If you are in the process of starting a gift basket business, and even if you are already operating a gift basket business, this is the place where you can find ways to grow your business, and find help for day-to-day operations.

This is a resource center for all your business needs: from what you need to do before starting your gift business, to web design, web hosting, marketing help, and even computer help. If you need information about anything that will help you grow your business don’t hesitate to ask questions: we’ll do our best to answer all questions pertaining to the gift business.

Here are some basics needed to start your gift basket business:

  1. First, you need to do your research:
    • who is your competition?
    • who is your target market?
    • who are your potential customers?
  2. Write a business plan: this will help you put your goals and ideas into a clear format, and serve as a place to go back and check how you are doing.
  3. Write a marketing plan:
    • how are you going to attract your potential customers?
    • will you profit from corporate clients, foot traffic, or a combination of ways?
  4. Once you’ve done the above, choose a business name, get your business license and Tax ID.Take time when you choose your business name: when you first start, you may want to have your name included in your business name, or even a “cute” name, but later on, as you get corporate customers, you’ll realize that your name has a great impact on how your customers perceive you. If your market is “new moms”, by all means use some name they can relate to, but if you plan on getting corporate clients, give it a professional name.
  5. Next step would be to get insurance for your business: yes, it’s costly. But not having one could be devastating to your company’s financial future, or, if you are set up as a Sole Proprietor, your family’s financial future. Business insurance is very important, and one of the costs of doing business.
  6. You are now ready to order your inventory, and start your first prototypes.
  7. Next, get a business phone line. And it’s important that only you or one of your trained staff answer the phone. Many of us start in our homes, to be home with our kids, and that is wonderful. But if your kids are screaming in the background, don’t pick up the phone: while another mom could understand your predicament, the busy assistant of a large company will probably not want to put up with that.
  8. Once your are all set for business, you’ll want to get a website, so that your clients can order on line if they choose to do so. In the last few years web design costs came down a lot, so it’s not as expensive as in the past. Come back here, as in the next few days we’ll ad much more information to help with your gift business.