The Basket Whiz Report, Summer 2014

THE GIFT PROFESSIONAL’S GUIDE TO BUILDING LONG LASTING BUSINESS

SUMMER 2014 $15.00

in this issue: Thoughtful Presence

Mary Babiez www.basketwhiz.com

CONTENTS

BALANCING ACT 7 COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

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E-COMMERCE 14 RELATION TIPS 15 SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

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YEAR-ROUND BUSINESS

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VENDOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

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MARKETING 26

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Advertiser Internet Directory www.royaltycookies.com www.giftprosonline.com www.basketwhiz.com

Follow BasketWhiz on:

Facebook Facebook.com/BasketWhiz

SMART BUSINESS FAVORITES 27 SALES 29 MONEY MATTERS

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GROWTH BUSINESS SERIES

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INDUSTRY HINT

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Twitter Twitter.com/BasketWhiz

2014 CALENDAR 37 www.basketwhiz.com

DESIGN REMIX

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The Gift Industry is growing.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Directory

Has the Real Estate Market become a Forgotten Market?

Being in the gift basket business means you have the never ending chore of analyzing all different types of industries, to determine which ones could benefit from your services of providing a large array of gifts, in the form of a wonderful package. One such industry is the real estate market, and yes, while it has taken quite a hit recently it is as always on its way to recovery, and now is the time for you to capitalize on this. Realtors are enthusiastic about making an impression on their clientele as they make their mark in their industry, and you have the prime product to allow them to do this.

Approach the realtors with the same enthusiasm towards their business as they do towards their potential buyers and sellers, and you will immediately be on common ground. Learn the buzz words that relate to this industry, and use them in your presentation.

Don’t just assume that all those that are in this business know that gift presentations are important for them. There are a lot of new realtors entering the market, and they will appreciate your input as to how they can impress their clients, and that by giving a quality gift to their customers like the ones that you offer is going to get their name known, (and not to mention yours too!)

You sort of have a double challenge here because you have to please two clients. You have to please the giver of your gift baskets which is going to be the realtor, and then the recipient who is their client. While it is always true that you must please both the giver and receiver in your industry, the real estate client is a little different. He or she will be a volume gift giver that is giving a gift that has to be really impressive, cost effective and yet generic as real estate buyers and sellers can be either gender, have a large age span, and can consist of a family.

Be creative in your thoughts as to what would make up the best gift baskets for this type of client, and be prepared to offer at least a few choices with a variation in price range.

So let’s get busy! We are so glad to be back!

Editor-In-Chief & Publisher Kimberly Cole, MBA Chief Financial Officer Jerry Cole Contributing Editors Carmelita Collier Karin Searcy Shirley Tolbert Anissa White Advertising Team Pls Call 866.691.3661 Gift Professional Writers Tina Ashburn Mary Babiez Staff Writers Becky Flansburg Lynn Keeler SL Ruffdan Melissa Senecal BasketWhiz Online Writers Becky Flansburg Professional Design Team Mary Babiez Jennifer Conrad Dan Nagel and Mark Faulkner James Hartier Judy McWethy Susan Temple Administrative Assistants Debra Winter and Faye Manuel

THE BASKET WHIZ REPORT, A DIVISION OF THE CONFETTI GROUP, LLC 65 WISTERIA BLVD, COVINGTON, GA 30016 IS PUBLISHED 4 TIMES PER YEAR. DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE FREE TO COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY. SINGLE ISSUE PRINTS ARE AVAILABLE ON DEMAND BY VISITING http://www.basketwhiz.com/ . THE DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS ARE DELIVERED VIA EMAIL QUARTERLY. COPYRIGHT 2014 BY THE CONFETTI GROUP, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MATERIAL IN THIS PUBLICATION MAY NOT BE STORED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER. REQUESTS FOR PERMISSION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BASKET WHIZ REPORT AT BASKETWHIZ@GMAIL.COM.

[ Kimberly Cole, MBA ] Editor in Chief, Publisher

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BALANCING ACT

How to Build a Business While Stil Working Full Time SL Ruffdan

It could be that you have an idea and believe that you have what it takes to build and grow a successful business. Or, you may have dabbled a little in a new start up venture, possibly making a few baskets for special occasions to rave reviews. You have the passion. You have the drive. This all sounds exciting and wonderful, except you are constantly reminded that… you have a full time job. The pull to move forward and upward with your own business while still managing to be productive in your “regular job” can feel like a hard act to balance.

While this may seem like a challenge, it is not impossible.

The time has come for you to dedicate more time, energy, and resources to your business. Here are five strategies for managing through this transitional period that can help you to keep it all flowing and growing:

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BALANCING ACT Develop a business plan and set realistic goals for your business. You most likely already have goals established at your “regular job” which help you to stay on track and to have clear expectations. With your business, you need that same level of clarity. Some business owners don’t establish a business plan, and that can leave them feeling overwhelmed, uncertain in their decision making, and disorganized.

With a well thought out business plan, you can set milestones for your business that can work around the rigors of your full time job. Instead of making goals for your business that take large chunks of time to accomplish, you may want to set smaller daily or weekly goals, which can be executed well for more effective results.

Create clear boundaries with regard to your time. Your business is important to you. Its longevity and level of success will be dependent on how much you put into it, from its infancy to its daily operations.

There should be a divide between the work that you do in your regular job and the work that you do for your business.

While it’s tempting to try to “squeeze” your business in here and there whilst doing your full time job, in time, it will make handling both much more difficult. Operating your business and your work at the same time will lead to confusion and could make you feel less satisfied with both.

Make effective use of your non-working time. Send out your emails, or make your calls early in the morning (when allowed), and effectively use down time at work, such as lunch, to return calls or emails that cannot wait until later.

