Trade Shows

Trade Show marketing is effective when you use it to the best of your ability.

Trade shows are a great way to be visable and show off the products or services you have one-on-one. The key to trade shows, however is connecting with people. By being able to ask a couple of questions, you can identify with a person and make them feel special and shows that you really care about them. It is a way to show the person you are behind the product or service that you sell and promote. Furthermore, personal engagement creates trust and people will do business with companies that they trust and companies that they know where the product that they are spending money on comes from.

Another key to trade show marketing success is to offer an incentive to stop at your booth. Offer a prize drawing, freebies or food samples. It creates foot traffic and leaves an impression that only fuels top-of-the-mind (TOMA) awareness. So, the next time they need a gift or gift basket basket in my case, they will think of Basket Designs first.

Many vendors send our post cards or e-mails letting people know that they are going to be at a show and the message invites them to stop at the booth. If you have access to a mailing list, that is great to do, but many times, you don't know who is coming. If it is a repeat show and you gathered contact information from the year before, you can use those names to send invites to. However, if you don't know who is coming and it is a new show, then it is up to you and your booth to draw people to you.

Many times, those running a booth will sit behind the booth and they may or may not greet people. My success has been in standing, which shows respect and coming in front of the booth, which does away with any barrier and allows for more personable contact with potential customers.

And of course, the booth look and design. Booths must be professional, uncluttered, clean, inviting and have appropriate signage so that people can know who you are. They will create a visual snapshot of you, so make your booth be representative of your business. I use metallics and bold blacks and greens to signify my companies professional and elegant nature of designing gift baskets. I bring sample baskets and use different heights on the table to display them. I am very detailed and use ribbon and flowers to enhance the table, tablecloth and overall display designs. I also offer candy or mints as an extra touch to show my customers and potential customers that I want to earn their business.

Finally, follow-up. Gather information and follow up with e-mails or post cards thanking people for stopping by and sending information on specials, what you have coming in the future, etc. If they asked a question or had a special request, then be sure to follow up with information that you later gathered for them. Sometimes, people ask me about ideas and I don't have one until the next day, then I contact them with my idea- a great way to follow-up without a hard pitch sales call.

Trade shows have also allowed me to network with other business owners for product and marketing ideas. I have also been asked about business coaching and business building tips, which is a great way for me to promote my gift baskets, while helping others.

Lorrie Boyer, Owner

Basket Designs, LLC
http://www.basketdesignsplus.com/
1-877-842-3842

At Basket Designs Gift Baskets we have the ability to transform your thoughts and feelings into a unique, elegant gift basket. We pride ourselves in making sure that each basket contains only quality food and items. We use colors and products to design special gift baskets. In addition our bows are handmade and add that extra touch to each basket that goes out the door.

From romantic to fun, to saying "sorry" and "thank you" to any special event and occasion and to clean, elegant looking business gift, we are the experts in delivering special messages.

Basket Designs Gift Baskets can be shipped to anywhere in the United States and we also specialize in Colorado Exclusive Gift baskets. See us online for baskets with candles, bath robes, slippers, diffusers, books, CD's, recipe cards, stuffed animals, ceramic plates, mugs, wine, microbrews, and of course the best in gourmet foods for all tastes....we are the best value around!!!!

www.basketdesignsplus.com
1-877-842-3842

Gift Baskets for Loss

The loss of an unborn or newborn child leaves a hole and emptiness that cannot be replaced...ever. It is private and personal. Each person deals with it differently, but everyone involved has to find a way to grieve.

Our gift baskets will never fill that void or sadness. They will not make the "pain go away." They are a small token of sentiment when words cannot say what you feel for the mom or family suffering the loss. Sending a gift basket is a much more personal way to send your prayers than flowers or plants. Our gift baskets will contain soothing, warm products for the mom who suffered the loss of a child. Warm vanilla, lavender or green tea lotion, bubble bath and body wash, a rose shaped body loofah, soothing tea and honey are some of the things that make up this special gift basket. You can also request a scripture book.

So, when its hard to find ways to express your thoughts when a mom suffers the loss of a baby, let us do it for you in a sincere, personal, special and thoughtful gift basket.

1-970-370-3381

We ship anywhere in the United States.
basketdesignsplus.com

Customer Connections our Gift Basket Company Plan

Did you know that retaining one current customer averages five to seven times more profitable that going after a new customer. I would agree with that. At Basket Designs gift baskets, we pride ourselves in before, during and after the sale customer care. We want you to hang up the phone feeling good about your Gift Basket purchase. We want you to know that your sentinments, thoughts and emotions are in good, capable and caring hands.

How we treat you is how we do business. We treat you with kindness, compassion and professionalism. Weather you order one or fifty baskets at a time, we want you to feel comfortable recommending us to family, friends and business contacts. We want you to come back over and over because you know you will be taken care of quickly and because of our constant inventory turnaround, you will get something new and exciting each time. Every creation is different, we are not box store vendors. We are quality people with quality, gourmet products.

