Making the most of gift baskets in your inventory not only means cutting the cost of producing them, but also increasing profits with an expanded selection and sales of related items. Whether you cater to customers looking for corporate gift baskets for clients and employees or those in need of gifts for special occasions, uncover new methods to boost sales and expand your clientele.

Every step of the sales process, from finding wholesale sources for your gift basket business to brainstorming add-on items to generate additional sales, can be improved upon to increase your business’ success. When deciding how you should go about making the most of gift baskets, endeavor to:

1. Uncover new wholesale sources to cost-effectively increase your selection of corporate gift basket or gourmet gift basket contents.

2. Sign up for classes and workshops that will hone your skills when compiling, wrapping and merchandising everything from food gift baskets to holiday gift baskets to custom gift baskets.

3. Find additional items like gift tags and sentimental greeting cards that your gift basket company can sell. Customers will appreciate the one-stop shopping as they purchase the items to personalize the gifts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use wholesalers to add new items to your gift basket inventory without overextending your budget

If you've been specializing in a single type of executive gift basket, for example, consider expanding your line to offer products like coffee gift basket or wine gift basket choices that will also appeal to non-corporate customers. By finding wholesale sources for the new merchandise, you can attempt to expand your customer base without risking too much capital.

I recommend: Add new items to food and gourmet gift baskets after searching the online catalog at Imperial Foods. Items range from candy and coffee to beverages and condiments. The site also sells wholesale basket supplies like cellophane, boxes and ribbon. If you already offer plenty of food items, consider expanding your selection of personal employee gift basket items with the product offerings at Cottage Soap.

Discover ways to make your gift basket selection more appealing through instructional workshops

Experienced gift basket retailers, designers and learning institutions offer classes on the creation, design and marketing of gift baskets. The classes will keep you up to date on the latest styles, trends and colors. You can also use the new techniques as part of in-store classes to teach your customers how to design custom gift baskets for any occasion themselves.

I recommend: In addition to offering helpful news stories to keep you on top of industry trends, Gift Basket Business World offers classes to help you increase your creativity. The company also offers instructional videos on topics like basic design and business tips. The Virtual Learning Center has scheduled business courses to help you improve design and marketing skills. The online courses allow you to learn at your own convenience.

Offer additional products to help corporate and individual customers personalize gift baskets

Although your customers are ordering a business gift basket for an employee or a special occasion basket as a personal gift, who says the sale has to stop there? Add to the total by offering items like cards, tags or even specialty ribbon that clients can use to give each basket a heartfelt, homemade touch and help you make more from each gift basket sale.

I recommend: Offer a selection of beautiful handmade cards for any occasion by ordering cards through wholesaler JK Designs. If your customers prefer more traditional cards with seasonal, humorous or religious sentiments, consider ordering designs from Goldline Greetings. Get beautiful metal gift tags in a variety of styles through Nunn Design. Click on the “to buy” link to request a wholesale account and pricing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you attend gift basket workshops or related events, take the opportunity to network with other retailers. Not only can you discuss the ways that they increase their gift basket sales, but you can also uncover new wholesale sources, hear company rumors and learn which distributors have a less-than-perfect customer service track record.

Who doesn't enjoy receiving a well-stocked gift basket? Whether seasonal or offered as a special shout-out to a vendor who went above and beyond, gift baskets are a great way to show appreciation. Make sure your gratitude doesn't get lost in a pile of crumpled cellophane and ribbon by following some basic business gifting etiquette and by finding the best gift basket retailers.

Types of gift baskets include:

1. Specialty baked goods
2. Gourmet goodies
3. Thematic: sports teams, industry tie-ins, movies or books
4. Spa or pampering items
5. Meat, cheese or fruit assortments

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Let them eat treats

Somehow treats taste even better on someone else's dime. Spoil your favorite customers with delectable fare ranging from gourmet meats and cheeses to sweets.

I recommend: Harry and David set the gold standard for food gift baskets — their pears are a popular item. GourmetGiftBaskets.com offers everything foodies want, from savory to sweet. Wine Country Gift Baskets offers baskets laden with gourmet foods from soups to chocolates. Omaha Steaks can rush deliver a filet mignon or any other cut.

Thematic gift baskets

Whether giving books to publishing clients or spa gifts for the meditation expert who spoke at your corporate retreat, thematic gifts offer a creative, personal touch.

I recommend: SportsGiftBaskets.com sends out not a basket but a bucket of gift items with team logos. RedEnvelope.com offers luxurious spa gift baskets. The fitness-minded might appreciate a healthy gift basket from Well Baskets.

Brush up on your etiquette

The rules on gifting differ when sending to colleagues versus friends and family. Some basic research can avoid making your well-intentioned present a goof basket.

I recommend: The 1800flowers.com Web site has a business gifts section with extensive etiquette tips. Find a business etiquette consultant to offer personalized tips in the Yahoo! Directory.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  While wine is a popular gift basket item, alcohol may not be considered acceptable for business gift-giving, so use your judgment.
• •  Consider a regional or state-themed gift basket to remind customers of your area, such as Wisconsin cheese, Georgia peaches, or locally produced books, music or movies.
• •  Keep gift basket purchases within your budget; it's pointless to go into the red trying to impress customers.
• •  To avoid causing offense, keep holiday gifts as culturally and religiously neutral as possible.
• •  Send a personal note with your gift basket letting your client or vendor know how much you appreciate them.