Be prepared to create a plan for making the total transition from your regular job to doing your business full time. It may seem like a dream right now, but one day, your business could become your livelihood. The answer for how to make this transition may not be extremely clear cut because each of us has our own personal situations that dictate our financial states. With that being said, it’s fair to say that once your business

produces a sustainable profit, it could be time for you to move forward with making it your full time job. In order to prepare for that time, it would be best if you had a significant financial reserve that will keep both your business and home afloat without the aid of your current salary. If your business is producing consistently, you find that you have more work than you (and a staff) could handle, and you’re just ready to let go of the daily grind for a much more personally satisfying role as an entrepreneur, then, do it. Talk with your family, begin to develop a continuity of business plan for your regular job that will allow your team to keep moving forward without you, and feel confident as you move forward knowing that you’ve done the due diligence and put in the hard work for your business to reach this wonderful point!

5 Try To

1 Create a business plan to give your business clarity and direction.

2 Establish realistic goals with concrete milestones for gauging your progress and success.

3 Set clear time boundaries for differentiating between your regular job and your business.

4 Maximize your daily down time by working to grow your business.

5 Develop a transition plan for exiting your regular job to become a full time entrepreneur.

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

The Force that Drives Thoughtful Presence: Mary and Ken Babiez Melissa Senecal

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

Meet Mary and Ken Babiez, the husband and wife team behind Thoughtful Presence. Right now it's the two of them. She manages the day to day operations such as design and creation. Ken helps with the accounting and operational aspects as well as providing creative input. When Mary hits a creative roadblock, she can run it by him and together they can brainstorm and new idea. Currently they are working out of a converted basement studio at their home outside Chicago in Niles, Illinois, but would one day love to have a retail location.

Having her own business was a lifelong dream for Mary. She worked in corporate marketing and ecommerce for 15 years, waiting for the right time to open her own business. Starting a new business is always a matter of the right timing. That right time came in 2011 as she began to think more and more about the type of business

she wanted to start. After researching different types of businesses she settled

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on a gift basket business. She says, "I was motivated by an article I read about another gift basket company and I knew this type of business would combine my love for design and the art of gift giving as well as my corporate experience in ecommerce. After nine months of learning and preparation, and with the help and support of my husband, we launched Thoughtful Presence in April 2012."

I asked Mary about the name of her company. "The name, Thoughtful Presence, it is based on our concept of putting together unique gift collections with a personal touch. Our gift baskets are made with gift items that are hand-picked and selected for their quality, uniqueness and how well they fit the theme or the occasion. Thoughtful Presence represents the idea of gifts that are thoughtfully selected for the recipient, and although we select the items for the customer, it has the same quality and personal touch as if they did it themselves."

They set themselves apart with quality, unique products, and personal design. Their goal is to be the only gift basket company using primarily decorative and functional gift products rather than foods. A great deal of time is spent seeking out the right products for each gift basket. They have to

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

be of high quality, unique, and a well fit for the theme of the basket. They do include some food products but only when they truly fit the theme. They want the functional products to be the primary gift, something you can use over and over and letting the food be a secondary focus since it will be gone sooner than the primary gifts. Mary says it's a bit more challenging to put together but she feels it makes for a more meaningful and lasting gift. They do fulfill food-only gift baskets, when requested.

Mary personally designs each gift basket, selecting the gifts that go into it, choosing the colors, style, and embellishments to complete the design. This is how each basket on their website was created.

Additionally, they do custom gift baskets for specialty themes or occasions. Mary has done some very specialized gift

baskets that you wouldn't be able to find just anywhere. Mary explains some of her custom works. "I’ve done a gift basket that was designed to celebrate a new baby, new home, and graduation all in one. I’ve also done custom gift baskets for get well, welcome home, recovery and others. For these very customized gifts, I work directly with the customer, recommending the products and giving them choices. The final design is done to match the recipient’s interests. I’ll ask for favorite colors or style, such as if they prefer a whimsical or more serene design."

They have a Made in America concept where they try and use primarily vendors that are American owned companies making products here in America.

According to Mary, there are several

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT factors that go into choosing vendors and products. “One is trust. I feel a stronger trust in the quality of products made by American companies. My experience has been that products made elsewhere are inconsistent in terms of quality. Part of our concept around functional and decorative gifts is to use products that are unique and of high quality. To fulfill this aspect of our concept, we need to be very selective and often choose items that are handmade and more artistic in design. One example is Carrie Belle’s Calicos of South Carolina who provide us with handmade fabric bowls that we use instead of traditional baskets.

Supporting local artists and family owned businesses, like ours, is also important to

us. So although we cannot do it for 100% of our products, we do make it a priority to follow this guideline in choosing products.

Although you may see some of our products at a local gift boutique, you’re not likely to find them at a Target or other big box store." The same can be said for their food vendors. The same quality and hand selection is used when selecting them.

They taste everything before they select it. They personally test all the products in their gift baskets, from smelling the candles

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to trying out the soaps, to insure the gifts are of highest quality and worthy of being given in one of their unique gift baskets.

With being a small operation, one might wonder if they could handle large corporate orders or shipping to multiple addresses. Not to worry! They have recently added a corporate page to their website that includes individual gift products for corporate gifting as well as gift baskets.

This past year, they also introduced some unique individual gift products alongside our gift baskets. For these gift items, gift wrap and handmade bow – the same styling treatment as a gift basket, is included. For corporate orders, they can do volume individual gift items wrapped and delivered, gift baskets directly from the website, or custom order gift baskets.

Along the lines of corporate and custom, Mary is particularly happy with a recent special order. "We did a specialty order for Patron Spirits where they provided all of their own promotional products, and we provided baskets, embellishments and a unique design for their brand.

The baskets were for an event here in Chicago, The Chicago Football Classic.

They were used for a golf outing, a silent auction and given as gifts to participating university Presidents, our Chicago Mayor and our Illinois Governor." Wow those are some prestigious recipients.

If they can do something with the kind of quality to impress Chicago dignitaries, just think of the reaction of your gift recipient when they get a basket with that much thought, love and individuality from you and Thoughtful Presence.

For more information you can find them online at www.thoughtfulpresence. com or by calling 847-967-7055.

E COMMERCE

Using Technology to Grow Your Business There’s an App for That!

Becky Flansburg In our technology-drive world, “There's an app for that” is a statement that is heard often these days. An app is a computer program designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices and it allows users to have the freedom to find unique ways to make their day-to-day activities easier.

