Gold Coast Gift Boxes and Hampers

Being a Small Business Owner

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 03:51:00 GMT

Being a business owner is like being on a roller coaster. You experience many highs and lows; one minute you feel on top of the world, invincible and able to keep going for ever and the next you feel as if you are drowning in an endless list of things to do and wonder why you keep going.

This happens to all of us regardless of the size of the business. However, there are things that you can do to ensure that you do not fall into a well of despair when the low times hit you. First of all we need to remember that there will be always be "slow" times and that these will not last forever. These "slow" times may be due to a sale by a competitor or by the current economic climate. During these times, stay focused and don't give up.

Look at your marketing and determine what you can do to increase sales and turn the "low" time into a "high" time. This could be something as simple as sending out an email to your existing data base, offering a special deal for a short period of time. Or, for those people with a bit more time, run a free webinar or make a short video showcasing what you do and post it on youtube.

When things are not going as well as anticipated, there can be a tendency to hibernate until matters improve. This is a big mistake as it is during these tough times that we need other people the most. Whether you reach out to a mentor, pose a question on a social media platform, talk to your suppliers about trends they may have noticed or have a cup of coffee with a trusted few, interaction with others is a must.

Research what your competitor's are doing and learn from this research. This is a practise that is worth doing regularly, not just during a downturn in business.

Whatever you choose to do during those "low" moments in your business life, remember one thing; Don't give up, persevere and have patience!

What do I give them?

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 03:27:00 GMT

Many of the phone calls or web inquiries that I receive are often asking the question, "What can I get a particular person?" It may be for a sick niece, an uncle turning 50, a cheer up gift or one of countless other gifts. My answer to these enquiries are, "Let us create and customise a gift to meet your requirements and to suit the person that it is for."

Recently I was asked to create a gift for a doctor's daughter who had just had emergency surgery. Her uncle wanted to give her a gift that made her feel better, so that she would know that he was thinking about her and that she meant the world to him. He didn't want any chocolates included in it, he wanted the gift to be pink themed because his niece loves pink and because his niece was 14, he wanted the gift to be suitable for that age group.

We came up with a gift that included some trendy stationary, lip gloss and body products, most being pink in colour, arranged it in a quality gift box, wrapped it in cellophane and trimmed it with ribbon; pink of course! As we expected, when we sent a photo of the gift to the uncle, he loved it and when his niece received it, she loved it! Mission accomplished.

This exercise is one that we do on a regular basis. A client looks at what we have on our website and if they don't see exactly what they want, they ring us and discuss their gifting needs. We then create a gift based on these needs, send them a photo of it and if both parties are happy, we wrap it up and deliver it to the recipient. This process doesn't take a long time and ensures that the gift you are giving, is just right.

10 Top Tips to Ensure Productivity

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:01:00 GMT

When you work for yourself (or for others for that matter) it can sometimes be difficult to maintain constant productivity. As a small business owner I find that by adhering to a few basic tips, productivity is ensured.

These are:-
1. Have an organised work space. If you work in an office, keep it free of clutter and have a place for everything. In this way, you will not spend valuable time searching for items that you need and will always have space to work in.
2. Have plenty of room for storage so that your office does not become cluttered with old files.
3. Have designated times to check your emails and to work on social media. If you have an online business and need to constantly check incoming emails, ensure that you do just that and then continue on with the work that you were doing prior to this. Avoid surfing the internet for extended times and becoming distracted.
4. Keep a list of what you need to do and cross out each thing as you complete it. This helps to create a visible sense of achievement and helps you to stay motivated as you can see that the list is becoming smaller. Separate home and work lists.
5. Set yourself achievable goals for each week and then work towards accomplishing each one. Break the bigger goals down into smaller ones so that they don't seem insurmountable.
6. Take a short break every few hours but keep it to 5 minutes. Get up from your desk and go for a short walk to stretch your legs.
7. If you start a task, finish it. The hours spent in the office are not as important as the amount of tasks that you complete.
8. Create an environment in which you work best in. If you concentrate best with soft music in the background, play soft music. If you prefer silence to work best, create a silent work area.
9. Try not to take work home with you. When you are at the office work hard and when you go home, relax.
10. Try to enjoy what you do. A person who enjoys what they are doing will be more productive than someone who is doing something that they dislike.

These tips will not be the same for all people as office environments change from workplace to workplace, but the most important factor to ensure productivity is organisation and job satisfaction.

Nappy Cakes

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:13:00 GMT

When a new baby is born there is always great celebration but this is often tempered by the need to find the right gift to give to the new mother and baby. Many people shop around looking for that special gift, sometimes buying one thing, sometimes buying more.

