Send gifts with a storyline.

Story-Telling

Have you found that people are taking ‘buy local,’ seriously?

As the owner of a gift-giving company, Bear Town Baskets, I am finding that my customers want to know where their clothes, furniture and most importantly especially where their food comes from. It truly matters if it’s from their community or China.  Most folks want to send gifts that tell stories too, especially in an age when so few gifts are store bought, artificial and don’t tell authentic stories. A product with a ‘Made in China’ label is no longer in vogue.

Seeking Authentic

Gift Basket makers are finding out that anything that hints of the hand-made, artisan, creative design, is what people are looking for. People are responding much more authentic, design as opposed to ‘Made In China’ products. It’s clearly a time to make genuine connections with the folks in our lives. Vintage, ethnic, Victorian-inspired, homespun and maybe even groovy-fare is also the trend. Anything artisan – look, taste, anything that’s handmade or even gives the appearance of being handmade. I really prefer, things that have age and character.They want their friends and family to read  a novel they are sure they’d enjoy, while they are sipping a cup of tea that they’ve send them or by candlelight made by the local candle maker.

A Renaissance

In a big way, this is a can be described as a reawakening, a rebirth, a renaissance of what was old is new again. You don’t have to spend that much to get the perfect gift, who selected a number of artisan and particular objects at more accessible prices. As described in a New York Times article explained that gifts need to be meaningful. “Margaret Visser states in ‘The Gift of Thanks’ — that gift-giving, like most rituals, is a form of social glue. And the strength of that adhesive is in direct proportion to the amount of energy and effort the giver has expended, or appears to have expended.” Consumers want to know that the things they purchase are being made by someone in their community and they want to know the story of the person making the gifts.

Trends in Gifting

They also are trending toward wanting their gifts to be particularly special and the gifts are distinctive and in some way special to whomever they are sending it. Ms. Visser even suggests that criticizing the commercialism of the season is an important part of the ritual.

However, we eed to show that our struggles with finding the right gift and complaints about creating gifts have manifestly cost us trouble she writes. “We may not actually have made them, but everyone is aware — our own grumbling making sure it is understood — that work, freely undertaken, went into their acquisition.” ”

The End of Cold Calling – Use Pop-By Gifts.

What are Drop-By or Pop-by gifts?

Try walking in with a little gift that lets them know they’re appreciated. The gifts are intended to deepen your relationship and provide an opportunity to connect.

It means the end of cold calling, as you know it!

Most people add a catchy line with the gift to make it fun, memorable, and ultimately for inexpensive marketing purposes to promote their business.

They can become a favorite part of your business.

Each is done by hand, customized to the clients requirements.

These gifts, when customized, can include your name, company info and phone # with a quirkily, memorable tagline such as ‘Just Popping By to Say Hi’

Gift Basket Villas creates these are beautiful little gifts to be given to clients to create, maintain and grow relationships. There is no longer need for cold calling. These gifts ensure you’re are a welcomed sight.

 

 

Meet the Bear Town Basket Owners

MEET THE OWNERS

Gerry and I accidentally found New Bern, NC and will be here for the rest of our lives.  We were looking for a quaint town where we could dock our sailboat. I had left the big city, New York that is and then Raleigh and was looking for a charming downtown – umbrellas, cafes, everything with walking distance. We lucked out and have moved our little mom and pop gift-giving business to Fairfield Harbour – New Bern NC.

We’re committed to creating customized and personalized gifts that will help businesses grow through gift-giving and to stand out from the crowd whatever your requirement – we design with your taste in mind and work within your budgets and create gifts and baskets for corporate gifting programs as well as for birthdays, picnic, anniversaries or chocolates and a wide array of luxury gifts that are guaranteed to fit the bill, without breaking the bank.

All of our corporate gifts are exquisite and hand-finished, adorned with a hand-tied ribbons and can be personalized with the gift message of your choice.

