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Creative Cuts On The Basket Tips for Making the Frugal Basket Look Fabulous It’s all about
creating high perceived value with low cost methods. That’s what the
best of Pressuring
creativity, many gift basket designers have discovered quite a
storehouse of resourceful tips Enjoy these and then
write to GBR to share some of YOUR tips! A budget’ basket
may not be what you think. It’s not necessarily a $15 basket packed
with cheap components. Often a budget basket is a $45 or even a $75
basket filled with choice components but designed to appear much larger
and more expensive, with more value for the money than its normal
counterpart. A ‘budget’ basket can be defined as a basket that gives
ultimate value for the money. This type of basket stretches the dollar
as far as it can go — just before the ripping point, if you can think
of it that way. A budget basket is going to be designed to give the
ultimate in high-perceived value with the highest possible degree of
quality components, and created with the smallest amount of labor and
supplies. In every area of design and product selection, the designer
must be astute at applying her most resourceful thinking and planning
skills in order to bring about the desired goal of giving ultimate value
for the money. As you will see,
‘budget’ doesn’t necessarily mean always foregoing using wired
ribbon or a lavish bow. Nor does ‘budget’ mean giving up the best in
cello or fashion enhancements. And, of course, ‘budget’ does not
mean sacrificing the total quality of merchandise in the basket. More
than anything, creating a ‘budget’ basket means learning how to
blend levels of merchandise together to create a basket that presents
ultimate value for the money. What the Client
Wants Before you can
create a complete picture of what ‘value’ will look like, you must
first understand what ‘value’ means to your client. Maggie Penix,
owner of A Special Gift for You in Virginia Beach, VA says, “I like to
find out what my client wants, if they want a ‘wow!’, or if they
want a ‘Isn’t it nice to be thought of’, and I go from there.”
Value, for some clients, could mean getting a four-foot tall hamper
packed with just a few gifts that costs only $75 but it has the look of
a $300 or $400 basket when it’s cello wrapped with a huge bow. And
giving them an ultimate full value ‘wow!’ presentation on their
budget of $75 would be extremely pleasing. To another client, a simple
‘thinking of you’ gift might be adequately represented with a $10
tin of cookies. Curving a presentation to the client’s budget means
fully grasping their needs and their concept of value. Some clients or
customers call and just directly ask about price as their first
question, as LeAnn McGuinness of A Sterling Basket in Kissimmee, FL
confirms. Says McGuinness, “Most people ask, ‘How much will it cost
me?’ I respond to them, ‘How much do you want to spend?’
I customize everything.” McGuinness
has no problem keeping on budget by working one-on-one with customers.
But her overall business plan is to keep her business to a managed
volume level so she can keep it more on a personal level. It’s
what’s important to her. McGuinness shines, “I give everything an
extra touch. Customers have to say to themselves, ‘If I go somewhere
else I have to pay a lot for this (extra touch). But that little extra
touch doesn’t take me a lot of time and it could produce a lot of
extra business for me.” What YOU
W McGuinness has the
formula right. She knows what she wants and she gets budget baskets on
the best course for her and her business from the start. Unfortunately,
some gift basket business owners get entangled in the trap of the budget
basket, letting the word ‘budget’ throw them off course from their
own goal of making a profit. Penix keeps a clear head and sticks to the
course, saying, “I have to keep a 2.5 mark up. And Penix doesn’t let
‘budget’ intimidate her, either. When she goes on a sales call she
often takes a basket that is a little higher than the budget the client
has given her. Gail Southern is
another on-course gift basket business owner. Although she knows her way
around budget baskets and has plenty of tips, she’s grounded on the
principle of keeping her pricing formula - double the wholesale plus 20%
for labor - unwavering. Deborah Evans agrees with both Penix and
Southern. Regardless of the strategy she uses to meet budgets for
baskets, she keeps her pricing formula of 2.5% firm. The Search for
Pro After Penix has
discerned what her client wants, then her search for products begin. She
laughingly says, “I have one of these garbage brains. I remember
everything. I know what everything is going to cost. So I try to help
the client select the product and lead them in the right direction so
they understand what they’re going to be getting for that price.”
