I know what you’re thinking, the threat of fall is barely in the air and I’m already talking about Christmas…

Most businesses have their holiday budget in place by now and are looking to secure thank you gifts.  For a Corporate Gift Basket company like the original basket boutique, the holidays can be a very busy time of year!

Why thank you gifts?

A lot of businesses use this time to show their loyal customers how much they appreciate their business, employees how much they appreciate their time, and the community how much they appreciate their support.

Donations to favorite charities, gift cards and gift baskets tend to top the list each year.

Gift baskets are a great way to say thank you.  They are gender neutral, can promote your business, and are usually enjoyed by the entire office!!!

Gift & Appreciation Marketing Specialist

Be Original! Give Original!

Saturday we visited the Strawberry Festival at The Produce Place on Murphy Road.  The Ross family are long time supporters of The Produce Place and it was fun to get a few friends together and walk down to sample some locally made treats.

One local company that got my attention was Moose Head Kettle Corn owned and operated by Jack and Carol MacDowall.  The company name stuck out because my father grew up in a small community called Moosehead on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia – and you know how it’s easier to remember a name when you can associated it to something important in your life.  The popcorn stuck out because of the huge variety of yummy flavors (including dill pickle) as well as the fun colors.  My daughter really enjoyed the rainbow color bag.

Ask us about using locally made popcorn in your next Tennessee Gift Basket or stand alone gift tins! 

For more information on Moose Head Kettle Corn please check out their website.

Gift & Appreciation Marketing Specialist with OBB Nashville

Be Original! Give Original!

Disasters, such as the recent flooding in Nashville, have a far reaching economic impact.  As we find ourselves in recovery mode some business owners are asking themselves when and if they can re-open.  With issues ranging from the physical loss of property or product to loss of vendors and customers the U.S. Department of Labor says that over 40% of businesses never reopen after a disaster.

So many circumstances are beyond our control as business owners, but one thing we can do it plan.  Contingency plans or disaster plans can be scary to think about because we are planning for something we hope will never happen.  It isn’t a plan B, it’s a worse case scenario.

As a department Assistant Manager in a bank in an international port town maintaining a Contingency Plan was part of my responsibility and part of it actually went into effect on the morning of 9/11.

Recovery after a disaster can take many avenues depending of the size of your organization but I will focus on the Small Business Owner.

1.  You’ll need to assess your damage.  Everything from minor to total loss should be documented.  Having a comprehensive inventory of your office plus any product loss will help expedite insurance and federal aid and will be important when claiming the loss on your taxes.

2.  Overall finances can take a serious hit during a disaster, especially in circumstances where both the home and the office have been lost.  Naturally you will take that into consideration when planning to re-open your business, however I must note that the work from home business can be such, that as soon as you have a computer and a cell phone you are back in business.  Since time is of the essence this may be good news for your business when faced with a city or state wide problem.

3.  Creating a plan and executing isn’t always easy when there are so many other irons in the fire.  Here are a few tips from Patmos Consulting in Nashville that may help: Tips for Creating a Plan and Working The Plan to Help Your Business Recover.

My Contingency Plan is a file folder with the following information:

a.  Important Contact Numbers – Emergency Personal, Closest Business Partners, Vendors, and Regular customers (If you have employees they should be on your contact list)

b.  Office equipment list and photos as well as a list of what I’d need to be operational

c.  List of software

d.  List of online tools and passwords to access them

e.  Back up hard drive of all my files.  – Technology is such that if you have data that if lost would ruin your business off site storage and retrieval systems are becoming more affordable for the small business owner.

f.  Copy of the business plan.

g.  A check list of what I need to do to get up and running in case I experience a total lost

NOTE: A copy of this folder is also kept off site at an out of town family members home.

I know it can seem like a bit too much, but once it’s done it’s just a matter of reviewing it every year and hoping you never have to use it.  Anything from a complete computer crash to a natural disaster can shut a business down.  Being prepared can help get you in to action mode and help you make sound decisions  on the future of your business.

Gift & Appreciation Marketing Specialist with OBB Nashville

Be Original! Give Original!

Thank you for your emails and calls of concern, thoughts and prayers.  OBB Nashville is operating normally, but all around us it is a different story as many of our friends, customers, business partners and vendors assess damages to their businesses and homes.

Within a few minutes of our office, basements were flooded and parking lots filled to the tops of cars, within 10 minutes of here the Cumberland River crested at 2nd avenue causing flooding in Downtown Nashville, and devastated the Grand Ole Opry House, flooded the Opry Mall and The Opry Land Hotel.  The historic rain fall closed interstates, caused flooding that reached the attics of many homes, and currents that swept away lives.

Although we just spent days surrounded about too much water our fresh water supply is in danger and we are in a city wide conservation mode.  This of course makes the clean up of mud and debris that much more difficult.

If you’d like to know more about what is happening in middle TN here are a few local news sites with pictures and stories.  Please note that these sites also offer information on how you can donate or volunteer.  As a business owner that often promotes the art of giving I encourage you to send a little something.  Most people affected by the historic rains and flooding do not have flood insurance as normally this would be a low risk area.

WSMV

WTVF

Tennessean

CNN Interview with Kenny Chesney

Nashville is an amazing city smack in the middle of the volunteer state.  To see everyone come out to help where they can, even when their own situation is uncertain, lifts the spirit though our hearts are heavy.

Donation Sites:

Nashville Rescue Mission

The Community Foundation

Middle TN Red Cross

Gift & Appreciation Marketing Specialist with OBB Nashville

Be Original! Give Original!

Thistle Farms

These amazing products are hand made by the woman who will directly benefit by their purchase.  Thistle Farms, founded in 1997 in Nashville TN, is a non-profit business run by woman who have survived violence, prostitution and abuse.

Either on their own or as a gift basket, the bath teas, hand poured candles and hand lotions will make a wonderful mother’s day gift that represents, supports and lifts up the spirit of woman.

Thistle Farms products are available in four wonderful scents:Lavender, Citrus Vanilla, Tea Tree Mint, and Tuscan Earth.

For more information on the woman running Thistle Farms please check out the voices of thistle farms blog.

Gift & Appreciation Marketing Specialist with OBB Nashville

Be Original! Give Original!