Where do I find my first customer?
Start first with your immediate circle of influence which is  your friends and family.   Don't be shy about it.  Be proud of your business.  They care about you, they should buy from you. An easy way to do this is to simply email  them the following sample email.   The words are not as important as the act of actually sending the email to the folks you know. Try something like this. (modify as you wish)




Dear _____:
                                                
                                               A Message From  Your Gift Basket & Flower Expert




Just recently, I started my own gift basket and flower business.

I'm enclosing my website  so that you could see the baskets  & flowers that I market.   I'm so excited about my new business because I actually help people save money on their gifting needs and I get to work at home. 

As my friend, I'm asking for your help.   Can you take a look at my website and see how we can help you save money and time on your gifting needs.

Would you please do two things for me.

1.) Just take a moment to consider the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions when you could use my product. Then, just send me the approximate dates.  I'll put them in my birthday alarmand  send you a reminder a few weeks before just so you can look through my online catalog to see if something fits the occasion. As my friend, you know there is no obligation to buy anything---I just want to remind you to look.

2.) Refer me to someone else. It would mean a lot to me if you would refer me to a few of your other friends in case they need what I market.   Since they are referred by you, I'll make sure they are 100% satisfied! Please copy me on the email so I can follow up later with them directly since I know you're very busy.

You know I wouldn't be asking you but I'm so excited about my business and I'm excited to get if off the ground very quickly!   Please take just one minute to respond to my email with your potential gift giving occasions and send also send this on to a few friends.

Thanks very much. If there's anything I can do now for you, just let me know.

Your friend,
For great baskets and sales visit:    website  www.mylabellabaskets.com/XXXXX.html
_______________________________________________________________

Sample Email to people You Do  Business With.

Ok, now that you have communicated with your friends and relatives, let's move on to the people that you do business with. These are the folks that you can put a little gentle pressure on because of the money that you spend with them. I'm sure that you use mechanics, restaurants, dry cleaners, doctors, shoe stores, salons and literally hundreds of other businesses each year. Now that you own a business, you need to use a principle highlighted in the best selling book 'Millionaire Next Door'. The principle is to 'do business with those that do business with you'.

Business cards are your mini-billboards. Get them printed and start telling every person you meet about your new company. You don't see marketing executives getting nice billboards printed up and then leaving them in the warehouse---don't leave your cards in your pocket, hand them out.

There are many places that you can get free business cards if you don't mind a small advertisement for the printing company on the back. Try our free business cards  or buy card stock at any office supply store and make cards yourself using word-processing software such as Microsoft Word.

Your strategy here is to make a habit of talking to the owners or manager of all the businesses that you spend money with. For example, when you are getting your oil changed at the local Zippy Lube ask to speak to the manager. Simply hand over your card and tell him or her that you'd appreciate them considering your business if they ever need your products. Ask specifically for their email address so you can send more information. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they'll say "sure, no problem". It is a good idea to write down the date and time on the back of the card so that you have a record of getting their permission to use their email address.  For now, stick to your friends and the people they know and you will likely have no complaints.

To build your business even faster, you need to make some very easy phone calls. Go back through your checkbook to see where you purchased products and services over the last year or two. Pull out the yellow pages and call or drop by and see the owners of the businesses that you've patronized. When you call or show up, ask for the owner or manager and politely let them know that you have used their business several times in the past. Tell them you just started your own business and you want to do business with the people that you spend your money with. Quickly get to the point---you want to be able to send them an email telling them about the products you sell.


Here's a sample letter.

Dear Joe and Sandra:

As I mentioned on the phone a few days ago, I’m just now starting my gift basket  business.   I'm excited about my business because I'll be able to help people save time and  money on their gifting needs.

I'll need the support of as many people as possible during this critical first year and I though of you. Since I've been a customer of yours, I'm asking you to at consider being my customer when you need                  .

Rather than having me bug you every month or so, I'd appreciate you sending me a short list of the holidays and special occasions coming up when you might be able to use the type of products I sell.

This way, I'm out of your hair until you have a need. I've attached a few product images so that you can see what I do and the quality of my products.

As always, I appreciate any feedback or suggestions from you about how I can make my business as successful as yours.

Thanks, and I'm looking forward to that list.


Take a look at my website and see how we can help you save 10% on your gifting needs.
  www. _________________________

Kindest regards,

your name
your website
your phone#


Now, within a few days, you should have 50 to 100 email addresses of friends, relatives, neighbors and businesses that will consider buying your products when they have a need. If you work the list by sending out a reminder or product update every two weeks the sales will come. Do not keep asking the folks on your list to buy from you. Simply give them updates (Hey, I've added 4 new products this week) or (Hey, mother's day is around the corner) or (Hey, check out our gifts baskets that are on sale this Christmas). They'll appreciate your notices and if you are consistently in their inbox, they can't forget you.

