How to Start a Baby Gift Basket Business
Finding the perfect gift for a new mom and her baby can be a difficult task for family, friends and colleagues as they prepare to attend baby showers. Baby gift baskets provide an assortment of gifts and can be personalized to fit the needs of the mother-to-be, her lifestyle, personality and the baby's gender. They can even be designed to match nursery décor. Gift basket businesses are a promising start-up that can make the task of finding an ideal baby gift easier.
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Things You'll Need
- Business plan
- Baskets
- Baby accessories
- Cellophane
- Ribbons
- Bows
- Photographer (optional)
- Digital camera (optional)
- Binder
- Computer
- Printer
- Graphic designer
- Logo
- Business cards
- Gift tags
- Greeting cards
- Brochures
- Web site designer
- Web site
Instructions
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Come up with a name for the baby gift basket business. Register the business and apply for any necessary permits required by your state and local government.
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Research baby gift basket businesses in your city and the surrounding area you're trying to reach, as well as online businesses. Determine what these businesses offer consumers, their prices, target market, delivery methods and the themes and the items they use for their gift baskets. Identify how your products and services differ and come up with a unique selling proposition.
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3
Write a business plan for your business. Begin with a small plan that focuses on how your business will operate, start-up costs, a budget and a plan for promoting your business to potential customers.
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4
Identify the types of gift baskets your business will offer. Consider everything from size varieties, basket shapes and themes. As you plan themes, consider the types of items you'd put in each themed basket. List a price for each variety of basket you plan to offer.
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Determine the payment terms you plan to accept; from cash and credit cards to checks, debit cards and services like PayPal and Google Checkout.
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Determine what delivery methods you'll offer for your baskets. For local customers, consider a drop-off and pick-up service. Check with the local post office to determine shipping methods and to estimate rates.
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Create sample gift baskets to match the themes you plan to offer. Hire a photographer or use a digital camera to take pictures of the baskets. Write brief descriptions to explain the contents of each basket and its theme. Use the photographs to create a portfolio you can take with you to client meetings. Use a binder so that you can add other designs at a later date.
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Work with a graphic designer to create a logo and business card template for your business. A graphic designer can also help you create custom gift tags, greeting cards and brochures.
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Work with a web site designer to create an online presence for your baby gift basket business. Upload photographs of your sample baskets, along with their descriptions. Include "about us," "contact us," "portfolio," "services" and "to order" pages on your web site to ensure that you provide visitors with adequate information about your business.
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Promote your business by participating in local craft fairs, art shows, women's organizations and networking events. Partner with local business owners who have complementary businesses. Cross-promote each other's products and services. Local maternity stores, doctor's offices, Lamaze centers, yoga centers or baby photographers may be good partners for your baby gift basket business.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Child in basket image by Julia Tupikina from Fotolia.com