Why do people buy from us versus other Gift Basket outlets? Because of our service. Because of our quality products. Because of our reasonable prices. Because we are good, solid people who will do anything to meet your requests. We make it about you, not us!

Targeting, capturing and caring for our customers is our grand plan for success now and in the future. We measure this with repeat customers who are happy with Basket Designs.

Customer Connections will never take a back seat in our company.

We will ask questions and we will hear you!

Build Your Business or Reputation with Relationship Building Tools!

Basket Designs Gift Baskets can help you to build your business or relationship in the way that you want. As mentioned in previous post, people just want to feel good. They want to feel special and appreciated. So, why not step away from flowers and Wal-Mart candy and order a gourmet gift basket that is a gift that keeps on giving and is the same price. Our gift baskets are gorgeous and unique and are great for men, office groups and for kids. They can be shipped anywhere in the U.S. and make for a pleasant surprise.

For business owners or managers, when people choose to spend money with you, especially large amounts, a nice way to Thank them and retain their business, as well as get them to spread the word about you is by sending a gourmet gift basket. Most business owners find it good business practice to send something for funerals, new babies, celebrations, promotions, etc...why not a gift basket! It's perfect and no fuss for the business- saving time and money.

Basket Designs Gift Baskets carries gourmet selections of chocolate, honey, snack mixes, coffee, tea, popcorn, sausage, cheese, crackers, trail mix, chips, salsa, jelly, taffy, lotions, shower gels, candles, diffusers, ceramic plates, baby blankets, bibs and baby lotions, rubber ducks and stuffed animals. We also have NASCA, football, Harley Davidson and Jerky gift baskets. We have numerous choices of gourmet, delicious foods and products. See us at http://www.basketdesignsplus.com/ and our sister website that specializes in Colorado Exclusive gift baskets at http://www.basketsonline.com/

1-877-842-3843- CALL TODAY! We also customize and ship anywhere with quick turnaround time!

.....Mother's Day is just around the corner....
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Birthdays, Anniversarys, Sympathy, New Baby, Thank You, Father's Day, Just Because, Congratulations, Get Well.....Business and Corporate...wine, micro brews, spa, men's childrens and more!

Non-Profit and Charity Gift Baskets

As a gift basket company, we have numerous requests annually to donate gift baskets to various charities and fundraisers The donations requests range in price and support small organizations, large organizations, youth, battered women, those in need and more. All are very important and each cause is worth donating to. However, as a business owner, if I want to stay in business, I have to bring in revenue. I have to purchase my products and to do so, I have to make basket sales. So, I have struggled to find solutions that will allow me to support Colorado communities and still generate revenue. If anyone has ideas, I would love to hear them

To date, my solution is creating a Basket Designs Non-Profit program. The program is a buyone, get one free program. By doing this I am able to at least cover my cost of goods and it allows people to split the price of one basket, and have two gift baskets to put towards their cause. I also realize there is non-tangible benefit in the advertising I may get by having my gift baskets in front people. However, I have yet to see a real benefit to this type of advertising.

I want to donate and be a good member of the Colorado and local communities. I want to help since I can. However, I want to stay in business. So, if you are a non-profit group and in need of donations for fundraisers, I invite you to call us.

One other note, as very seasoned marketing professional (I have sold radio ads for 15-years) in order to "sell" your cause to a potential donator, you have to show them what benefits they receive by doing so. We as business owners, especially in small towns know that we have to be good to the community to bring in business, but we also have to be sound businesspeople or we can't contribute to the community. Therefore, you really should have a features and benefits aspect to present to a business owner when asking for the donation. Buisness owners have to say no sometimes. Please realize that there is a point when the donation budget is dry and that they most likely believe in your cause, but they have responsibilities to employees, citizens, family and the like and cannot always make their budget work for all the donations that come their way.

Call us for ideas, suggestions and non-profit program gift baskets.

www.basketdesignsplus.com
970-370-3381
1-877-842-3843

Valentine's Day is most commonly associated with romacee and love. But, it is also a nice way to send your son or daughter, mom or dad or friend a nice little token of how much you love and care about them. From kid appropriate gift baskets to romantic and friendship gift baskets, we at Basket Designs will find the perfect items to fill a gift basket for that special person in your life.

Gift askets are a great alternative to flowers and can be cutomized with photo items such as mugs, mousepads and the like to give the gift basket a real customized and personal look. They can be themed according to a person's hobby or interests, such as sports, western or even microbrews and wines. We work hard every day to make each and every gift basket perfect, unique and personal.

Our prices are reasonable and competative. Why shop at discount stores for plastic-tasting chocolate when you can have gourmet, find chocolates, cookies, cheese and crackers and other wonderful, gourmet foods in a gift baskets for about the same price with a gorgeous presentation all ready for you to give or send. Call us or go to www.basketdesignsplus.com for ideas and basket samples. If you want further suggestions or ideas, just call at 1-877-842-3842.

We also offer volume discounts and non-proft plans.