Marketing Works!
But Only When You Work

by

Flora M. Brown, Ph.D.

Almost everyday I get email from gift basket retailers asking for advice on getting customers. There is no single or magical answer. But there is an answer.

To get customers you have to go after them. You have to let people know you exist. You must be tenacious, but not aggressive. You must be persistent, but not insistent. And most important of all, be creative in your approach.

1. Differentiate yourself from your competitors.

When you hear "Bam!" or "Kick it up a notch." you can't help but think of popular chef Emeril. What slogan, technique, symbol or logo makes it easy for folks to recognize you?

2. Position yourself as an expert.

Offer a newsletter to your customers giving information they can use or provide free articles to other newsletters. Speak at networking meetings or send articles to newspapers offering gift-giving tips.

Get other tips on how to
outshine your competition.

3. Keep monthly contact with your clients.

Sending postcards is an easy and affordable way. Each month of the year offers occasions to contact potential clients in a way that displays your creativity and convinces them that you should be their preferred gift basket vendor.

• January is National Tea Month. Send a New Year's greeting to your clients and enclose a teabag, a tea column, or perhaps a unique silken-tea- infuser . Add a message like "We have hot ideas to help you get new business in the new year."
  
  
• February is most popular for Valentine's Day and romantic gifts. For your corporate clients, how about suggesting business gifts that say "We love doing business with you." Instead of hearts, offer foiled-covered chocolate coins in a treasure chest box imprinted with the message "We treasure your business."

If you like these ideas, you can get more than 200 others from the two CDs titled "99 Sizzling Marketing Ideas to Make More Money from January through June" and "99 MORE Sizzling Marketing Ideas to Make More Money from July through December." Shirley Frazier and I offer up our best ideas for each month of the year. There's something here for every gift basket retailer. Buy now.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus at Fullerton College, educational consultant, gift basket expert, writer and professional motivational speaker. From her websites, blogs and newsletters she motivates small business owners and gift retailers with sales-generating ideas, marketing tips, design ideas and business success strategies. She is mother of four and grandmother of three. When she's not traveling she enjoys her home in Anaheim, CA.