Tips for a Successful Holiday Season, Part 1

by

Flora M. Brown, Ph.D.

1. Plan designs that can be recreated with ease. Avoid the mistake I made one year when I mounted a wreath in a beautiful log box. It was impressive on the photo, but tough to recreate since the container had no handles to keep the wreath from swaying back and forth. It was too top heavy for the container.

2. Order the shipping boxes that will accommodate your designs as soon as you finalize your designs. Allow at least one inch around and above the design for your packing peanuts. If you’re new to the business and are only shipping a few designs this year, you can get your designs packed and shipped at local mailing centers. It costs more than doing it all yourself, of course. To buy just a few boxes, consider your local U-Haul, UPS Store, U.S. Post Office or private mail center. If you will be shipping more than just a few baskets, it’ll be wiser to buy your own boxes from a paper supply company. There are usually about 20 to 25 boxes in a set.

3. Select products that work together. Crackers should be included when there is an item that can be eaten with crackers such as sausage, cheese, or paté. I saw a design once that had three types of crackers and some cookies, but nothing to spread on the crackers and nothing to drink; not very appealing. Coffee or tea should accompany cake or cookies. Cold drinks or bottled water work great with salty snacks.

4. Create designs using one central color for impact. In one of my favorite designs I use products that all have burgundy packaging nestled in green filler. The bow is burgundy French wired.

5. Avoid lots of holiday specific packaging unless you have definite orders for them. You don’t want chocolate candy with Santa wrap after December. Instead, use holiday-specific packages as accents among solid colors that can be used for future non-holiday orders.

Continue to Part 2