About You and Me
This website is is all about helping YOU start and grow your business to success. That’s why it’s called the Success Express!
You are here to learn and I am here to help. I spent the last 30 years creating and building my own gift business. You can see it at ShopCreativeGifts That wasn't my first business, however. I've published a statewide newspaper and was a multi-million dollar Realtor. So I know a bit about marketing and growing a business.
All too often, new business owners come on strong when they start. They spend lots of time and money telling people all about their new venture. But then they run out of ideas and slow down. They sit by the phone waiting for it to ring, all the while wondering why people have forgotten about them.
Getting people to pay attention to your business takes more than money. Yes, it takes even more than time.
It takes a willingness to think past the obvious and explore the unique and different.
We pride ourselves on being creative with our products.
We must be equally creative with our marketing.
Standing out in a sea of businesses boasting similar offerings can be difficult, which is why entrepreneurs need to strive to differentiate themselves and their products or services from the competition.
If you are in the planning or beginning stages, then begin reading about how to start a gift basket business and then return here for more information, ideas, and tips.
All About Starting and Growing Your Gift Business
But for those of you who already have one, you’ll find lots of creative ideas about the gift basket industry and marketing by reading the following articles.
Adapt or Die?
The world is changing rapidly. I saw a program on PBS last night about Henry Ford and it made me think of today and our own industry. He built the …
How Valuable is a Dollar?
A few short years ago, we saw our financial world crumble as it became all too easy to trade integrity and honesty for millions of dollars in the banking and housing industries. …
It’s the Mistakes You Make!
I heard on public radio a few days ago that defaults on SBA guaranteed loans to franchisees rose more than 50% last year. One in 10 franchises closed their doors. Many businesses …
What did you learn today that you didn’t know yesterday?
Ask yourself this question tonight: What did you learn today that you didn’t know yesterday? If you can come up with an answer, you are on your way to being …
What It Takes to Build a Successful Entrepreneur!
It has been said that it takes a village to grow a child. The same can be said for us. No man (and no business owner) is an island. It …
The Rear View Mirror
“In the business world, the rear view mirror is always cleaner than the windshield.” Warren Buffet As we grow our business, there are mixed emotions when we look back. We’ve …
The value of follow-up
I was at a networking event a few months ago. One of the entrepreneurs has recently started a new company that makes soaps, lotions, etc. Now, as most of you …
Looking for Free Software?
It has been said that you get what you pay for. But there are times when people have paid a lot of money for software and then suddenly it is …
Life Happens
In the movie, Forrest Gump was running, running through downtown Flagstaff (my town) when he stepped into a pile of ? His response was “Sh** happens!” as he didn’t even …
They’re trying to fool us
We’ve all seen those cute little heart-shaped boxes of chocolates that cost $1 or so each around Valentine’s Day. It’s attractive and not a bad size at all. I suspect …
Join Me in “The Year of Doing!”
Good golly, Miss Molly, it’s already the 6th of January and I still have to get my plans for the New Year in writing and to get them into motion. …
My late night visitor
I know it’s a couple days after Christmas and you’re probably exhausted from making, delivering, and shipping all those holiday gift baskets (I am too!) but I HAVE to tell …
So we weren’t green back then?
Since many of you who read this blog are from my generation (and this lady’s generation), I felt that you would enjoy reading this “oh, so true” post that a …
Have a desire to learn? Seek and ye shall find!
If you really have a desire to learn, there are all kinds of resources out there just waiting for you to find them. There are three that you might check …
Keeping Your Business Going When Life Gets In the Way
“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon Life happens and sometimes it can throw up unwanted and unexpected challenges. Regardless …
Christmas Magic
This is an article that is more personal than business and was written by me in 2005 but it is as appropriate today as it was then: When is Christmas? …
Finding Niches for Your Gift Business
When I started out in the gift basket business, I had no clue there were actual niches in the gift basket business. I thought you either sold gift baskets, or …
Why do customers wave good-bye?
Most businesses accept loss of customers as a fact of life — a cost of doing business. But it costs much more to obtain a new customer than to keep …
Concerned about your customer’s budget?
One of the most valuable things that I have learned through the years is to study what other industries are doing and see how their successes can be applied to …
Why you really need a blog as part of your SEO plan
If you’ve ever wondered why you should have a blog, Karen Clark of My Business Presence answers this question as well as how often you should blog. Blogging does much …
Handwritten Notes can make a difference.
What makes you, as a customer, feel more special — an email thanking you for your business or a handwritten note. Even though we, subconsciously know that most of the …
Customers and Spiders
Those of you who know me know that I’m somewhat of a workaholic. Not at housework! Heaven forbid! But at growing my business. Yesterday was no different. I was sitting …
Are you using Email Marketing to Grow Your Business?
Are you using email to grow your business? It not, why not? It is one of the fastest ways to get information out to your customers. Remind them of an …
More about Branding “YOU”
In my last post about Branding, I talked about the secret of Branding that most people forget — You are your Brand. Be Yourself. Another example of someone who did …
The Secret You Need to Know about Branding Your Business.
I have never been an out-going, party-loving person. I’m basically an introvert who enjoys working alone and wants to do what is ethical and right regardless of the consequences. You …
Do You Use Pinterest and Should You?
We’re hearing a lot about the new social media sharing site — Pinterest. But a new survey of 4,851 U.S. online shopping consumers, conducted earlier this month by online shopping site …
Do you forget the most important thing?
One of my favorite bloggers is copyblogger. In one of his recent posts, he wrote something that all of us who sell things, whether it be services or products, should …
Did you find your Pot of Gold?
Like the wee leprechauns of Irish lore, we, as small business owners, seem to be constantly searching for that “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow. But, no …
Facebook Timeline for Business Pages – Are you ready?
Now that you’ve created your business page on Facebook, they’re in the process of changing it. And the changes are big ones. Just like your personal page, your business page …
Don’t Let the Blind Lead You Blind! Alice Seba says it well.
Alice Seba is someone that has been a leader in internet marketing for many years. She recently wrote this blog post that is right on target. Don’t Let the Blind …
It’s a matter of cause and effect
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill I received an email recently from a member of our …
New Rules regarding 1099-Misc IRS Tax Forms
There is going to be a lot of confusion this year with those 1099 forms for miscellaneous payments. The rules have changed. The new rule says that if your customer …
What does Groundhog Day teach us about business?
Remember the movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray wakes up each day to repeat the same day over and over again. No matter what he does, he can’t make any significant …
Buried Alive
When my kids were growing up and I was staying busy with City Council meetings, volunteer activities for kids and community, as well as all the other daily things to …
Is it time to look at change for your business?
I’ve been watching this little guy for the past three years. He lives in our woodpile and ventures out to sun himself on a warm day, to eat, but most …
One of the Secrets of Business Success
I received the following email the other day from a customer that I have been working with to send customized gifts each month to her college nephew. ” Joyce, You …