Friday, August 7, 2009

How to Assemble Gift Baskets to Sell in your Business

By Sienna Taylor

Starting a gift basket venture provides entrepreneurs with an awesome work-from-home opportunity. While some people have a natural flair for putting together professional looking, unique baskets others have to work hard to learn more about the process of basket creation. Here are a few tips for assembling, quality and marketable baskets for your local market.

Start a relationship with a suitable supplier that can regularly supply you with quality baskets in a variety of sizes and shapes. Remember though that you don't always have to use and can consider other kinds of container for themed baskets. Whatever you use make sure that you don't overfill it or under-fill it as it could appear to be either untidy or cheap and 'of poor value' when the customer receives it.

When you are creating new basket concepts give some thought to the colors of your basket items, baskets and packaging and how various combinations will work together.

Make use of shredded paper in your baskets so that you can not only protect your fragile items but can also raise some of them up for higher, more eye pleasing placement in the basket.

Give your gift baskets an obvious front side so that customers can appreciate the beauty of your basket from one angle. Taller items should be positioned at the back and smaller items should be positioned at the front.

Make sure that you fix all items in the basket into position so that they won't move around while they are being transported.

Always wrap your baskets up with something like cellophane to protect the items inside during shipping and to make them more attractive. Finally, you can add other finishing touches and decorations and offer clients a way of having a personal message for the recipient on the outside of the package such as a card or a printed ribbon.

Try to get your business card into each of your baskets so that satisfied recipients will know how to contact you next time they require a gift.

Everyone gets stuck for ideas sometimes. If you find that you are suddenly unable to come up with new product ideas take some time out to replenish your creativity. Seek inspiration by looking at art or have a look and see what your competitors are doing.

To ensure success in the gift basket business you must be be able to combine a skill for creating good looking baskets with good business skills. A combination of these two things will guarantee that you are well prepared to grow your business well into the future.

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