This process also applies to business and mobile users can now find effective, and sometimes free, apps to help them with everything from sharing files to organizing clients and projects. Here are some top picks for apps that can help your gift basket company flourish.

Trello: Trello is an easy way to keep you on task, organize clients or projects and create “To Dos” in an easy Drag-n-Drop process. Users can create Boards for each project, add clients or team members to the Boards and then add Cards that act as tasks connected with the project. These Cards can also be assigned due dates and have the ability to documents attached and reveal notes about the project. When users move a Card to “done” or “working on,” everyone assigned to that Board gets an update in real time. The Trello app is free and can be found here or http://bit.ly/1lWk5TX .

Skype: Any owner of a growing business knows that, even when life “happens” and events or issues pull us away from our desks, we need to strive to stay connected and available to those wishing to do business with us. Skype’s free app allows you be away from the office, yet still be available to existing clients to answer questions or take orders. Skype app (http://bit.ly/1irfCVE) is free and also available for Android. (http://bit. ly/1ibN1qP) PayPal App: Find an amazing sale on supplies for your gift basket business, but are unsure about your PayPal balance?

Need to send someone an invoice or a payment on the fly? PayPal’s free app (http://bit.ly/1iZDW5m )allows users to run their business on the go. Take checks, track cash sales, send invoices, and plug in their mobile card reader to swipe cards for a low 2.7% fee. This app is available on Android (http://bit.ly/1s2EQ0O )as well.

Evernote: Evernote has been the secret weapon of organized entrepreneurs since 2008.

This handy tool allows users to synch their information across all devices {computer, phone and tablet} and assist in keeping track of notes, files and to-do items. Any items updated on one device and will automatically be updated on all of them. The Evernote app (http://bit. ly/1d06mT8 )is free and available for Android (http://bit.ly/19sXryK )as well.

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RELATION TIPS

Offering High Perceived Value on a Small Budget Lynn Keeler

A small business budget for your gift basket business should not be a deterrent for you to become a success. What this type of circumstance is going to demand of you is more time than money. Yes, it is true that time is money, but when you are just starting out in your gift basket business you probably will find that you have a lot of extra time on your hands, so put it to good use and make it grow the business for you.

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RELATION TIPS With limited resources you are really going to have to go to work and make those gift baskets stand out. You may wish you had the funds to buy more quality items to make them look fuller but you can create the illusion of this without disappointing your buyers.

Items that are tall and wide are going to take up precious space in those baskets.

As long as they are of good quality then you have not failed anyone. Look for smaller less expensive items as fillers but are really eye catching, bright colors, and if possible unique, yet related to the theme of the basket. For example, let’s say you are creating a pedicure basket. You have your quality products in them but you can’t afford a lot of accessories. Not to worry!

Just take some extra time and seek out some really colorful items that are less expensive but still have a purpose. Like a plastic handle pedi file that has a really nifty shape or design is going to be fun yet useful. Your quality products are going to do most of the real serious work.

Take some time to look for some crafty type ideas on the internet. Maybe you have a basket line that you could include some inexpensive face cloths in. Instead of just folding them turn them into something like creating a flower or a critter. There are lots of free patterns to help you with this.

Soon enough you are going to be bringing in the money and these days of having to improvise will be behind you, but don’t forget about them totally because really your personal touch is a very special business commodity.

Next focus on the presentation and make it a “Wow” presentation. Everyone loves giving a gift that looks great. You can fill this need by being a little creative.

There are some fantastic bow makers that you can buy really cheap. So instead of spending a small fortune on ready made bows, make your own, and look for some really fun type ribbon that is on sale! And get at it. Not only have you saved some money but you have added to the unique branding of your gift baskets. Who knows, your hand made bows may become your brand’s signature.

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SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Success Tips

for Growing your Business with Social Media Marketing Becky Flansburg

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SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY It’s no secret that having an active social media presence is beneficial to business these days. But for those of you who are still not only wondering if you need to add social media to your marketing mix, but also which one of the four top social media platforms may be best for your gift basket business, The Basket Whiz team has put together an informative list regarding LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and how each one could potentially boost your business.

Success Tips for Growing your Business LinkedIn Considering tinkering with social media to grow your visibility, find new customers and gain much-needed visibility for your Gift Basket business? Good! The Basket Whiz team whole-heartedly agrees that social media channels like LinkedIn are a great way to get your business’ name in front of the masses of potential customers who frequent them.

So what is LinkedIn? Whereas Facebook is sometimes likened to a backyard BBQ, LinkedIn is more like the company water cooler. This vibrant social media channel boasts over 225 million users and is specifically used by business professionals.

LinkedIn also has the unique benefit of allowing users to connect with high-level executives, business owners and decision makers. If you are a gift basket business owner who is looking to attract prospects and connect with the industry professionals who will value and use your services, LinkedIn is the place to be.

Making the Best Use of Your LinkedIn Account: Make Your Headline Count. The title that appears to the right of your profile name automatically defaults to your current job role. If you are not working, it defaults to whatever the last job role you had. Just

like a headline in a newspaper, make sure your title lets viewers of your profile know, in an instant, who you are, what you do and what your area of expertise is. Note: You only have 120 characters next to your name-make it count.

Toot Your Horn-and Toot It Well: Create a robust and thorough Summary section within your LinkedIn profile. This is your chance to really shine and let people know who you are and what you have done.

One additional tip would be to not fall into trap of creating your summary in an overwhelming “slab” of text. Write your summary as you would any document or blog post by breaking it down into easy to read and digest paragraphs.

Make It Easy for Folks to Find You: Be as thorough as you can be when adding your contact information including the section of your profile that says “website.” Many times users will leave the stock “company website” title untouched missing out on the opportunity to change up the name and catch viewer’s eye. We suggest actually adding the name of site or blog by choosing the “Other” option and adding your own verbiage.

Success Tips for Growing your Business with Facebook Last time we checked, Facebook had well over 1.28 billion users. That’s “billion” with a “b.” How many of that billion could be your ideal client for your Gift Basket Business?

