Home-Based Gift Basket Book Introduction
April 8, 2008
How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, 4th edition, 281 pp.
by Shirley George Frazier
Copyright 2006, ISBN 978-0-7627-4177-9
Partial Excerpt
Picture this: After ten years of unquestioned loyalty, you march into the boss’s office to ask for a bonus.
It was you who brought in those new accounts that tripled the company’s revenue. You make your case, and then it happens. The boss announces that not only won’t you get a bonus, but your job is being phased out, and this is your last day.
Dazed and humiliated, you take a box of empty memories out to the car and sit slumped in the driver’s seat. How will you start over?
All of a sudden, a beautifully stenciled delivery van pulls up. You gaps with excitement. “Why didn’t I think of it before” you shout out loud. “I’m creative and have lots of contacts. I’ll start a gift basket business!”
Three years later, you’re a success and up to your designer nails in deliveries. Today is your driver’s day off, and strangely enough, you have a delivery to make at your former building.
On the way in, a man exits holding the obligatory “just fired” box in his hands. Your eyes meet. It’s your former boss. life is sweet.
It’s a twisted tale that’s very close to the way I began my career in the gift basket business. The part about being a success is absolutely true and gets better every day.
The notion to enter this $4.2 billion industry doesn’t hit you like an oncoming train but rather surfaces little by little from the recesses of your mind. It seems as though it was deep within you and finally rose to the top, commanding your full attention. That’s what happened to me in December 1988.
After I had contemplated and dropped the idea of starting a word-processing service and been on the verge of opening an intimate apparel shop, the thought of gift baskets took hold of me and never let go.
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Read more about the book at How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business.
Shirley George Frazier is known worldwide as “the gift basket expert” and speaks about solo (independent business), small business marketing, and gift basket business topics at meetings, events, and conferences.
Bring Shirley to your next event. Complete this contact form to reach AVG Talent Management for details.
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Comments
8 Responses to “Home-Based Gift Basket Book Introduction”
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your books have truley encouraged me to move forward in my gift basket and flora business
Teresa,
I truly appreciate your kind words and am very pleased that the books are beneficial to your business.
Hi shirley,
I just have a how to question to ask you, I purchased a couple of you gift basket books and saw some of your videos. However, I was wondering if you have a video or instruction on how to wrap with tulle. I have searched the internet on how to videos on basket wrapping use tulle and have not had any success. Any help or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hello Valerie,
Sorry to say I neither know of a video on tulle wrapping or have one.
Hi Shirley,
A good friend bought a copy of your book as a present when he heard I was starting a gift basket business. I love the book and I’m currently working on my business plan. While working on my business plan - I’m also creating baskets. One thing that I have been using to enhance my sales and give customers a pre-look at the finished product is video email. My customers love it and it gives me an opportunity to receive feedback from them prior to delivery.
The system that I’m using provides me with a means to send live video thank you messages and follow-up messages for my customers (the template is branded with my companies name/logo). I send them live birthday/anniversay messages and holiday greetings (for every holiday with professionally designed templates). My customers love it and it’s proving to be an awesome additional source of income. They in turn use the system to communicate with friends, relatives, family members and clients all over the world. Shirley, I love the book and thanks for letting me share this awesome marketing tool/idea that’s helping me grow my businesses (gift baskets & video emailing). Feel free to contact me for additional information: bbrockus@wholefoodwellnessllc.com
B Brockus, MBA
That sounds like a terrific sales system, and I wish you the very best with it.
In time, you’ll refine the videos and continue to wow your customers.
Hi Valerie /August 23,
When I left my comment for Shirley, I saw your question. In the process of researching suppliers I saw something on Tulle. Tulle is ribbon that is used to secure items that are shipped in order to keep them in place. It’s tied on the outside of the basket once the cello wrap is added. I think I found it on gowholesale.com. (click on shop by market / gift market / scroll down to the ribbon link and click on tulle). Good luck on finding a video for it. It doesn’t appear to be that difficult. Be blessed Valerie http://www.bbrockus@wholefoodwellnessllc.com
B Brockus, MBA, AKA
Actually, B Brockus, tulle is material similar to netting which, like cellophane and shrink wrap, is used to encase a gift basket design.
Tulle strips can be fashioned at the top as ribbon, but when designers say the word “tulle,” they’re talking about the enslosure material.