We are a part of the local community and want to be A NAME YOU CAN TRUST with a reputation for excellence, FH Gifts n Baskets is your one-stop for deluxe food baskets and premium gifts to suit any sentiment.

Custom Designed Gifts
​Corporate & Personalized Gifting Like You’ve Never Seen Before

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITYWe know that when you send a gift, it reflects both you and your relationship with the recipient. We treat every aspect with the utmost care – from content through design and presentation.

Our experienced buyers have sourced classic products from trusted brands, while scouring speciality sources for new and exciting treats to stimulate your appetite. Additionally, we select only the finest foods to comprise our luxury gifts, allowing you to shop with confidence whatever the occasion.

We ensure that our products are distinctive, ensuring the utmost in quality at a price that’s hard to beat.

There’s my Gerry!

BearTown Baskets, New Bern

BearTown Baskets.com – New Bern, NC creates personalized and customized gifts and gift baskets. We work with marketing managers, realtors, insurance companies, hotels, small and large businesses owners to implement a gift-giving programs for customers retention, new customers and referrals. No budget is too small – we work within your budget. Ask us about our popular client-touch, drop-by and pop-by gifts, at minimal cost can lead to amazing results.
https://www.beartownbaskets.com/

BearTown Baskets Christmas Gift Baskets 101

You can be as creative and innovative with gourmet Christmas gift baskets. Vary the contents, packaging, bows, colors of baskets items for your family, friends, colleagues, clients and so many people in your lives. There are  theme basket for friends who like ethnic foods like italian, Mexican, Indian and of course American-style. Simple ideas include coffee gift baskets, chocolate gourmet baskets, traditionalChristmas baskets and a lot more. However, why not step it up a notch and send something that is personal to them. Do you know someone who just got married in Hawaii – send some awesome Hawaiian coffee and Macadamia nuts in their basket, along with a framed photo from their FB page, to help them remember their trip.
.Use alternate types of containers – planters, wood boxes,  ice buckets make great containers and you can include gourmet nut products, chocolates and delicious cookies, especially if  you know the types of snacks or create a beautiful wine basket with a great bottle of wine that you’d like them to try or one you know they love. There are endless ideas when it comes to making up Christmas gift gourmet baskets.

Cheese baskets are a great option if you know the recipient loves cheeses. A gourmet basket which contains about  various cheese from around the world or different types, with gourmet crackers, a bottle wine and  maybe even making it even more extraordinary by adding a and cutting board, small knife or a couple wine glasses.

They are easy to prepare and affordable. In the event that you locate you don’t possess the time to help make the basket gifts up yourself, simply store online and purchase coming from one of the some websites that provide gift baskets.

Corporate Gift Baskets – Christmas Gift Ideas

Many businesses send their employees or customers Christmas or other holiday gift baskets.

This is an easy way to remain top of mind and a good method sense of such gift bas

ket is actually to market their own company, give thanks to consumers for their own business, create and maintain the

client-business relationships. In case you are in change of planning the gift baskets. Personalized business Christmas gift baskets could be

made with a firm’s logo, marketing materials and customized ribbons.

Gifting Programs for Your Business

Marketing

Beartown Baskets is in the business of creating gifts for businesses to keep in front of their client’s minds. Remember, your clients don’t get up every morning thinking about you. Every once in a while you need to contact them so they know you’re still around and appreciate their business or their referral.

The lack of client gift-giving plan may be the one fundamental flaw in marketing your business, especially small businesses. A small investment nay potentially and exponentially outweigh the initial investment. Take for example a small gift that is given to a potential client that could result in thousands of dollars in income. This is the art of appreciation and go a long way in building relationships and customer loyalty.

This is not generally used only during the holiday season but giving gifts can benefit your business throughout the year. Let’s explore the gift-giving principle.

Why give gifts?

Of course it’s because everyone loves to receive gifts. Gifting branded token items to your potential customers, new clients, vendors and not forgetting your present customers is a great way to highlight your business’s identity and values, to stay in front of your customers. Remember, they do not get up every morning thinking about you.