Whether you are a brick-and-mortar business or an online marketer, Facebook is a free and powerful social media platform that allows business professionals to connect with product end-user and gain visibility is a place where many admit to spending at a high percentage of their spare time. Recently studies have revealed

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SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY that, 72% of online adults visit Facebook at least once a month and the number of active daily users is right around 128 million. Need more stats? How about this one; 80 percent of 18-44 year olds check their smartphone as soon as they wake up and often times the first thing they check is, you guessed it; Facebook.

In a nutshell, Facebook is an effective tool that allows users to post updates, form groups, post compelling pictures, connect to people and interact their Likers as a way of spreading their brand, finding like-minded people and driving traffic to websites or blogs. Facebook is an excellent way to also gain name recognition and visibility for businesses. The key is to practice a “participate, don’t push” mentality and strive to share a mix of your own information, fun or inspiring quotes, simple questions and relevant links that your Likers will have interest in. Using your Facebook Page as a blaring sales ad is a surefire way to get UnLiked and ignored.

They key is to share fun, useful and inspiring information that compels your Likers to comment, Like and Share. Offering up content on your Facebook page that gets this attention also allows your information get seem in the News Feed and stay in front of those who would be your next customer.

Images reign supreme on Facebook as well and we highly encourage Facebook business page users to include a vibrant image with every update they post.

Free tools like ShareAsImage, Pixlr and PicMonkey allow users to create eyecatching and shareable images with text that also tell a story. Sites like iStock, BigStock or Canva are filled with high quality images that can be purchased for a reasonable price and ones that also don’t infringe on copyright.

When using Facebook for business we highly recommend users take some time to experiment with days of the week,

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and times of day, that seem to get the most engagement. Some may find their Likers are most responsive over the lunch hour where others may notice an uptick in activity during evenings or weekends.

Do some testing, note what times seem to work best for your followers and plan your Facebook updates accordingly.

Success Tips for Growing your Business with Twitter Twitter is an amazing and powerful tool for everyone from small local businesses to massive brand or companies. But Twitter also moves fast and those not familiar with the tricks and tips to getting seen on Twitter can find themselves frustrated and wasting precious time.

Currently, Twitter boasts 200 million users, and that number continues to grow. Twitter limits users to 140 characters per update which area called Tweets. Twitter is vibrant, active, and is excellent for connecting directly with new and existing customers.

Like any other social media platform, there is a method to the madness and there are a few things that users need to be mindful of to be able to optimize this valuable channel to the fullest.

Your Twitter profile is your chance (in a glance) to tell people who you are, what you’re all about and give them a reason to follow you. Not taking the time to craft an effective elevator-pitch-style bio an adding a professional picture is a serious misstep.

Consider your Twitter profile as your online business card and optimize the 160 character profile description to the fullest.

Another Twitter tactic for success is taking the time every week to do something called “tribe building.” Tribe building is the act of growing your follower base by following like-minded business peers and also people

SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY or accounts that could be considered your ideal client. Then, look at who is following those people and follow them. This also acts as a great way to grow your own follower since many will follow you back.

Note: A mere 140 characters may not sound like enough when trying to share your current blog post, upcoming webinar or newest product, but streamlining what you share to be succinct and to-thepoint is a great skill to learn. Twitter users also have to consider shaving their 140 character limit down even farther to a slim 120. Why? If retweeted, around 1520 characters will get eaten up by the “RT” and the Twitter handle of the person retweeting. What this means to you is that part of your original tweet will get chopped if you’ve used every last bit of your 140. To avoid valuable information being lost, keep Tweets short-n-sweet and fewer than 120 characters whenever possible.

Success Tips for Growing your Business with Google+ Google+ may not be the heavy-hitter that Facebook and Twitter are, but it is picking up steam in the popularity race. Unlike Facebook, Google+ is integrated into every Google service, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, AdWords, Blogger, and, perhaps most importantly, Google Search.

This simple, and free, tool allows user to connect with their audience, share information, and even stream online content. Like other social networking sites, it can be used to brand your business but it also offers some benefits to your brand that you just can’t find anywhere else.

Hangouts: Google Hangouts allow you to connect with your friends using audio and video conferencing, completely for free. What’s

incredible is how seamless the video and audio is. It’s easy to use, it’s fast and it just plain works.

Circles: One of the features of Google+ is that it allows users to create Circles. These Circles are essentially segmented groups of people. For example, you might create a Circle for your peers, and another Circle for your target market. You can create a Circle for friends and family as well.

In fact, you can create as many Circles as you want. This Circle concept allows you to share content with segmented audiences and users can send one message to prospects and another to customers.

Segmentation gives you the power to create branded messages that appeal directly to your audience. Tagging is also a useful tool on Google+. Whereas Facebook utilizes the “@” to tag people, Google+ offers the same option, but with the “+” as the means of tagging.

The beauty of Google+ is a Google product and the fact remains that Google loves itself. Any content you post on Google+ can rank higher in search results than your website or blog in some instances. As you grow your connections on Google+ it’s wise to take a few minutes every day to visit the site to read, comment and “plus one” things to spread your brand and interact with your Circles. Accessing Google+ from Gmail is a simple as clicking your name with the “+” next to it in the top area of your Gmail inbox and adding G+ contacts is just as easy. Users can add connections to their Circles easily by looking for the “Add to circles” icon on the right rail of the Gmail platform every time they visit their inbox. If one of your email connections is active on Google+, most times their photo will appear next to this button as well.

Click, add to a Circle and you are now officially connected to that person and will see their updates and information.

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SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

KLOUT:

What’s it all about?

Rebecca Flansburg

As business professionals, we all know there are certain social media channels that our flourishing businesses need to be active and engaged on. Sites like Facebook and Twitter still reign supreme for providing effective business visibility, while sites like Instagram and Google+ are rapidly gaining in popularity. But there is one site at the core of all of this that can be a valuable tool for your business, but is often an overlooked (or misunderstood) one.

