Let's give it up for the GIFT BASKET!

Welcome everyone to my very first Gift Basket blog. My name is Penny Vickas and I've been the owner of AnyTime Baskets for the past 5 years. I started my gift basket business because I worked in corporate marketing for over 12 years. Over that time, I saw way too many ugly gift baskets. I could not believe how much money was spent on gift baskets that recipients did not even care about. So I'm here to give you some tips on effective gift giving.

I don't think many people give much thought to gift baskets.  Most think it's just something you give around the holidays to someone you don't really care for but feel obligated to get them something.  But, if you're a business owner, you need to look at Gift Baskets in a whole new light. Do you realize that gifts are a direct reflection on you?
 
First of all, don't wait till the holidays. There are plenty of opportunities to show appreciation to clients throughout the year. Let's say it's September and you know one of your clients is a huge Ohio State Football fan. Why not send a small gift like an Ohio State Mug filled with coffee, cookies and some chocolate. Have the card say - Joe, Enjoy the college football season and Go Buckeyes! Thanks for your business. Steve-ABC Printing. That 15.00 or 20.00 gift has a great chance of generating some nice orders for your business in the future because YOU remembered something personal about YOUR customer.

Especially these days..people want that warm fuzzy feeling. While technology is common place, nothing will ever match the effectiveness of face to face meetings and a firm handshake.  I encourage many of my clients to vist their customers and take a small gift with them. Many will give me a coffee mug with their company logo and I'll fill it with a coffee pack or tea, and cookies, attach their business card and leave it with clients. I am getting great feedback on this practice.  I will try to post 2 or 3 times a week. So next up, I'll post pictures of some of my basket designs, and share an ugly gift basket story and how it really affected someone's business.