However, nappy cakes, which have been around for some time now, are an alternative to the traditional baby gifts. Nappy cakes can be one, two, three and sometime four tiers high and the colour of the cake is usually coordinated with the gender of the baby and the products being used.

Nappy cakes can contain any number of products including bibs, socks, mittens, books, chocolates, gro-suits, hats, baby wraps, nappies - disposable and/or cloth and the list goes on. Some nappy cakes even contain a bottle of champagne for the new parents.

Whatever size you decide on for a nappy cake, the important thing is to ensure that only quality products are used. Have a look at different types of nappy cakes and decide which one would suit the gift that you would like to give. Nappy cakes are easily customised to suit your individual gift requirement and this is one of the many reasons that they are so popular.

So next time you are lucky enough to be celebrating the birth of a beautiful new baby into this world, think about giving a nappy cake as a gift. It will be a gift that is not only practical but absolutely gorgeous to look at.

Chocolate Bouquets

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:20:00 GMT

Chocolate Bouquets are an alternative to the traditional flower bouquet. They have gained in popularity over the past few years due to the fact that they last longer than flowers and apart from the obvious added benefit of being able to eat the chocolates, they also look as good as a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Chocolate bouquets may contain many different types of chocolates and some bouquets even include other confectionary such as lollipops. The colours are coordinated in the same way as they are in a flower bouquet and the effect is equally as good.

Chocolate bouquets can be presented in coordinated gift boxes, metallic tins or as an actual flower bouquet, wrapped in different coloured tissue paper and cellophane.

Regardless of how you choose to present your chocolate bouquet, the key to creating a bouquet that people will want to buy or want to be given is to ensure that the confectionary that you use is of a very good quality and that the colours of the confectionary used are reflected in the colour of the paper that you use.

19 "sleeps" until Christmas

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:45:00 GMT

It is only 19 "sleeps" until Christmas, a fact that I am constantly reminded of both in my business and personal lives. At work, we are busy creating gifts for other people to give to their family, friends, colleagues and clients, but occasionally we do find some time to create gifts to give to our family, friends, clients and colleagues.

This week, Kerry Lunn and the crew at Gold Coast Design Studio were the lucky recipients of a Christmas themed, chocolate bouquet. We have been working with them for 1 1/2 years now and they are the definition of professionalism and helpfulness. Without them, we wouldn't be able to offer the high standard of online service that we do.

We would like to send them an enormous "Thank You" and hope that they all have a restful Christmas and enjoyable New Year. See you in 2012 guys!

Christmas

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:57:00 GMT

I love Christmas and I don't apologise for it. I love the Christmas carols, the lights, the presents - especially the giving, the shopping and everything else. Over the past month I have been busy making new Christmas gifts to add to my online store at www.gcgiftboxesandhampers.com.au and I am getting more and more excited as the days go on. It is now only 42 days till Christmas and though that may strike fear into many, it doesn't to me. I can't wait until I can put up my Christmas tree, wrap my presents and put them under the tree, start singing Christmas carols and generally sharing good will to others. Rock on Christmas!

Competition

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:46:00 GMT

Many people fear competition, whether it is in their personal life or their business life. However, I believe that competition keeps us honest and ensures that we are all striving to produce the best that we can. We might not always feel as though we are achieving or winning, but at least we are out there having a go. These days, the business world is teeming with entrepreneurs, some with the same idea that you might have and some with very different ideas. The area of gift boxes and hampers is extremely competitive and rather than deter us, it just keeps us aiming higher. There are plenty of companies out there that may be bigger than us, but do they offer the same personalised service and the assurance that all products are created by the business owner and produced on site, locally? We do, and that's why no matter how much competition comes our way, we'll still be here, doing what we love, creating gift boxes, baskets and hampers for you, our customers.

Christmas is Coming

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:47:00 GMT

<p>I can't believe that it is only 2 1/2 months until Christmas. In fact, the idea is a bit scary due to the fact that the year has just flown.</p> At GC Gift Boxes and Hampers we have been extremely busy creating new products, promoting our business and generally trying to stay on top of all the work that is required. We went to the St.Hilda's fete at Southport on the Gold Coast, and it was great to meet so many new people. Many of the people that we met were just starting to think about Christmas and getting ideas for presents. That is one thing that we have an abundance of and will be coming up with more each week. At the moment, we are in the planning stages for our new Christmas range but it should be available to you at the start of November. Remember, it's never too early to start preparing for Christmas.