Penix says her company really understands budgets. That’s why
they’re so careful about the products they select. She continues,
“We try to keep the customer happy for the budget they have. We look
for products in larger sizes for the price. One client likes to give
gifts on Valentines’ Day instead of Christmas. We know her budget. I
look for things that make the basket look full. Why should I put two
candy bars in the basket when I could put in four cookies that are
bigger and will take up more room for the same price?” A lot of designers
like to focus on one large spotlight product of superior quality, and
then fill in with smaller components around that item. Southern begins
her search for products by focusing first on choosing one great standout
item, or a couple of ‘premium’ products. Then, says Southern, “I
fill in with smaller products. Southern also uses fruit to keep costs
down on budget baskets. McGuinness says she doesn’t use a lot of
inexpensive things. Apparently all her merchandise is top-notch. But she
does say she chooses one good quality product and then mixes it with
several average products. Evans says, “I use inexpensive larger
products so it makes the basket look bigger.” She also says she tends
to focus more on product than the container. And there are many
other ways to use product selection to build better-perceived value. One
method is to select tall inexpensive items to fill the back space.
Products like boxed chocolate, fudge, prepacked coffees, books, boxed
popcorn, tall tins of popcorn or pretzels, boxes of cookies and other
like items all fill the bill. Bulky fillers can be
used, too, like popcorn, boxes of cookies, pretzels, boxes of crackers,
photo frames, books, photo albums, bath puffs, and other similar sized
products. These fillers often look great on the side of the basket
filling in the entire space. Even bulky premium
or spotlight products for the central focus of the basket will cause the
basket to look full and cut down on products. Think in terms of items
like tins of cookies, nuts, cheese straws, Chinese take-out containers
filled with cookies, cake mix, and other goodies, decorative boxes of
chocolates, wire containers of tea, cookies and other products, and
enhanced boxes of all kinds of products. Another strategy to
use in selecting products to achieve maximized high-perceived value is
to follow a formula, such as the 30/30/40 rule. Using this rule, 30% of
the product is high-end merchandise, 30% is low end, and 40% is average,
middle-of-the-road priced merchandise. The mix pulls off an amazing
perception — if carefully selected — that the entire contents of the
basket are upper end — and therefore more expensive, yet the 30% of
low cost merchandise pulls the cost down, and the 40% of the average
priced merchandise keeps it steady. Use the allotted 30% budget on the
high end to choose tall, bulky, focus merchandise. Invest in a product
or products that overshadow all the other products in the basket. Use
the 30% low end for trays to achieve height in the back, or closeout
frame or inexpensive box of cookies to fill the back. Use the 40% for
fillers to go around the focus product. Some designers use a 20/20/60
rule. To achieve more bulk
in the basket, consider wrapping some of the products in coordinating
decorative papers and cello. Not only will the decorative touch enhance
the basket, but the fluff of tissues and cellophanes at the neck of
products will fill space. Selecting
Containe What do designers
select to put their products in when clients or customers say
‘budget’? Deborah
Evans, who has a British background, has one of the most resourceful
ideas on budget containers. She makes a party cracker, a Bristish notion
gaining popular appeal in America. Evans does a large version of the
cracker and as she says, “The container is cheap; you can get more in
there.” (To see a party cracker, turn to page 32). Other than the
crackers, Evans usually turns to boxes for containers when it’s a
budget basket, if she uses a container at all. Says Evans, “I usually
offer a containerless stack because offices say employees fight over who
gets the container.” Southern
often turns to boxes or trays for budget presentations. She likes the
look and the costs are nominal. Designers also offer
other tips such as selecting baskets or boxes with high fronts. By doing
this, you automatically achieve height, since you begin packing at the
rim of the basket. All this extra height adds up to more perceived
value. Another method
employed by designers is selecting baskets or boxes that are narrow at
the handle opening instead of wide. When the basket opening is narrow,
that gives less depth of field to fill with product, and that means less
cost. If the basket has a high front, a somewhat narrow opening and a
reasonably tall handle, it can be the ideal basket for achieving
high-perceived value. Of course, don’t
overlook the simplicity of choosing low-cost baskets. Many can be
dressed up with a wedge of tissue paper folded and hanging outside the
rim of the basket, or too-hot colors can be lulled with a quick rub-over
of shoe polish or a sponge of paint. Selecting a high
handled basket, then inserting a covered cardboard backing in the basket
is another way to achieve height and better-perceived value. With this
method, lightweight items such as coffee and cocoa can be attached to
the cardboard, giving the appearance of products being packed up to the
top of the handle of the basket. Rectangular box
bottoms are marketed as low cost containers, along with deli trays and
cardboard cake supports. These, along with trays, can be excellent
low-cost containers. Other inexpensive flat items work well, too. Often,
simply using a box of chocolates for a base is an excellent way to
provide a no-cost base and add value to a stack of gourmet treats. Enhancements How creatively
enhancements are used often dictates the appeal of the presentation and
thus, much of the perceived value. McGuinness believes wholeheartedly in
enhancements, affirming, “Presentation is what they see first.” She
does a lot to put on the “extra touch”, from stamping the ribbon to
using the wrap on a basket creatively. Putting on an extra
touch doesn’t have to be expensive. When Penix did baskets for one
client with a set budget she chose to be creative with patterned cello.