Bursting onto the online scene in 2008, Klout was created as a website and mobile app that could use social media analytics to “rank” its users according to their online social influence via something called "Klout Score.” Your Klout Score is a number that is between 1-100 that represents your business’ or brand’s influence. Klout monitors your activity on social media and notes how influential that activity is. The more influential you are on social media, the higher your Klout Score will be. Basically it’s a bit like your social media credit score. But first, let’s look at why influence matters in the world of Klout.

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“Influence is the ability to drive action.

When you share something on social media or in real life, and people respond, that’s influence.”-Klout Let's say your business is very active on Instagram. Klout will note your activity with Followers, likes, comments, photographs submitted and adjust your Klout Score based on that activity and engagement.

If Facebook is your cup of tea, then Klout will monitor Likes, comments, wall posts, and friends and if you are blogging on a Wordpress platform, Klout will then take into consideration things like ratio of inlinks to outlinks and your page rank. All of this gives you a social media “grade” or Klout Score that can be used as a credibility or P.R tool for your business or brand.

Klout is constantly evolving and proof of that is in their recent shift from being a service that shared how much influence users had to a service that now tells them why they’re influential and how they can improve on that. The bottom line is, if you are active in social media, you already have Klout and expertise, but being active is different than being influential.

Connecting all your networks helps to grow your Klout Score and working to gain engagement with your Likers, Followers, and Connections will also help to boost that score. If you are thinking that Klout may be “just one more thing” to keep track of, we can assure you that there may be a little work you need to do on the front end (setting up your account and connecting your social media channels) but once that is done, Klout will do its thing quietly in the background and reward you and your business with the social proof that you are in indeed a professional and viable business. For more information on Klout and Klout Score, go here: http://klout.com/ corp/score

YEAR ROUND BUSINESS administrative department, and there is the volunteer department, and this is just a few examples.

Now in each of the departments mentioned as well as others, there are always reasons for gift giving. Staff in these areas come and go, and often there are awards given for exceptional services. No better award then one of your wonderful gift baskets right?

Hospital Gifting Programs Lynn Keeler

One of the largest target markets that you have before you is those in the medical industry, and in this case not directly involving the patients, although there is an alternate gift basket opportunity there as well.

First take a look around your local area and start by approaching the medical market that is available to you. Once you have mastered your sales approach here you will find it easy to branch out to other areas through your website.

Do your homework first before you make any type of approach. Think about the various hospital departments. There is the nursing department, there is the

Next you want to approach those who are in authority in each of these Hospital divisions. Really try and find out who this is.

Don’t just direct your marketing material or presentation to the secretary or the person responsible for opening the mail. Get a real name and a contact either by email or telephone. Being as you are working in your local area at the moment focus on trying to set up a one on one interview. Keep your presentation brief but impressive. A simple laptop and a price list should be all you need. Remember to gear your gift baskets towards your target market which in this case are those that would work in the department that you are presenting to.

Make sure that you take this approach with all the different divisions, don’t just expect one person in one section to pass the word along.

Now we mentioned patients here, but in this case focus on the patient as being the gift giver and not the recipient. You really want to find out who is in charge of purchasing for the Hospital gift shop.

They would most likely love to have gifts orientated for the various staff members as this would be unique to them, and in turn would probably boost their sales as well.

Once you have developed your list of who you are going after in the Hospital settings then start working on a dynamite presentation that is short and sweet but irresistible.

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VENDOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Essence of Royalty Cookies Melissa Senecal

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VENDOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Donna Alufohai, owner of Royalty Cookies has a motto. The Essence if Life is About Creating Wonderful Memories. That is the driving passion behind her company. People have told her that the first time they try her cookies; they are transported back to old fashioned memories of grandmothers’ cookies and simpler times. She herself was inspired by her own grandmother, mother and aunts making small, soft cookies that were like nothing else she had ever eaten. In fact they are considered "shortbread" rather than traditional cookies. Shortbread uses very little sugar in the dough; it is usually dusted on the outside for an immediate sweet taste before getting into the smooth, buttery inside. We had the chance to talk to her recently and get some background on her wonderful product.

BWR: How did you come up with the name for your company?

Donna: Royalty Cookies - We wanted a name that communicated how most people thought of our cookies. We wanted a name that conveyed to the customer and potential customers, that our cookies are truly special, a premium, gourmet product

that are so good, that they are a gift......a gift to give and a gift to receive.

BWR: How many employees do you have?

Donna: Currently I am the only employee but we hire seasonal help as needed and my family, including my husband, son, mother, aunt, uncles and cousins, help out in a variety of supporting roles such as representing our company at trade shows throughout the United States. I have also just recently hired a young lady to help me with my social media presence. I realize the importance of technology in being a small business owner and I want to be able to get my name out there where it can be seen.

BWR: Do you offer sugar free options?

Donna: Right now, I can do sugar free orders by special order only. As a new start-up, we are still working on what products to offer and I hope to expand my selections in the future to include sugar free as well as other flavors.

BWR: What sets your product apart?

Donna: Well, the taste for one. The taste of Royalty Cookies is like no other, most often described in testimonials as amazing!

Also our packaging is designed with gift giving in mind. Elegant, sophisticated, heavenly.

BWR: Do you have a retail store where your product can be found?

Donna: Yes. Royalty Cookies can be found in South Florida at local ABC Fine Wines and Spirits in and around the Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Pembroke Pines area. They offer wines from around the world and also have a gourmet section.

They also make custom gift baskets and usually include my product in them as an elegant accompaniment. Many people have picked them up on the way to a party as a hostess gift or as a housewarming gift with a nice bottle of wine. I also have a booth at the Good Earth Farmers Market in Hollywood Florida but I am

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VENDOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT

mostly there in the fall. I am currently looking for distributors to extend my reach outside of South Florida.

BWR: Can you handle large, corporate orders with multiple shipping locations?

Donna: Yes. As a matter of fact I have done several corporate orders for employee as well as customer appreciation. The great thing about my product is it ships well without worrying about spoilage and breakage. I can include custom gift tags with corporate logos or custom messages to make the recipient feel like they are really getting something special, not just an a average, run-ofthe-mill product that can be bought anywhere.