If you just have 10% of the 100 friends, relatives, neighbors or businesses buy each month, you've got enough money to cover your overhead.   If in every email, you stress how important it is that they tell their friends, your list will grow and grow and grow. 

Now that the pressure of just surviving is off, you'll be ready to start learning how to start paying for marketing without getting burned.

Take action. Get the business cards, poke out your hand and ask for the opportunity to earn someone's business. If you still can't do this, then you need to go back to the 'Why Well' and ask yourself if you're really in business.  Hobbies are ok, but if that is your motivation, then don't expect much to happen for you.!

Marketing really is fun.  If one email is not working, try another one.  Try one message with one group and another message with another group.  You'll eventually find the ones that work best.  Like anything else, it seems mysterious at first, but over time as you learn it, you'll wish you had started your business sooner!



Existing Customer Referrals
The best source of new clients is existing clients.  Once you have client, seek referrals – the minute you get them to start with your service, ask them “do you have any  friends that we can help them save 10% off all their gifting needs”

You must constantly ask your clients for referrals.  At least once a month.  By reminding them – particularly if you are doing a good job.  After all, your customers are busy, your needs for more customers isn’t the first thing they think of every morning.  Be persistent. 

A good way to encourage referrals from existing clients is by offering a reward.  “For every referral that you send me, I will send you a gift  as a token of appreciation”.    Send them a calendar or a promotional material that you got from  www.vistaprint.com


The key to referral gathering
There really is only one key to referrals; ASK.  However, we can make the answer to the question “who” better by helping whoever it is we’re asking by qualifying the question.  Remember never stop asking, ask new people, ask stranger, ask your mother, ask your father, ask your spouse, ask your spouse’s family, ask yourself, ask your customers, ask people who say they’re not interested, ask, ask, ask!!! Never stop asking.


A PROSPECTING PLAN OF ATTACK
Your concentration on finding prospects should be part of an overall marketing plan.  In order to be effective and to have a successful plan you must have an initial goal.  Being new to the business you may want to keep your initial goal small.  Shoot for 4-5 customers to begin with.    After 6-8 weeks and if you are so inclined  look at your marketing plan and revamp  or increase it if needed. 

Your initial plan with its goals of 4- customers should consist primarily of “who do I know?” type prospecting and referral type prospecting.  These two avenues are generally enough to get you started.  If you still haven’t reached your initial goal and have exhausted all of your contacts, make a decision to increase your online advertising or  offline advertising.   Don't be afraid to learn new advertising methods.

Your secondary marketing plan to increase your  referrals.  Come up with an incentive for existing customers to encourage recommendations.



PROSPECTING ALL THE TIME!
It makes good sense to consistently seek for new customers.     Continuous prospecting doesn’t mean that you have to be knocking on doors 24 hours a day. But it does mean that you should budget at least a few hours a week to conduct some ongoing marketing efforts.

A counter top flyer campaign can be continuous.  Just swing by your locations once a week and make sure the flyers are out, have a few pleasant words with the location clerk or owner and be on your way.

Another continuous form of prospecting is of course encouraging recommendation type of referrals.


THE CHARITABLE AUCTION
Many communities will have public television or radio stations.  And every community has churches, social groups, or worth causes. These groups may like to raise money from the community by holding an auction – sometimes these are live on air affairs.  If you have the opportunity to do so, donate a gift basket to whoever is holding the auction.  Talk about great free publicity!!  This will actually get people to try your service – and you may be able to claim the donation of your services as a tax deduction.

PROSPECTING SUMMARY
Set goals as to the number of customers you want.
Use referral prospecting first
Redefine your goals after you achieve them
Employ more intensive prospecting efforts as you grow, to reach larger number of prospects
Prospect continuously
Constantly improve on your previous efforts – either find out what you are doing wrong and correct it, or find out what you are doing right now and do more of it.
Be area intensive.  If you conduct a flyer campaign in Middletown, don’t telemarketer in Springfield.


ONE FREE GIFT BASKET
The best way on earth to get more referrals is to give away a free gift basket.  This technique is so powerful and it works very well.    You can send a referral card  to your customers. 


     For every five customers you send my way, you will receive a free gift basket.   Once you receive 5 referrals, purchase a small gift basket from your store (you will receive commission since you are purchasing from your store) and then send it to your customer with a thank you note. 


