Customer Reviews

How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, 4th (Home-Based Business Series)

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Many aspiring gift basket designers have the creativity, but need the business startup help, design instruction and marketing strategies Shirley George Frazier so generously shares in How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business. Beginning with telling business owners how to identify their target market, she moves to all the tools and considerations required for success.

More than just exposition, every chapter gives easy-to-follow samples of key documents such as a business plan, credit reference sheet, sales invoice, purchase order or forms and checklists. Even seasoned gift basket business owners will find ideas and forms they can use. The guide to creating a news release, for example, is a vital aid to promoting business.

After 16 years in the gift industry, I have fielded thousands of questions from newcomers and veterans. Amazingly, every frequently asked question is answered here: Do I need insurance? How do I price my basket? What's the best way to organize inventory? What do I need to know before setting up a website? How do I get credit? How do I pack a box for shipping? What type of accounting do I need to have in place? Can I put wine in my baskets? How do I get set up to accept credit cards?

There are three features that elevate Frazier's book above the level of her competitors.

First, the detailed step-by-step drawings showing not only how to construct a gift basket from scratch, but how to wrap the basket and make changes.

Second, the list of gift basket product ideas; contact information for associations, organizations and trade shows; and a wealth of links to websites in side bars throughout the chapters.

Third, the quotes from experienced gift basket designers sprinkled throughout giving authenticity to critical aspects of the business.

Although targeted at the home-based business owner, How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business offers essential information for hobbyists, beginners, veterans, and retailers as well.

This book gives a good solid overview of the gift basket industry. It is not really a gift-basket construction or design book. (If you have never made a gift basket, or aren't really sure how to construct a basket properly, I'd recommend her other book "The Gift Basket Design Book." For design ideas and alternative construction ideas, I'd recommend "Bountiful Baskets" by Sara Toliver.) This book, though, quickly addresses pretty much everything you'd need to know to get started in business. My favorite parts were where quotes from other gift-basket owners appeared. I wish there had been more of those.

This is the second book I've read written by Shirley George Frazier. I've wasted a lot of money and time on information and research. If I would have bought this book 4 months ago, I would have spent far less money. This book is information packed. She has done everything for you. This book has everything from start-up to marketing and promotion. The only thing you have to do is implement what's there. I've said it, and I'll say it again, this lady is brilliant. This book should be apart of every home-based gift basket business. If you haven't read it, you are doing yourself and your business an injustice.

If you are a current or aspiring home based business owner then you need to get acquainted with this author. Shirley Frazier Jones is one of the top 10%, one of the elite that can make it happen. With home based business on the rise, many entrepreneurs do not know where to start. If you want to learn about the gift basket business then read this book. I've had the pleasure of meeting Shirley and can tell you that she is both passionate and knowledgeable. Shirley knows what it takes. Read this book, follow the authors advice and you'll be well on your way.

This book is very helpful for those thinking about starting a home-based gift basket business. It includes information about every aspect of running your own business. It also contains many useful forms and checklists to make sure you don't leave anything out. Shirley is encouraging and makes it exciting to think about starting your own business. I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking about starting a gift basket business or other similar businesses.

This is a great " simple and basic book, covering all you need to start this type of business. Some day I will put what I learned from it into play. I recommend it and the author's other ideas and products.

I am in the process of starting my own gift basket business and this book was a logical choice. It has answered the majority of my questions and even addressed a few things that I hadn't thought of. It's organized well and has a checklist at the end of every chapter as a summary of things to accomplish that are relevant to that chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn the ins and outs of the gift basket business.

Good day,

I was looking into starting my own home based basket company. And this book was very informative. From how to find clients to how to manage your time. It is a great book for anyone thinking of starting into this business and even has tips of how to organize yourself wether its part time or full time.

Thanks again!

I found this book to be very helpful. I am in the beginning stages of starting a Home Based Gift Basket Business and this book really opened my eyes to all the energy that goes into opening a successful business. I have another book by her and it is just as informative.

I really enjoyed this book. Ms. George-Frazier provided a jump start for creating and running a sucessful home-based gift basket business. I found that the contents contained all the needed steps for starting this home-based business. The author communicated her information in an encouraging, "best friend" manner, guiding the reader in a step-by-step process: the creation of business plans, the profit factor, financial resources (startup), product and supply contacts, industry fairs, networking, marketing for consumers, extending marketing base -- this book is useful and informative. Plus, I was really impressed that it was a great follow-up to a prior purchase on gift basket-making--also by the same author. The only drawback seemed to be in small amount of color display featured. This, however, did not diminish any of the great information the book itself provided. I look forward to collecting more books by Ms. Shirley George-Frazier.