For more information check out their website www.royaltycookies.com or give Donna a call at 305-984-5680. And be sure to "Like" them on Facebook.

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MARKETING

Promotions and Give-Aways to Bring in Business Lynn Keeler

It really is important to give as much thought to your promotions and give-aways as it is for your selection of products and gift basket presentations. They represent you so the quality of the promos and freebie has to match the quality of your business. That doesn’t mean that you have to run huge promos at massive discounts or give away items that cost more than your baskets. Even the simplest of items if chosen carefully and wisely can scale up your business beyond what you were probably expecting. These can be how to videos, Ebooks and other small but useful items.

Start with a plan: What do you want your promotions and give-aways to accomplish? Of course the quick answer to this is bring you in business, but the real question is in what way?

Do you want more original gift buyers?

Do you want the recipients to recognize you and start giving you their gift buying business?

Do you want the promotions to allow you to move out older stock?

Do you want the promotion to get a new product like a new gift basket known?

Do you want the give away to generate leads for you so you can convert them to sales?

For example, if you want more original buyers then you want your promo or give away to be of something of direct value to them. You could give them a sample size of something that is contained in the basket they are buying.

If you want to generate leads then you want a give away that is going to spur people into signing up on your mail out list.

In this case you could give a really exciting Ebook that you can have written for you and give it out as a download when they opt in to your mail list on your website.

Go one step further and have the Ebook focus on something that is related to a gift basket category that you really want to push. Or make a small how to video.

For each of the examples of questions to answer think really hard as to what that specific category would really want and need, and if you fulfill this you are going to get their appreciation and loyalty which will be evident in their purchase.

Once you get used to thinking through your promotions and give-aways the more effective you will become with each campaign you do.

While the answer to each of these each have the capability of generating new business, they all have a specific methodology to them.

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SMART BUSINESS FAVORITES

Hammond’s Candies

http://www.hammondscandies.com Choosing the best products from Hammond’s Candies can be a tough one, because all of them are just great. With the upcoming Christmas season though, you may want to give some extra thought to including some of their candy canes in your gift baskets. You have some great choices here as you can choose the flavors individually and make up your own selections in your gift basket, or you can choose the prepackaged sets. If you decide to go with the individuals then you won’t be restricted to just the Christmas season, and will be able to use your leftover stock, and the great selection of flavors won’t restrict you.

FernCreek Confections

http://www.ferncreekconfections.com/ Having a good assortment of top quality sweets is one of the most powerful selling features of your gift baskets. You can really capitalize on this resource with a little careful thinking. You may want to mix your selections of these items from one being a melt in mouth delectable that is potent in its delicious flavor, but is consumed very quickly. Then another sweet that lingers in its ultimate performance of pure pleasure. This would be the best way to describe FernCreek’s Gourmet Almond Toffee. When you add this pure pleasure of taste to the visual pleasure that their fine packaging creates you have yet again another winner for putting your gift baskets above the competitions. So so good!

SerendipiTea: Plum Crazy Tea http://www.Serendipitea.com

You can never ever go wrong by putting a tea selection in any of your adult gift baskets. You can make a great statement as to the quality of your gift basket though by making the appropriate selection of not only brand, but blend. SerendipiTea will not fail you in either of these. They are well known and respected for their quality, but now it is your chore to choose the right blend that is appropriate for your baskets. For your Christmas baskets you won’t go wrong if you choose the plum crazy blend. After all Christmas is all about sugar plums right? Well this tea fits right in with the Christmas theme with its fruity flavor and just the right sweetness.

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SMART BUSINESS FAVORITES

Imperial Foods Collections

http://www.imperial-foods.com/browse-by-product...

If you are new to the gift basket business, then when starting out simplicity and convenience can be really important for you. Being able to get a good collection of products for your gift baskets can give you a good business start and this is the type of opportunity that Imperial Foods will give you. Aside from that, seasoned basket makers can really use a Company such as this to their advantage as well. By focusing on one main supplier for your basket needs it shows your consistency, and if you have built a trust relationship with your clients then they will trust in your choice of products. Imperial Foods will not let you down in this regard as their products are top quality, uniform and they offer excellent customer service that you can depend on.

Popcorn Indiana—BBQ Chip’ins www.Popcornindiana.com

Variety is key to a successful gift basket. When you preparing an edibles gift basket, it’s ideal when it contains quality items that can be nibbled upon throughout different times of the day. This makes adding some of the superior quality products such as BBQ Chip’ins from popcornindiana.com a good choice. It is one that you can rely on to add a change of flavor to the other food collections you may have chosen for your gift baskets. These are a popular item for a spring themed basket as people fire up their barbecues and start looking forward to enjoying the outdoors. The snacks from Popcorn Indiana are not only made of the best quality ingredients, but they are nicely packaged and go a long way in enhancing the mood that fits with your spring baskets.

Harry Barker—Dog Gift Buckets www.harrybarker.com

Spring is the time when people start getting out to visit friends and family. You may want to promote a spring hostess gift basket for this time of year. It could be a family gift basket that guests could take when they are invited to a barbecue. Don’t forget that pets and especially dogs are part of the family too. A great addition to the family gift basket would be one of the great canine gift buckets from harrybarker.com. These are loaded with some well-made toys and treats for the family pooch and there is a great selection to choose from. With a small gift for each family member and remembering the family pet as well is a great marketing tool. Don’t forget to pick up a collection of these doggie gift buckets for your dog gift baskets as well.

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SALES

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TIPS TO BOOST YOUR HOLIDAY SALES THIS YEAR Becky Flansburg

The Basket Whiz Report

SALES The holidays are creeping up on us and before we know it, everyone will be drinking eggnog in celebration of the season and plotting their activities on Black Friday. For gift basket professionals, this time of year can be a lucrative and busy one if steps are taken to ramp up marketing efforts ahead of time. Those who wait until the Thanksgiving leftovers are stashed in the refrigerator are less likely to have stellar success than those savvy entrepreneurs who began their holiday marketing efforts far in advance.

Whether you are new gift basket business, a local brick and mortar biz, own an online force to be reckoned with, here are some marketing ideas to help your business build up traction before the holiday gift sales season hits.