“We tried to dress it up and used shoestring bow with raffia. It gave
the illusion that there was a lot more string. And we used lots of
gold.” And it’s not just
baskets themselves that are on a budget. Southern has plenty of tips for
keeping enhancements on a budget. “I put a cello fan under plain
ribbon. It makes it have more perceived value,” she shares. “I pick
tissue paper (put tissue on picks) and cello — solid cello — and put
it in baskets,” she adds. Southern also passes along the tip that ivy
goes a long way when you’re stretching a budget. Another tip
designers share involves layering shred. After placing a base layer of
shred, sprinkle on a sparse layer of gold or contrast color. Perhaps
even two or three. The effect closes in the space on the basket and
makes it look fuller and richer. Confetti will do the same trick. Other low-cost
accents designers have used to enhance business baskets are play money
and fluffs of newsprint from the financial section. These are treated
just like tissue paper. For kids, teens and birthday baskets, colorful
cartoons are great. For a few final
tips, putting fluffy bows INSIDE baskets cuts down the amount of
products needed to fill the baskets and, as a bonus, the bow can be
shrink-wrapped for shipping there, too. Using bulky enhancements like
large pinecones or inexpensive balls, bells, candles, napkins, etc, in
the basket fills space and serves as a decorative element, too.
Attaching a fan of cello or tissue to the top of a basket adds more
perceived value and cuts down on the need to use expensive wired bows. Regardless of how you creatively cut the budget on a basket, the most important element to remember is that you must understand what the customer wants. Interpreting what the customer perceives as value is your mission as your first step in designing a budget basket. Beyond client wishes, your resourcefulness in product selection and enhancement techniques will complete the picture of ultimate gift basket value.
Designed by LeAnn
McGuinness, The Basket Case, Orlando, FL Designer LeAnn
McGuinness ratchets up the “budget” look to radiantly beautiful in
this Elegant Gourmet
Designed by Deborah Evans, Sealed With A Bow, Melbourne, FL If you’ve got to cut the budget, where does the ax fall? For some, the container gets cut as the client opts for more food stacked instead of packed. As designer Deborah Evans illustrates in this Chocolate Snack Stack, quality and value can still be built one on another with style and status at the top of the pyramid. The suggested retail cost of this stack is $33.95.
Designed by LeAnn McGuinness,The Basket Case, Orlando, FL Trays are popular containers when budgets are a challenge; not just because trays are inexpensive, but because with the right products, trays can appear to serve up a generous helping of gifts when the actual presentation may only be a handful — too few to fill a basket. Combined with cello wrap for additional height, a tray can serve up a powerful visual impact, as seen in this design named Outside Gourmet by LeAnn McGuinness.
