Size matters. The bigger the basket the better....within reason....within budget. Stick to the pre-determined price range to create the best valued basket for the money. The number one secret of starting a gift basket business from home is to Focus On Value as the number one factor for repeat business and word of mouth advertising, which is priceless! People will expect bigger baskets from you since you don`t have many of the operating costs of a retail gift shop.
When shopping for products to fill your baskets, focus on highest value perception. Make sure to buy only name brands and gourmet looking items. The classier the packaging, the better. Buy different shaped and sized items from large to small to boxes, to bags, to jars, to tins or bars....make sure you have a variety of products for better basket artistry.
To actually create this value filled basket, use neutral kraft or flower paper rolls to crumble at bottom of your actual wicker basket or other container. Fill the base of the basket to the rim so as to create a more or less solid base so that the objects will not fall down to the bottom of the container. Use decorative filler to cover the plain paper. My favorite was a shiny paper shred bought per pound in floral supply catalogs.
Next, measure out your cello. Place your prepped basket in the middle of the cello in equal sizes on both sides. You want the celllophane above the neck (or tying point) to be 1/3 higher than the basket itself. Cut off the roll but make sure to be more generous than not with the cello. There`s nothing that ruins a good basket like cello that is all stubby tied close to the attachment point.
Use lots of curling ribbon to accent the basket and tie on theme and seasonal items such as a red rose (quality silk or real) for an Anniversary basket or a preserved oak leaf for a Gourmet Basket during the fall season. Wintergreen boughs like cedar and pine are great to bring Christmas cheer with each holiday gift basket. Stay Tuned for the number 2 Secret to A Successful Gift Basket Business...
I`ve truly enjoyed my 15 years in the flower & gift basket business but it was time for me to move on to other things... Now I try to help out others beginning in the business and hope others will have as much fun in the business as I have had all these years.
The Basket Connectory is a 6 WEEK Program to get your gift basket business up and running. Although I did not write this program, Rita Wilheim is a fellow retired professional gift basketeer who has written not just a book but a whole system to help you go from employee somewhere else to running your own gift basket business in 6 weeks. Start to Running in 6 WEEKS with this system. I sure wish it was around when I was first starting out! But you get to take advantage from an old timer`s lessons hard earned.
If you are ready to take on the Gift Basket Business challenge but don`t want to waste a lot of time surfing and searching..check out this online program. The Gift Basket Connectory It`s not free but it`s very reasonable for all that it includes. Check it out...
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