16 Methods for Getting Free Advertising
1.Place copies of your circular on bulletin boards throughout your community, such as in coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, barber shops, etc. Concentrate on Fridays and Saturdays when shopping increases.

2.Check with local newspapers. Before going to press, many smaller newspapers have space left that needs filling.. Your ad may be just the right size to occupy this unfilled space and they will run it free.


3.Place your circulars on windshields of parked autos. Youngsters will be happy to do this for you for a dollar or two. Check first with city ordinances to see if this is permitted in your locality.

4.Leave sales literature on doorsteps (not mailboxes) of homes & businesses in your area. Do this on weekends in residential areas; weekdays for businesses.


5.Have your best pulling 1 inch or 2 inch ad made into a rubber stamp. Stamp this on envelopes of all of your outgoing mail.. Check rubber stamp dealer's ads in current mail order publications for price information.

6.When you have envelopes printed with your return address, have them also print your best ad directly beneath your address. It costs nothing additional to have this printed on the front of your envelopes.


7.If you publish a mail order magazine, newspaper, ad sheet, etc., contact other publishers, If your circulation is equal to theirs, many will be happy to exchange an equal amount of ad space with you.

8.Many publishers will give you free ad space for mailing a few copies of their publication. Simply write to them and ask if they will give you a free 1 inch ad in exchange for mailing 50 to 100 copies of their pub.


9.Write informative articles for mail order trade publication. Most publishers will give you free ad space for the use of your article.

10.Take advantage of advertising specials. Many publishers offer ads on a 3-for-the- price- of -2- basis, or 4-for-the-price-of-3, etc. This saving is the same as getting one ad free of charge.


11.Some publishers offer a free classified ad with your first display ad. Watch for such specials. Use the free ad and pocket the savings.

12.When starting a new publication, many publishers will offer reduced ad rates to help fill space. Watch for ads regarding such offers.


13.In your ads, request a SASE. Then insert some of your other offers in regular outgoing mail. This is the same as getting free advertising.

14.Become a mailer. Get your printer's lowest price for printing circulars on both sides of the sheet. Contact other dealers and state you will print and mail their circulars for this price with no conflicting ads on the back. Then print your circulars on the reverse and distribute them with your outgoing mail. There is no extra cost for postage and envelopes, and your side of the circular is paid for by your customers.


15.Offer a free commission circulars. Print one of your regular offers on one side; a commission offer on the reverse, leaving space where the mailer can rubber stamp his name & address, Your offer gets a free ride.

16.If you use a postage meter machine, use the ad space directly left of stamp imprint for a free message.



How to Take An Order Over the Phone
When you are selling from your place of business over the telephone, always follow these steps:

1.Answer your business phone in a professional manner:  “Good Morning, La Bella  Baskets, this is Mary speaking”

2.If your customer is not ordering one of your standard baskets, be prepared to ask of questions. 

3.Always ask the customer what they are looking for  and what is their budget.

4.If the customer can’t make decision, offer to email them several different options or consider the following things:

As a gift basket expert, you should always consider the following things:
First, start with an empty canvas, and put yourself on the receiving end. What would you like to receive if you were this person? Although the handcrafted toothpick holder and the sunglasses with the little windshield wipers are cool, 99% of the time, this type of gift is not practical.
Second, consider the person you are giving the gift to. Ask questions such as, Is this a personal gift for your daughter or son's birthday, your in-law's 50th wedding anniversary, or a gift celebrating your co-workers promotion?
Third, the same way an artist is always in search for perfection, visualize this special person with the gift when you search for this perfect present. The real art in gift giving is the effort and special thought put into the purchase.






What To Do After the  Sale
Saying Thank you today entails more than simply uttering a phrase. Let your actions show appreciation.

• Start with a  telephone call directly to the client.  This is, again, a good time to ask if
           the person can recommend colleagues and clients who need baskets or to mention
           that you spoke with someone he or she recommended.

•Mail monthly postcards, flyers about your baskets.

•Send the client yearly birthday cards.



Asking for Referral Business
The more people you meet and businesses that become clients, the more referral business you can find.  Asking for referral business is a common sales generator, and every business owner asks colleagues and clients for leads.  Referral business can be acquired in many ways.

• During a sit-down dinner with new or existing associates
•At a cocktail hour, as you go from group to group for conversations and to greet
           others
•At the end of a client meeting
•At leisure events where you meet new people (but only after you’ve spoken to the
           other person on topics of interest to him or her)
•Whenever you attend a personal or professional function. 


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