Welcome to Your New Home: A Guide to Local Businesses and Gifts

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Discussion Overview

The thread centers around the idea of creating welcome baskets for new homeowners, incorporating local businesses and products. Participants share their experiences and ideas on how to design these baskets, what items to include, and how to collaborate with realtors and other local vendors.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, discusses working with a realtor to design a welcome basket that includes gifts from local businesses.
  • Another participant suggests including a RUFTH Trivet as a gift and emphasizes the importance of including personal information with the items.
  • Several users mention the idea of including a Season's Best cookbook with their information on the cover.
  • One participant proposes adding a letter or flyer listing all vendors included in the basket.
  • Another participant shares their experience of including pantry items with personal labels, noting that they prefer not to have labels on purchased items.
  • One participant raises concerns about the logistics of including various businesses and whether to charge them for inclusion in the basket.
  • Another participant mentions that they have pitched the idea of using only Pampered Chef products but faced challenges in gaining interest from realtors.
  • One participant expresses optimism about the potential for collaboration with local direct sales companies and suggests including a map of the area in the basket.
  • Another participant shares their experience of working on a similar project and discusses the importance of including business cards and coupons from local businesses.
  • One participant inquires about the best way to promote the basket idea to construction and realty companies and questions how to handle costs.
  • Another participant describes the variety of items included in themed gift baskets created by a team member, highlighting the need for different price ranges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the best approach to creating the baskets, including what items to include and how to collaborate with local businesses and realtors. No clear consensus emerges on the logistics and costs associated with the project.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences and ideas based on their local markets and relationships with realtors and businesses. The discussion reflects a range of perspectives on collaboration and product selection.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants interested in creating welcome baskets for new homeowners or collaborating with local businesses may find the shared experiences and ideas beneficial.

C
C. Schapker
Messages
38
I am currently working with a relator to help "design" a welcome basket for her new clients when they move into their new home.

We were thinking along the lines of including small and "at home" businesses to include a small gift with their business cards and info. This would help newcomers to the area to become familiar with the business owners in the area and would be a thank you gift from her.

Does anyone have any suggestions to help me get started to plan this so it can be something I can present to the entire staff of realators to get business in this fashion. Is anyone currently doing this that can give me some ideas to make it easy and reproducible for each client.

Any and all is welcome.
Also, how do you spell REALATOR? is that right???
 
C. Schapker said:
I am currently working with a relator to help "design" a welcome basket for her new clients when they move into their new home.

We were thinking along the lines of including small and "at home" businesses to include a small gift with their business cards and info. This would help newcomers to the area to become familiar with the business owners in the area and would be a thank you gift from her.

Does anyone have any suggestions to help me get started to plan this so it can be something I can present to the entire staff of realators to get business in this fashion. Is anyone currently doing this that can give me some ideas to make it easy and reproducible for each client.

Any and all is welcome.
Also, how do you spell REALATOR? is that right???
Click to expand...

I believe it is realtor. How about the RUFTH Trivet? It would make a wonderful gift for a new home! You can wrap it in a cellophane bag and include all the realtor's information as well as your's!

HTH~
 
That is a great idea! And maybe a Season's Best that has your info on the front cover so that they always have it!!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Should we include in the basket a letter of some sort with a list of every vendor and number or does anyone have a cute idea to include for an overall letter or flyer of some sort?

What other vendors would we include or approach with this idea and would I give her a discount???? Just starting out on the planning stage here... any help to organize the whole basket would be great.

Ideally I would like to tell the REALTOR..(thanks) this is what the basket would look like and she say great, make 100 of them..... Now what do I do?

I love the Trivet idea and book. I never give a SB without my info. as well.
Now where to go from here.
 
How about a pantry item or 2? I always put a sticker with my info on it and they last a while....they always have your info within reach.
 
pcleah said:
How about a pantry item or 2? I always put a sticker with my info on it and they last a while....they always have your info within reach.
Click to expand...

Personally, I am picky, and wouldn't like to have a label on a pantry item if I paid for it. If I got it for free....then sure :)
 
What size town are you in? You might have trouble with including/excluding businessess. And you could find a Realtor only wants one of the business' items in the basket and excludes (PC) Would you charge the other local business' to include their info in your basket (since you are the one running all over town pitching the idea)? What about just a direct sales basket...get together with Mary kay, PL, blah blah blah and do up a basket with just that. But really I think you could pitch the idea to Realtors with just using PC.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #8
I have tried pitching just the PC idea and they did not go for it. I do have a team member that does that. She has Themed PC gift baskets, such as entertainment, kitchen basics, newleyweds, etc., as well as our own gift sets.

This realtor did not wish to do this but was hip on the idea of other vendors working together to get the basket.

I am thinking this could be more trouble than its' worth to organize and maybe just say I will give you this to put in your baskets and leave it at that.
 
Don't give up! I think that it is a wonderful Idea....

