a competitor. Such unselfishness keeps the industry’s value high. In addition, the transfer allowed me to complete orders received from the media presentation.
Medical malfunction
I had heard, through attending conventions, that selling gift baskets to hospital gift shops was lucrative. That opportunity seemed easy for me. With three hospitals within 10 miles of my studio, I had high hopes that I could sign at least one account.
After securing a hospital gift shop appointment, I created three gift baskets using my baby and get well inventory. It was exciting to walk through the hospital’s main lobby and be pointed in the direction of the gift shop. The manager took one look at what I had and said that while it was gorgeous, none of it was for her buyers.
She pointed to merchandise on shelves to show me examples of what sells. I took a look at the collection and realized it would take lots of labor to make comparable gifts. I’d also make very little profit. Even though that opportunity didn’t work, I’m glad to have explored it.
As for the other hospital shops, I didn’t bother scheduling appointments but did continue to expand my client and sales lists.
Why you cannot satisfy every customer
I’m betting you can count on your fingers how many times you’ve attempted to sell to clients, whether individuals or corporations, and didn’t get the sale. My hope is that the trials did not disappoint you.
It’s good to get negative feedback as well as good to get the orders. The non-sales help you to focus on your true buyers and not waste time with people and organizations that aren’t within your target. When you compare who buys against who doesn’t, the odds and percentage are most likely in your favor.
What’s also important is your after-sales communication which is detailed in the article, 10 Ways to Keep Customers Happy after the Order.
Now you know why you cannot satisfy every customer as well as why finding the right customers is always a work in progress. Which of your presentations that didn’t result in a sale is most memorable, and what was your next step that resulted in a sale?