Designed by Deborah Evans, Sealed With A Bow, Melbourne, FL Designer Deborah Evans rises to the budgetary challenge and presents an offbeat solution: the party cracker. Popular in Britain, Evans, with a British background, has brought it to the U.S., now wholesaling the small cracker shown here. Evans says its amazing how much you can pack into a cracker like this Thanks A Million Cracker that retails for $34.99. The cracker certainly would be a time saver when it comes to arranging products! And that’s a budgetary consideration.
Designed by Deborah Evans, Sealed With A Bow, Melbourne, FL Designer Deborah Evans already has half her supplies assembled when she pulls out the Thank You Latte Cup prepacked with cocoa, tea, and coffee. All she has to do is add a couple more packs of cocoa and a pair of chocolate spoons. Tie on a bow and — GO! There’s no talk of labor shortages, wage hikes and high salary demands when this is your primo offering to clients. It doesn’t take a lot of expensive training to assemble a team to pack thousands of this design. Plus, it saves inventory space and additional tracking. Instead of keeping up with and storing separate cases of mugs, cocoa, tea and coffee, you have one shipment to track and one inventory piece to store. That’s a time and money saver! Evan’s suggested retail price on the design is $26.99.
Designed by Deborah Evans, Sealed With A Bow, Melbourne, FL Americans love new ideas! They love to be the first to spot something new; the first to tell their friends about it; and the first to order it. Combine this inclination with a new gift idea and the formula of ‘creativity plus low-cost material equals profit’ and you’ve got a business soaring on wings of almost uncontrollable growth. This is what you could have if you take Deborah Evans’ idea of the Get Well Tea Bouquet. It is a sweet arrangement of candy and tea packets on stems arranged in a teapot with ivy. If you can wholesale it, the hospital gift shops will love it! And you’ll have very little invested in it in materials. Just watch the labor. It can be time-consuming to make. Evans suggested retail is $34.99.
Remember the commercial where the announcer would say, “If you want to get his attention, whisper.” Apply that wisdom occasionally to a budget gift basket. Often we think of loud colors when the word ‘budget’ arises, as if we must compensate for price by shouting color above the disgrace of discount. But refinement can be applied to the palette, drawing awed and whispered attention to the subdued design. The dignity of the restrained color can elevate the perceived value.
Heighten Value With A Keepsake Container Knock out the labor and serve up a beautiful dish of sentiments in a keepsake bowl. Few products are needed, yet the gift has a strong perceived value.
Designed by LeAnn McGuinness, The Basket Case, Orlando, FL It works with gold and other metallics too. Like them, silver shimmers to superlative status to earn substantially stronger perceived value than non-metallic counterparts. In other words, in many cases an appropriately chosen silver or gold bow on a basket will cause a person to value that basket more than a similar basket adorned with a plain white bow. Designer LeAnn McGuinness achieves a superior high-perceived value with this Sterling Gourmet basket by bringing the base and the top together in a metallic theme.
Designed by LeAnn McGuinness, The Basket Case, Orlando, FL Budget baskets are all linked by one common quest: to achieve better-perceived value. This is most often accomplished by building height. In a pure product stack up like this South of the Border Gourmet, designer LeAnn McGuinness succeeds marvelously in stacking her products to reach for the sky. The mechanics of a product stack-up depend entirely on product selection, choosing products from large for the base to consecutively smaller and lighter for the upper tiers. Choose Products For Height, Bulk, and Filler To use products most efficiently in filling baskets, choose products deliberately for height, bulk, and filler, or use products in such a way as to make them work for those purpose. Crackers are selected for height, sparkling cider is selected for bulk (turned on its side to serve for bulk) and cheese is picked for filler. The smallest amount of products are used to make the basket look as full as possible. This will save money on inventory and allow you to keep the budget cut closer for clients who wish to spend less on a basket. A double layer of shred fills in the empty spaces. Cello Wraps Build Value Beautiful patterned cellophanes can add drama and value to a basket, virtually eliminating the need for additional enhancements. |
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It Doesn’t Have to
Look “Budget”
Stacks Can Build Quality and Value
Trays Serve It Simple
Originality Solves Budgetary Problems
Prepacks Cut Inventory Woes
Creativity Plus Low-Cost Material Equals Profit
Astound With Understated Color
Achieve Superb Perceived Value With Silver
Stack It High For Height