You would need to find out other local DS dealers and see if they would be interested in doing this with you and at what discount. (I would stay with the stuff that could be used in a new home) I would start there first. You might even want to approach some of the local companies like Mom and Pop shops (for lack of a better word.) After you find out what everyone else is willing to put in then you can determine what it is that you would want to put in.

As far as what to include in the basket I would put in a map of the area with different info on it like great places to eat, best places to shop, grocery stores, etc. Deffinitely a Welcome Home letter describing the area a bit and the basket. That is where you would put the vendor info.

I think that this could be a VERY good opportunity for you, not to mention profitable. Don't give up just b/c you think that it could be too much work. I hope that you continue this and make it succeed!
 
I'm working on the same type of idea for my area. I'm wanting to include other DS companies, and luckily have friends who are consultants for several of them. I'm also including information of a friend of mine who is a manager for a local beauty salon. I'm debating on what other local businesses I want to approach about this. Even if you just include a business card and coupon from each, it's still a great idea and not costly at all.
 
C. Schapker said:
I am currently working with a relator to help "design" a welcome basket for her new clients when they move into their new home.

We were thinking along the lines of including small and "at home" businesses to include a small gift with their business cards and info. This would help newcomers to the area to become familiar with the business owners in the area and would be a thank you gift from her.

Does anyone have any suggestions to help me get started to plan this so it can be something I can present to the entire staff of realators to get business in this fashion. Is anyone currently doing this that can give me some ideas to make it easy and reproducible for each client.

Any and all is welcome.
Also, how do you spell REALATOR? is that right???
Click to expand...
I have a question... I think this is a great idea and I know many people in the modular home construction business that I think this would be a wonderful gesture on their part and also on mine. My question is, if I included the trivit, a season's best, and a spice in a cute little package, how do I promote this to prospective construction and realty companies? Do I offer to pay for half of the package cost, the whole thing, or do they pay the expenses? What's everyone's thoughts on the right way to do this. Thank you for the wonderful ideas!
 
C. Schapker said:
I do have a team member that does that. She has Themed PC gift baskets, such as entertainment, kitchen basics, newleyweds, etc., as well as our own gift sets.
Click to expand...

I am currently trying to do this. What does she put in her baskets, if you don't mind sharing???
 
  • Thread starter
  • #13
Her baskets vary because of cost. Her realtor wanted different price ranges to go according to her gift giving for different clients. I do not have the specifics but to give you an idea....
Entertaining: SA Rec. Platter and basket with Spreader and PC Bread
or SA Small Bowls with Caddy and spreader

Newleyweds: Food Chopper, Cutting Board, Handy Scraper, meas. spoons and Meas. All.

It would be really neat to "push" the boxed gift sets we already have. However, everyone is different and has different needs.

I too had the question of the cost. I can not see myself donating these items continually with the "chance" of getting business. I was thinking of charging the realtor a discounted rate of maybe 20%? I know some realtor businesses do give allowance for gifts but many don't. however, this would have been an out of pocket expense for them as well so why not give them just a discount? What do you think?
 
I am in the process of working on something like this as well. I am going to make some suggestions in different price ranges such as the steak knives, carving set, ect... As far as a gift basket have you thought about using the trifle bowl as the basket and filling it with the trivit, towel, SB cookbook, serving spoons, pantry item or two, ect. to fit a price point. It really will vary depending on what each realtor wants since they all seem to do things differently.
 
Or instead of reinventing the wheel, see if there is a bconnectedusa.com or welcomewagon.com in your area or something similar to add your business card, mini catalog, etc. to...
 
Does anyone currently advertise with welcomewagon? Is it worth it?

I had a lady approach me for something similar a few years ago but the cost was great--something like $400 each quarter + the cost of whatever I put in the basket.
 
I would do it at my cost if it was just a catalog and a small sample, like a spice or item under $2-3. But then I would want to have the recipients contact info in return :D
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Welcome to Your New Home: A Guide to Local Businesses and Gifts"?

"Welcome to Your New Home: A Guide to Local Businesses and Gifts" is a curated guide designed to help new residents discover local businesses, services, and gift options in their area. It aims to make the transition to a new home smoother by connecting newcomers with the community.

How can this guide benefit new homeowners?

This guide benefits new homeowners by providing them with valuable information about local businesses, including restaurants, shops, and service providers. It also highlights unique gift options that can help them feel more at home and support local entrepreneurs.

Is the guide specific to a particular location?

Yes, the guide is typically tailored to specific regions or communities, showcasing local businesses and services relevant to that area. This localized approach ensures that new residents receive the most pertinent information for their new home.

Can I find recommendations for Pampered Chef products in the guide?

Yes, the guide may include recommendations for Pampered Chef products, especially if there are local consultants or events related to Pampered Chef. These products are often highlighted as great gifts for new homeowners or useful items for setting up a new kitchen.

How can I obtain a copy of the guide?

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