What does a gift do?

It’s meant to reflect your brand, your company values, personality and shows a level of generosity and implies that you care about individual relationships.  Your customers and vendors will recognize the significance of these factors in creating long-standing relationships with a business. This art of appreciation and small act of kindness has major ramifications on your brand perception, the likelihood of these customers returning, repeat business and they’ll tell it to everyone, resulting in increased referrals.

This is not just a nice to do, it also helps you with cold calling, gives you a reason to reach out to your customer base without asking anything. It is an easy way to reconnect with people who you haven’t been in regular contact and does not come across as a sales pitch.

Typically, the gift can be less than $5 each. You can write off the expense and it can help create goodwill with your customers without having to develop an expensive marketing plan.

 

Gift Basket – Business Gifting Trends

Gifting

Beartown baskets is located in New Bern NC. We assist businesses create gifting programs. The gifting industry has a few distinct segments including all-occasion gifts/baskets for individuals, and customized gifts for businesses. Business gifts are well  known as corporate gifts. An example is our

Individuals typically buy baskets when they need reach out to family and friends. Most of these sales occur during holidays or are sympathy gifts. Corporations on the other hand, create marketing plans which may include gifts such as baskets as presents as well related to the holidays to keep in front of their customers. They also use them for marketing & sales to targeted customers.

There are many different “gift basket” or gourmet baskets, with custom options at reasonable prices, which may be more cost effective and leave lasting impressions.

These groups can be divided into:

1. Individuals- The individuals are people who are looking to give a friend, relative, colleague, etc., a gift basket as a gesture. Fairly straightforward.
   
2. Corporate gifting service – These are typically utilized as tokens of appreciation, for special events, a thank you for a customer and can include banks, health care, real estate, apartments, concierge at hotels, used at special events/promotions, corporate headquarters, vacation resorts members, and auto dealerships. There are numerous industries and customer reach options.

Bear Town Baskets moves to New Bern, NC.

Small Business Owner finds Quaint Town in NC

As a small business owner of Gift Basket Villas (now renamed BearTown Baskets to better reflect this beautiful town we’ve discovered and made our home) I was on a quest to find a quaint little town to grow some roots. I wasn’t sure it was something I could find and not really sure my gift basket business would thrive outside of a large city, but it was worth a try.

There are over 50 bears in New Bern and is one of the reasons visitors flock to New Bern. These hand-painted bear designs are on life-size  bears. These bears, in historic downtown are decorated with absolutely gorgeous colors, artistic designs, hats, flags, flowers and each bear is uniquely designed. Check out Visit New Bern for details.

I was pleasantly surprised when to find the quaintest, hidden gem of a town,  New Bern, NC. Most people seem to have heard of it as a town on the way to the beaches, but for whatever the reason, it still appears to be a well kept secret.  This small town appears to be growing in leaps and bounds. But, shhh don’t tell anyone our secret!

It seems that a small percentage of natives still live here, however a lot of the folks I’ve met seem to have moved from elsewhere and lots of outsiders are moving in. This is evident in my encounters and I feel an embracing of diversity, new and different cultures and ideas.

New Bern is a charming little town. 

The streets are lined with gold…leaves that is, from the Ginkgo Biloba tree, in  downtown New Bern.

With the summer and humidity, New Bern may not be for everyone but I’ve decided it is where I am going to live the rest of my life. I have found the most beautiful area to live in and am not sure how this accident came about that I found it.

Gift Baskets in the Harbour

Keep an eye out for other articles about the evolution of experience as a small business owner in a small town and BearTown Baskets. I am very excited about this part of my adventure. I’ll keep you posted.

A must see and taste – Cow Cafe ice-cream. My favorite is Mooberry.

Read more about New Bern, NC:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/coastal-north-carolina/69588-thoughts-new-bern-nc-22.html#ixzz3sQE9jqrG

http://www.bestplaces.net/city/north_carolina/new_bern