When customers come to your gift basket company to satisfy their corporate or personal gift giving needs, ensure you provide the goods they’ll be proud to present. Whether you stock food gift baskets, novelty baskets or everything in between, staying apprised of gift baskets news and trends will help you increase sales with sought-after contents, presentations and sentiments.

Following up-to-date information on the hottest corporate gift basket contents for clients or employees and the latest gift basket looks for holidays and special occasions will keep your sales consistent. Find valuable resources to give your gift basket business a boost and when looking for gift baskets news and trends, try to:

1. Discover and study news articles about gift baskets from a variety of sources like retail store blogs, online newsletters and printed magazines.

2. Participate in an association that caters to gift basket retailers to network with other professionals, uncover innovative marketing ideas and find new wholesale sources for executive gift basket or gourmet gift basket items.

3. Walk the floor of a gift convention or gift basket trade show to talk to manufacturers, find new themed basket ideas and see merchandising strategies in action.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read industry news stories so you can stock the personal or employee gift basket contents in demand

Gift basket industry professionals, retailers, instructors and manufacturers offer a variety of articles that can help your business be successful. Look for everything from company news, hot color trends, popular gift items and new packaging methods to help you stay one step ahead of the competition.

I recommend: ApexGiftBasketPros.com offers an informative blog to help make your personal or business gift basket endeavors a success. Topics include everything from basket enhancements to industry news to promotional ideas. Get new gift basket ideas and business tips, along with links to industry tutorials, associations and shows through the GiftBasketOnlineNewsletter.com.

Join a gift basket association to discuss the trends in corporate gift baskets with other retailers

Find out what other retailers consider the industry's hot trends by participating in a gift basket association where you can network, exchange information on distributors and share helpful business strategies. In addition to newsletters, shows and seminars, some groups also offer online forums where you can chat with industry insiders around the globe.

I recommend: Learn about industry trends and company news by becoming a member of the National Specialty Gift Association. In addition to trade events and an online message board, this group also offers benefits like discounted services and products, Internet marketing and credit card processing. Join a statewide group like the North Carolina Association of Professional Gift Designers to network with other gift basket retailers in your area. Discuss issues about your specific demographic and share local wholesale sources.

Visit trade shows to uncover new ideas and suppliers for executive, personal or custom gift baskets

If you need new ways to package the popular coffee gift basket or wine gift basket items, for example, head to an industry trade show to discover the latest wrapping and merchandising ideas first hand. In addition to discovering new gift basket contents and wholesale suppliers, you'll also be able to take business-related classes and discuss the industry with retailers and manufacturers.

I recommend: Check out a Basket Connection event organized by Rave Reviews!, a magazine featuring gourmet and gift basket ideas. The website also offers a message board where you can discuss sales and marketing, design concepts and project ideas and stay on top of the news and trends in these areas. Attend a convention like the California Gift Show to find new products, advertising and display ideas and wrapping resources for baskets and ribbons.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're unsure how well a new type of gift basket will go over with your clientele, consider creating a sample basket and taking pre-orders to assess the response. You'll be able to order just enough wrapping materials and contents to fill the orders, but still have the option of adding it to your regular lineup if it's a hit. The pre-order strategy is also helpful with seasonal and holiday gift baskets that won't be in demand all year long.

Gift baskets are a collection of items that's placed in a decorative container, often a bag, tin or basket, to be given as a gift. Regardless of your type of business, it is likely that you will one day find yourself with the need to send a gift basket. There are many gift basket retailers, and most offer a large selection of baskets from which to choose. Before you pick a basket to send, consider becoming familiar with some common gift basket key terms. You may find that they are essential in your search for the perfect gift.

Action Steps
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Bouquet

The word bouquet is usually synonymous with flowers, but in the world of gift baskets it can be used with fruit, cookies and candy. A bouquet is a fun and different form of a traditional gift basket.

I recommend: Learn more about cookie bouquets at GJ Cookies.

Sampler

A sampler gift basket has a collection of items that's usually themed for the recipient. For example, a wine lover may receive a basket filled with mini wine bottles and cheese. Or, for a corporate gift, some business owners choose a sample gift basket that is filled with gourmet items from the company's region of the country.

I recommend: Prairie Unique Montana offers a stellar example of a regional sampler gift basket.

Kosher

Kosher is a word that is often associated with religion, but it is important in a gift basket as well. Kosher baskets are appropriate for most recipients, and they're also a safe bet if you don't know a person's specific needs when it comes to food.

I recommend: For insight into kosher gift baskets, visit TheGourmet.info. It offers information on why certain kosher foods are important and to whom.

Corporate

As far as gift baskets go, the word 'corporate' is not just reserved for corporations. Any business may have the need to send a corporate gift basket. It offers taste and style in a gift that every client and business associate is sure to appreciate.

I recommend: GourmetGiftBaskets.com shows what goes into a corporate gift basket and the different types that are available.

Gourmet

A gourmet is a person who is devoted to and appreciates all types of food. There are also gourmet foods, which are prepared or made from the best ingredients that are available.

I recommend: Gain knowledge about certain gourmet foods for gift baskets at Gift Baskets Lot.

Themed

Themed gift baskets are targeted for specific recipients. They are ordered and made with a person's likes and dislikes in mind.

I recommend: Gift Baskets offers a look into the importance of a themed gift basket.