1. Hanging Flyers to Gain Visibility This may sound silly and “old-school” but that’s why it works. Local coffee shops, community centers, community meeting facilities have bulletin boards where flyers can be posted. Create a professional looking, and attention grabbing, flyer that drives traffic to your shop. Doing business online only? No problem. Add a QR Code to your posters or flyers so mobile users can quickly scan it and discover your gift basket business site in a matter of seconds.

2. Host Events or Participate in Them Speaking of events, you can draw a crowd to your doorstep by hosting events or participating in large community events.

Look for opportunities to host a Ladies Night Out or even a fundraising event will help get your business’ name in the limelight.

As the holiday season draws near, so does business showcase-type expos. These events tend to draw large crowds thanks to the pull of multiple vendors and a festive holiday shopping mood. Be choosey on what event to buy a booth space in, but keep an open mind to any event that allows you to display your gorgeous gift basket creations to the buying public.

3. Use Social Media to the Max: Use the power of social media to the fullest pre-holiday season by blogging, guest blogging, creating a Gift Ideas Board on Pinterest or showcasing a new product every week on Facebook or Instagram. If your target market tends to be business professionals looking to provide quality gift basket gifts to clients or staff, utilize LinkedIn’s new Publishing option http://linkd.in/1j0fr87 that lets users post blog-post-like information, options and strategies related to their business. Work to educate those on your social media channels about to the benefits of giving quality and hand-crafted gift baskets as gifts and encourage them to share the information to their Likers, Followers or Connections as well.

4. Press and Publicity-Toot Your Success Horn!

Have you or your team done something newsworthy lately? Hosted a fundraiser, reached a business milestone or finished some training related to your gift basket business? Use these noteworthy events as a reason to create and submit a press release to your local media outlets.

Use your proof of success to toot your business horn, gain visibility and also build credibility. If you are an online-based business, submit your newsworthy press releases via online press release sites like PRWeb or PRNewsOnline.com There’s no end to the possible ways you can get out and market your business online or offline. It just takes a little imagination, some good old-fashioned follow through and the savvy to get started on your holiday efforts months in advance of your competition.

Sources

https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/ detail/a_id/47445/ft/eng

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MONEY MATTERS

Money Matters -Systems and Tools Rebecca Flansburg

All businesses, whether veteran or new, need systems and tools in place when it comes to sound financial record keeping. “Systems” are the step-by-step processes that business owners follow to complete a particular task (invoicing, accounts receivable, accounts payable) and “tools” are the software programs or apps that help your business keep those systems functioning. Basically any critical record keeping systems are ones we need in place to keep our business on track, analyze business profitability, avoid issues with tax authorities, maintain our clients and vendors, protect your business from lawsuits, stay organized, and have a seamless way to look up our business’ information.

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MONEY MATTERS

Getting Started with Systems and Tools: What You Need to Know To get started with a strong record keeping system, business owners first need to identify what their needs will be and then what tools can help they maintain those systems. Here are some examples: Billing/Invoicing: What good is being in business if there’s no way of invoicing or billing, right? Even if you have a pay-on-pick-up type business, many of your customers will request an invoice for their records. Tools like QuickBooks Outright and Freshbooks are great tools for not only billing customers, but also maintaining yearly records that will be useful for tax purposes and profitability reports. For PayPal users, there’s also a viable option to send invoices quickly and effectively from your account that is branded to your business. These online payment options often prompt quicker turn-around times for payment over traditional mail-a-bill-and-wait methods.

be sure and have a tool in place like Carbonite that backs up your information into The Cloud. This way, your business information won’t be at risk if your system crashes and your critical information is held hostage on your hard drive.

Double check your systems and tools often because updates, upgrades and changes happen. Your processes can change when platforms get updated or new rules are added and since technology is everevolving, newer-faster-better tools and systems for your business are always just on the horizon.

Sources http://use.expensify.com/#expenses https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.handynorth.moneywise_ free&hl=en http://www.freshbooks.com/ http://bit.ly/1lyZ8K4 http://outright.com/ http://www.carbonite.com/

Keeping Track of Expenses: All businesses have expenses. These expenses also need to be tracked for tax purposes. If you are an entrepreneur onthe-go, apps like Expensify , ProOnGo or MoneyWise will utilize the power and convenience of your mobile device to track expenses and then export and share that data to the recordkeeping software of your choice. If you are in need of desktop recordkeeping, your bookkeeping programs like Freshbooks and Quickbooks will also have built in expense tracking options.

Maintaining Client Information and Files: As gift basket business professionals, you likely have paper files and/or electronic files for every client or every project. This information is like gold and should be kept in a safe place. If you keep all of your client’s pricing information, contracts or basic information on your hard drive,

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GROWTH ENGINE SERIES

Corporate Holiday Strategy SL Ruffdan

Tis the season for big business. The holidays bring with them a mass consumer shopping frenzy, tons of marketing opportunities, and a wealth, literally, of brand loyalty that greatly benefits all retailers, especially small businesses. During the holiday season, there is plenty to go around, from corporations to individuals, and everyone is looking to buy something. Your business could get a piece of the holiday pie also if you know how to effectively convert the comforts and joys of the season into cash for your business. To maximize your business presence and achieve significant sales during the holidays, try some of these “scrooge-proof” strategies: Remember that the holiday season begins BEFORE the holidays start. Many small businesses underestimate the time that it takes to ramp up business prior to the holiday rush. Despite your most valiant effort, you may not see a large conversion

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from your marketing efforts if you present your business too late. For many retail businesses, October is a big month because that’s when consumers are looking to make their final holiday purchase decisions. In all honesty, by November, many consumers have already bought, wrapped, and potentially, even delivered their gifts. So, the business that tries to go for the last minute push may or may not get the results that they want because there is a great amount of risk with that.

While your primary objective is to make as much profit as possible during the giftgiving holiday season, you should also offer DISCOUNTS. Often times, the percentage that consumers will save doesn’t have to be an enormous amount; yet, they always feel better about their purchase if they believe that they have also benefitted from the transaction. Believe it or not, when consumers get discounts, they generally

GROWTH ENGINE SERIES shop with that business again, and they spend more on their next purchase. So, for what you give in a discount, you can expect to recoup that and more in profits.

