Starting a Gift Basket Maker Business

If you’re looking for an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, consider starting a gift basket maker business. Whether you plan to sell your products online, at local craft fairs or at a mall kiosk, this lucrative, seasonal business can help you reach a wide range of consumers.

Gift baskets are a popular gift choice for a variety of occasions, from birthdays and weddings to holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. They’re also a great way to show appreciation for special people and businesses.

Choosing the right theme is important for your gift baskets, and it’s a good idea to start with an outline of what you want to include. Then, decide how you will arrange your items to create a cohesive look.

For example, if you’re making a wine and cheese basket, you may want to place some fruit or other non-edible items around the wines, says Stacey Owen from Cole and Ashcroft, a Houston, TX-based supplier of gift basket materials.

Another way to determine your theme is to think about the recipient of the basket. For instance, if the receiver is a child, you could focus on toys that would appeal to them. Some boys might be interested in action figures or toy cars, while some girls might be into dolls or play tea sets.

You can even plan your themes based on the time of year or holiday. For example, autumn is associated with pumpkin and apples, while winter calls to mind hot chocolate and mint.

To get started, you’ll need the licenses needed in your state to run a gift basket business. You will also need a workspace, crafting supplies, packaging materials and more.

Marketing is one of the most crucial aspects of running any small business. You’ll want to market your gift baskets by using direct-mail postcards, online advertising, social media and other means of reaching your target market.

Your marketing options are endless, so you’ll want to find a balance between the more traditional forms of promotion and the newer, more innovative techniques that can help you stand out from your competition. Some of the most popular methods are email and Facebook, but you can also market your business via print ads, radio ads and television commercials.

The first step is to identify the right demographics for your business. Generally speaking, gift basket buyers are moderate- to upper-income individuals who enjoy a variety of luxuries and can afford to purchase gifts for their loved ones.

Women tend to buy more gift baskets than men do, so you’ll want to market your services to this particular segment of the population. Women are likely to be the ones buying gifts for their friends, family members or co-workers, and they often have long lists of people they need to give presents to.

Corporate clients are another key group of customers, August says. She advises contacting human resources and public relations departments at companies located near your store to see what their gift-giving needs are. These clients may be more willing to pay for your services than others because they usually have a large staff that requires many gifts.