Blog, Blog, Blog, Blog, Blog

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:31:00 GMT

We are all told that blogging is a great way to communicate with people online, to bring them to your website and to attract their attention. But what exactly should you blog about? This is the question that you need to ask yourself and it is one that I am continually asking myself. So far, I have attempted to blog about relevant subjects to my business, GC Gift Boxes and Hampers. However, that has probably not been the most stimulating reading to date. So where am I going to go from here? I have decided that I will try to enlighten you all with the trials and tribulations that I face as I go about my daily business. Today, that was completing a customised chocolate bouquet for a specified dollar amount. Not only did I have to ensure that my client was getting value for money, I had to follow the guidelines that they had given me. This gives me the license to be creative but I also have to be mindful of my boundaries. Anyway, with the bouquet successfully completed and delivered, it was on to more routine orders, paperwork, tidying the office (this seems never ending, especially when I am creating!!), website administration and emails. That was my day. How was yours?

Daffodil Day

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Daffodil Day is Friday 26th August 2011 and is the largest national fundraising event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Daffodil Day is run by the Cancer Council and raises funds that are essential for cancer research, prevention and support services. This year, Daffodil Day celebrates a major milestone in Australia, its 25th Anniversary.

The daffodil was chosen as the symbol of hope for all people affected by cancer because of its reputation as a hardy annual flower. The daffodil pushes its way through the often frozen earth after a long winter to herald the arrival of Spring, new life, vitality and growth.

Most people in today's society have been touched by cancer in some manner. Whether you have lost a loved one to cancer, know someone who has suffered with cancer or are dealing with cancer yourself, remember that there are many others who support you and understand what you are going through.

I'll be buying daffodils in memory of my mother tomorrow. Make sure that you buy some too.

Graduation

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:59:00 GMT

The time is quickly approaching when students completing primary school, Year 12 and many other courses at tertiary institutions, will be graduating and moving on to new beginnings. This is a time fondly remembered by many and is also a time for celebration.

Completing primary school and beginning high school heralds the start of many changes for a young person and the thought of moving on is one of excitement tinged with sadness. No longer will they be at the top of the hierarchy; instead they will be starting at the bottom again.

Completing Year 12 is a feat in itself, causing celebrations all over Australia, even before final marks are known. This is an exciting time as it heralds the end of childhood and the move into the adult world. Whether a person goes on to study at a tertiary institution or heads out into the workforce, enormous changes are in the wind.

Finally, graduating from a tertiary institution and moving into full-time paid employment says, "I am an adult with adult responsibilities."

Everyone has different ideas about exactly what graduation means to them, but one thing that is commonly agreed upon is the need for some type of celebration. Sometimes this will involve gifts, sometimes it may involve a family dinner. However you might celebrate your own graduation or that of a loved one, you are creating memories that will become more and more cherished the older you get.

Father's Day

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:57:00 GMT

Father's Day is fast approaching and it is a time when children, young and old, like to remind their father of just how much they are appreciated. This appreciation can be shown in many forms. Whether it is a chore that is done so that Dad doesn't have to do it, or a gift for Dad, it is the thought that counts. With this in mind, I have a lot of friends who often ask me what they can get for their dad. They want that perfect gift that shows him how much they love him and they want a gift that he hasn't been given before. I believe that the best ideas are often the simplest so I suggest taking him out for breakfast or lunch - I know it's done over and over, but who doesn't appreciate a meal that they don't have to pay for. Mowing the lawns, edging the lawns, washing the car and even something as simple as watching the footy with Dad, are all simple ideas that show Dad you care. Buying a gift could include Gold Class cinema tickets, a sporting item that he may use, a piece of art work that he has admired or you could put together a gift basket based on a hobby or interest that he has. This involves buying a variety of small gifts that can be placed together to create an overall theme. At least if you do this you know that he will enjoy some, if not all of the gifts in the basket. The most important thing is to tell your dad how you feel about him. Don't make the mistake later in life of wishing that you had done this. Do it now and know forever that your dad knew that you loved him.

Positive Affirmations

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 02:31:00 GMT

A trend that is once again emerging this season is the trend to using positive affirmations on products. I have to admit that I like to read these affirmations and often stick up an affirmation that I particularly like in the hope that it will inspire me. Whether the affirmation reads "Dream like there are no impossibilities," or "Live like heaven is on earth," I try to remind myself of them when dealing with the different situations that I face, every day!

"Love like you have never been hurt," is an affirmation that I am continually reminding myself of and when I am on the Wii with my daughter belting out an Abba tune, I am definitely living the affirmation that says "Sing as if no one can hear." In my case however, everyone can hear!

Something to Think About

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 02:32:00 GMT

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it , live it and never give it back.

After reading this poem I realised that so many people go through life not appreciating what is right in front of them and worrying too much about things that really are not important. Don't let that happen to you. This poem, I think, says it all.