Advertising prior to the start of the holiday shopping season is extremely important. It’s understandable that, as a small business, you may have a limited advertising budget.

However, your business needs the exposure to get your share of the holiday income that’s available in the marketplace. Don’t skimp on the advertising or you could be doing your business a huge disservice.

Reach out to corporations, large institutions, schools, and other organizations with creative marketing strategies such as offering some of your products as a part of their holiday celebrations, as event auction items, as free holiday displays in their office or reception areas, or as the corporate gifts that they give to their employees. Even if they decide not to go with your products as their primary gift, ask if you can place your brochure in their reception area along with magazines or on an employee break room bulletin board. Your primary goal with this is to get in front of as many potential customers as you can.

Use online social media to promote your business. Your email contact list is great as a resource, but you can reach a much broader audience through online social media. Post pictures of your products, offer coupons and discounts, start a viral marketing campaign, or host giveaway contests. It’s a whole WORLD of consumers out there and, depending on your products, there may be a huge, and untapped, global potential for your business that you can discover through social media.

The holiday buying season is a make or break time for many retailers. As a small business owner, you can enjoy all that the holidays have to offer if you prepare your business and staff to handle the additional load, stay positive and welcoming to attract potential customers, and advertise as if your life depended on it because for some business owners…it does. Your business can get a maximum return this gift buying season if you incorporate these strategies into your business plans, and your business could enjoy a holiday that is financially bright!

5 TO TRY 1

2

Advertise early to reach the pre-holiday shoppers.

Offer discounts to build your business.

3

4

Allocate funds, Use creative in advance, marketing for a broader strategies to scale advertising promote your campaign. business to large organizations.

5 Fully utilize the power of social media to grow your brand and profits.

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INDUSTRY HINT

Small Businesses Giving Back – It’s a Win Win Win Mary Babiez

A business concept that’s good for your company and good for your customer is praised as a win-win. Socially conscious business concepts are not only good for your company and your customers, but also for the community, and that makes them a win-win-win!

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INDUSTRY HINT Macy’s…Burt’s Bees…TOMS These are a few famous names who give back in ways that help local and global communities and organizations. Macy’s and Merck are two corporate sponsors of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. In February, Macy’s sold “red dress” pins with all proceeds going to the AHA. Customers who bought the pins also received store discounts for the day. This is the 10th year for the Macy’s campaign and they have raised over 40 million dollars for the AHA. This is just one example of a big brand doing big things with outreach programs. But you don’t have to be a brand giant to make a difference. According to the National Federation of Independent Business: • 89% of entrepreneurs donate money, both personally and through their companies • 62% say giving back makes their companies more successful in the long run • Do consumers prefer buying from philanthropic companies? According to a 2012 Nielsen survey, the answer is yes: • 66% of consumers around the world say they prefer to buy products and services from companies that give back to society • A smaller share, but still nearly half (46%) say they are willing to pay extra for products and services from these companies These philanthropic programs are a great way to take your company to new heights while helping others. There are many ways your company can contribute, either through creating your own programs or contributing to other company programs. Whether you donate products, cash, or a combination of both, it’s a good idea to set a goal at the start of the year for a percentage of your sales. Similar to setting up your marketing budget, identify a charitable contributions budget. Start at .5 or 1% of sales, and plan to increase it each year based on the growth of your business. Keep track of all your product and cash donations for tax time!

As you plan your give back strategy, consider these simple, impactful, and creative programs: 1. Donate a gift basket to a community benefit for their silent auction. Make sure it has a nice Wow factor and wide appeal so it will result in high bids. This is also great publicity for your company as most events include a vendor directory and a table to place your business cards and brochures.

2. Create an email sign-up campaign for your chosen organization and donate 1.00 for each new subscriber. This is a great way to increase your email subscriber list. Be sure to publicize it widely through press releases, your website, and social media.

3. Plan a customer survey or focus group, and entice participants by committing to donate 1.00 for each completed survey.

4. When you’re looking for new product, partner with other companies who have philanthropic programs. By purchasing their products, you’ll be supporting their give back efforts.

5. Close up shop for one day and spend the time volunteering at a local food bank, United Way program or other local outing. Include your staff and make it a team building exercise as well!

If you haven’t yet created a give-back program for your company, consider setting one goal program for this year, and take time to plan your strategy for the coming years. Knowing your company is contributing to the greater good will do your heart good. Celebrate your contributions with your employees to create a culture of giving back.

Market to existing and potential customers so they are well aware of your efforts.

Create an outreach page on your website to raise awareness of your programs and your preferred organizations. In the end, your efforts will prove good for you personally, good for your company and good for your community.

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Let’s Give Our 2014 Calendar Designers a Round of Applause!

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INDUSTRY HINT

February: Vanessa Hamilton, Kroner Orations January: Marie Lisewski, Laurel Mountain Basket Co.

March: Mary O’Rourke, Baskets on Occasion

Calen dar Cover Winne r

April: Sherrill Barbary, Daughter of a Rose Gift Baskets

May: COVER: Grace Little, Graceful Gift Baskets

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INDUSTRY HINT

June: Patrice Kristoff, Kelowna Gourmet Gift Baskets July: Laura Paneled, Basketful Gift Baskets

August: Sandy Monroe, Dai Cor Baskets and More

October: Katherine Waterstraat, Kat’s Kustom Baskets

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September: Vicki Baker, Gifts of Distinction

November: Nanette Zambrana Mia Bella Baskets

December: Judy F. McWethy, A Biscuit in a Basket

Industry Hint

Design Re-Mix!

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Pleasant Surprises/Dan Nagel and Mark Faulkner

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James Hartier

Jenny Conrad

senD YOUR DESIGNS TO: The Basket Whiz Report is looking for designs to show case in the magazine and the 2015 Calendar, please visit http://www.basketwhiz.com/ to learn more or like us on Facebook for updates. We are accepting designs now!

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