This  tip may surprise you: Turn away all unreasonable orders that don’t allow you to make a profit.

Sometime during your career as a basketeer someone will ask you to do an order that sounds good on the surface.

For example, a few years ago I was asked by a well-known corporation to create 750 baskets using their products. Their budget was $10 per basket. From their perspective they were spending $7,500, but from my perspective the picture was very different.

In order to make a profit my cost would need to be no more than $3.33. Since my workspace could not handle an order this size, I would need to rent a warehouse for assembly. 

In addition, I would need to hire workers to help me, and rent a truck to make the delivery on a Sunday to the destination which was over 60 miles from my studio. I couldn’t see where I would make a profit.

Furthermore, although the client was providing all the products, I was still expected to provide the container, shrinkwrap or cellophane, filler and the bow.

I began to sense anxiety and disaster looming in my future.

I threw this great-sounding catch back in the river.

Your experience with such a scenario could be very different. If you can crunch the numbers so that you make a profit, then by all means take the order. But remember the wise old saying, “If if smells like a rat, looks like a rat and scurries like a rat, it’s probably a rat.”

Most gift basket designers are in business to offer a quality service and make a profit. You deserve appreciation and respect too.

Learn how to land orders that will make a profit with my audio CD, “Low-Cost Secrets for Landing Corporate Accounts.”