Written by Tami Ross on 12 October 2008
It’s a crazy time we live in. I’m always trying to maximize every minute, especially while researching a new product or client online. In expanding my marketing efforts I found this fantastic website for the bride-to-be. While I’m a planner at heart and take pride in my organization skills, I’m always looks for ways to find what I need in as few places as possible. This one stop shop for brides is one of those great tools I was happy to find!
www.AshleysBrideGuide.com
Tami Ross
The Original Basket Boutique
423-1471 / tamir@obbgifts.com
Be Original! Give Original!
Written by Tami Ross on 22 September 2008
My favorite time of year is fall! I love the crisp mornings, the falling leaves and early evenings that make cozying up on the couch in front of the TV very appealing! I also love Thanksgiving!!! We may be 8 weeks away but our neighbors to the north will be celebrating Turkey Day October 13th!
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to send thank you gifts to your customers. As you know, it costs 60% more to find a new customer than it does to keep the one you already have. At OBB we can help get your name in front of your customers one more time by imprinting your logo onto the bow ribbon. If you send gifts at Christmas, have you thought of beating the rush and getting your gifts out the week of Turkey Thursday??? It’s memorable, doesn’t get lost in the shuffle and frees your time during the December holidays!
Tami Ross
Gift Specialist
tamir@obbgifts.com
Written by Tami Ross on 14 September 2008
The first time I heard the term “stay-cation” I was listening to a girlfriend and her husband plan their honeymoon. That was a few months ago. During their week long stay-cation they locked the door to the home office, swore off email and housecleaning, ate out every night and took in all their hometown had to offer.
Needless to say I LOVED the idea! Sign me up I want one… with a bow on top!
With a slowing economy and the price of gas climbing Mount Everest, staying home and reconnecting with the city I love sounded refreshing. Not to mention it eliminates all the worries of travel. Coming back from a stay-cation could leave you well rested, relaxed and itching for email!
Gift options for stay-cationers:
1) Italian dinner – We feature Grandad’s Gravy sauce and pasta, Italian cookies, cappuccino chocolates and coffee.
2) Spa – We feature items from Thistle Farms and Relax Wraps, perfect for turning a few hours into a relax-a-thon!
3) Movie Night – Featuring popcorn and movie snacks, perfect for curling up on the couch and watching an old favorite!
For more original ideas please call Gift Specialist Tami Ross!
tamir@obbgifts.com
615.423.1471
Be Original! Give Original!
Written by Tami Ross on 04 September 2008
Personally, I think it is difficult! The words don’t usually flow off the top of my head and it takes me three tries to get it to the point where I will send it. I have a friend who loves the idea of thank you notes but prefers to call everyone and thank them that way. For me I love the whole process of finding the right card stock, the perfect pen to glide over the paper and I enjoy sitting there waiting for inspiration to strike!
Unfortunately, like you, I don’t have the time to indulge and I do get behind from time to time… so to help, I’ve added a few samples to kick start the writer in you.
“Thank you for your first order from (company name). Your business is appreciated. We hope this is the beginning of a long and successful business relationship. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions you may have about our wonderful products.”
“I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed meeting you today. It seems we can help save you a lot of time and money and I look forward to building a successful business relationship. I’ll be in touch in a few days to follow up on our action items.”
See the trick! If you read through these typed messages they seem so automatic. Write them down on a piece of paper and read them back to yourself. They’ll feel different!!!
Most gift note cards are small and only have room for one or two sentences. Something simple and personal seems to do the trick here. Of course “Thank you” always works, so don’t get too far behind!!!
Thanks for stopping by!
Tami Ross
Gift Specialist
The Original Basket Boutique
tamir@obbgifts.com
BE ORIGINAL! GIVE ORIGINAL!
Written by Tami Ross on 29 August 2008
“Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel. It’s that simple, and it’s that hard.” Danny Meyer
I love this quote! Danny Meyer has created amazing restaurant experiences for his patrons on that premise. Going above and beyond is no longer going above and beyond, it’s expected. As business owners it’s important to let our customers know that you appreciate their business, especially in this highly competitive market, as well as their referrals and leads.
Whether with a thank you note, gift or token you say you’re valued and that can have a lasting impact on your client base. Gift baskets are a great way to thank a customer because they offer a variety of price points, a custom touch and branding opportunities for your business.
A few things to keep in mind when thanking a customer is your client, your time, and your budget. You neither want to under value a gift that makes the client wonder why you bothered or over value it and make them think you took them to the cleaners. A hand written note can do wonders in a world where email is so easy. Finding time to thank a customer is also a challenge. The Original Basket Boutique makes it as easy as a quick email (at any time of day or night) with a budget, who and where its going (phone number please), and a note for the card. Let us save you time by creating and delivering your thank you gifts. A great option that gift baskets offer is the ability to customize your gift to a client you have bonded with. Whether its adding a toy for their child or a favorite chocolate bar OBB creates the gift once it’s ordered and can offer the option to make the gift about you and your client… and it doesn’t take any more time than an extra line on that email!
Tami Ross
Owner
The Original Basket Boutique
tamir@obbgifts.com
BE ORIGINAL! GIVE ORIGINAL!
Tami Ross and Ron Samuels