The goal for every business is to secure a thriving corporate account. Acquiring a couple of good paying corporate accounts can sustain a business through out the year.

Corporate clients expect you to work around their budget and offer impressive designs. Most budgets can be accommodated. But some won't like the options they are given for the amount of money they are willing to spend. Now what do you do?

Getting more than one corporate account is achievable with a little planning. Here are some things to help you out:

Weigh your options if…

This is your first corporate account and you think it will be worth you absorbing the cost to meet their needs.

You have many good paying corporate accounts already- The profit you make off them will afford you the extra cost.

Put your company’s best interest first if you plan on staying in business. When you're out of business that corporate account will be someone else’s.

Tags: advice corporate gift basket business gift baskets

Labels: advice, corporate, gift basket, gift basket business

                     

When I started my gift basket business, I thought all I had to do was create a website and the sales would come pouring in. Boy was I wrong!

After 6 months of being online and wasting $600 on a web designer, I still had zero traffic. Desperate for an online presence, I decided to educate myself on owning an online business.

Yes! When you decided to create a website where customers can make purchases, you are now the proud owner of an online business. To avoid the mistakes I did...

DON'T
Use free websites- search engines will ignore you.

Use too many graphics- they do not add value to your website and search engine spiders can not recognize them.

Hire a web designer before you have basic website knowledge.

Use music- music does not mix with all websites. People seeking to send a gift do not want to hear music.

Allow popups- they quickly annoy website visitors.

DO'S
Register your own domain name.

Choose a web hosting company.

Write good content for your website.

Build your own site with some type of web software.

Hire a web designer- caution: If your site requires constant updates, make sure you have complete control over your site. Having access to your website files helps you avoid calling the web designer to do updates and paying maintenance fees.

Tags: online gift basket business advice sales news

Labels: advice, gift basket business, news, online, sales

                     

The key to meeting new business associates is the 30 second introduction.

The more unique it is the more likely it will grab the attention of the intended audience.

I have gone to networking events and was asked to give a 30 second introduction of my business without giving any thought to its effectiveness.

Now I've took a little time to revise my 30 second introduction when meeting new business associates. I started with these basics.

Unique selling proposition

This is what makes your business different from the competition.

What’s in it for me?

Because customers ask this all the time, let them know how your company can help their company.

Make them remember you

Leave something with them that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Tags: gift basket business advice

Labels: advice, gift basket business

                     

It's travel season. With Spring break here and Summer around the corner, now is the time to wish those many travelers Bon Voyage.

Bon Voyage gift baskets make great travel gifts. Once they were only purchased through travel agents and cruise lines.

Now you can order a gift basket based on the destination of the traveler. Here’s an idea: for a trip to the beach include sunscreen and for a ski trip; throw in some hot chocolate and a chapstick.

New Seasons brings new ideas. Because some occasions are not as popular, we forget about them. However, at The Gourmet Gift Shop, our goal is to create custom gifts that are a welcome acknowledgement for any person, for any occasion at anytime. Place your order today.

Tags: gift basket business travel gifts advice

Labels: advice, gift basket business, travel gifts

                     

What a great way to make a living- by making a gift that sells itself. You can start your own gift basket business from scratch or choose a franchise or a business opportunity.

There is no rulebook that you can follow to avoid mistakes when starting a new gift basket business from scratch. But you can play by your own rules. You get to run the business the way you want and sell in any area you choose.

To limit the hassle of researching how to begin your new venture, there are business opportunities and franchises. A business opportunity is an operating system based on setting the company up for operation. However, just like starting a company from scratch, you get to run the business the way you want. A franchise works a little bit different. With a franchise, it’s required by the franchisor that you operate the company under their name and use their operating system. You are only allowed to do business in a defined area chosen by the franchisor and required to pay on going franchise fees or royalties.

Because investing in a new business is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, take your time and research the best strategy for your personal goals.

Tags: gift basket business advice gift baskets

Labels: advice, gift basket business, gift baskets

                     

I recently read an article on how to build a gift basket business on referrals alone. It also stated that one referral is equal to seven cold calls. I agree that word of mouth is one of the best forms of advertising. But when done alone it can be detrimental to any business.

One reason cold calling is disliked is because of the fear of being told "no." You need a "no" in order to know. What does that mean? It means that you assume the same technique will work for everybody and that you are always right. No one is always right and everything doesn’t work on every body. Be willing to be corrected.

Another reason cold calling is disliked is because of the lack of leads. We are fortunate in the gift basket business that there are many ways to find leads without paying for them. Check the library for your local Business Journal. In Georgia, it is called the Business Chronicles or Book of List. This book has the top businesses in your state along with the decision maker's name and contact information. Visit local business's websites for contact information. Call them up, explain how your product will make their company more profitable and then ask for an appointment. You won't get an appointment if you don't ask for it!

Ask yourself- Can one form of advertising reach the market I'm seeking? Build a business by incorporating more than one form of marketing. Referrals plus cold calling is the better way to build a successful business.

Tags: advice gift basket referrals reviews news

Labels: advice, gift basket business

                     

Many home-based gift basket businesses assume their business is covered under their homeowner's policy. A homeowner's policy insures a residence and property related to normal residential living. Although the business is home-based, the policy coverage does not extend to the business.

Insurance policies exclusively for businesses cover property loss and liability. Property loss is any damage that occurs to the structure where the business is located. Liability insures you against the public and people coming to your home for business related reasons.

Tags: gift basket business

Labels: gift basket business

                     

Selling gift baskets online is very competitive. And because if this, the staff at The Gourmet Gift Shop took extreme measures to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

You can trust that your information and credit card numbers are secure when placing an order. You will never have to worry about those annoying pop ups and graphics that load slow.

You will find this site to be easy to navigate and discover fast, convenient and secure payment options at check out.

You will get quality and value from a store you can trust. I Guarantee.


Tags: gift basket business online sales advice

Labels: advice, gift basket business, online sales

                     

In January I was invited to attend a luncheon hosted by the owner of Better Business Baskets. At the luncheon, she announced she was closing her business. She offered everybody an opportunity to purchase her inventory. Opportunities like this have its advantages and disadvantages.

It's perfect for those who are running a successful business and interested in expanding by buying another gift basket business. Or one who just wants to acquire additional products that compliment their existing inventory.

Now the downside is another gift basket company is closing and has to refer their clients to a more successful one for future purchases. What ever the reason for the business closing, if you are interested in the purchase of another business, a thorough due diligence by you and your legal team would be wise before acquisition.

Tags: gift basket business

Labels: gift basket business