Marketing With Gift Baskets - 10 Ideas That Will Bring You More Business

Gift baskets are a great marketing tool for many businesses. They can help you acquire new clients, show appreciation to current clients, solidify referral and networking relationships and establish name recognition within your industry or community.

For gift basket marketing to be effective, the gifts themselves need to be appealing, useful and appropriate as a business gift. Most retailers are more than willing to offer advice pertaining to business appropriateness and will help you make a wise selection. The gift baskets you deliver or send will become part of your image and reputation so make sure they are of high quality and convey the message you intend. The gift baskets also need to be delivered in a timely manner. For instance, if you close a business deal and send a “thank you” gift basket weeks after the deal was finalized it will not be as effective as it will if it’s sent within a few days.

Gift basket retailers, just like florists, will provide a typed or handwritten note card with each gift basket so be sure to include a note card “message” anytime you place an order.

Many businesses incorporate gift baskets in their marketing plan and use them in numerous ways. How many of these ideas have you already implemented?

1. Send a basket to a prospective client to introduce yourself. Then follow-up with a phone call. When you call, they’ll already know who you are.
2. Send a “thank you” basket to a client or prospective client after doing a presentation for them.
3. Donate gift baskets to local causes, community events and fundraising groups. Your name will typically be listed in a program as a donor and/or a “Donated By” card with your business name will be attached to the donated basket.
4. Send a gift basket to say “I appreciate” your business.
5. Send a “thank you” gift basket when someone gives you a referral or lead.
6. If you provide a product or service to home owners, send a “Home Anniversary” basket to a client when the anniversary of their new home comes around.
7. Send small gift baskets for each season or holiday to stay in touch with your best clients.
8. Use a gift basket as a giveaway at a street fair or business expo. This helps you gather names and contact info that become potential business leads.
9. Send a basket of congratulations to a client or business associate when they receive a major job promotion or land a fantastic contract. This will definitely make you stand out in their minds!
10. If you exhibit at expos and conventions, send a “thank you” basket to the person responsible for coordinating the event. They will remember you in the future and you may get preferential treatment when it comes to the assignment of booth locations, etc…
    

As you can see, there are numerous ways you can use gift baskets to build customer relationships, increase loyalty and get the most bang for your marketing buck! An appropriate, well timed, high quality gift basket can help you and your business leave a great impression. When your business leaves a great lasting impression people will talk about you, use you & recommend you. This will result in increased referrals and growth of your business!!

Authored by Kimberly Yow, owner of Gifted Lady Gift Baskets. Kimberly has spent years helping her clients market their businesses through the use of gift baskets. She not only offers her clients advice on appropriate business gifts she also helps them select “WOW” gifts that leave a lasting impression. To start using gift baskets as an effective marketing tool, contact Kimberly today at http://giftedlady.com/