When you need a quick gift, enjoy this idea from James Hartier of Twisted Basket. Just a few treats can be tucked inside a box, wrapped in a ribbon and adorned with a message sticker. It is a super way to move odds and ends of merchandise -- or comply with customer requests for special foods when the packaging doesn’t match.

Wrap It Tight!

Is your cello sagging, or do you pull it tight for a crisp, professional presentation? To achieve this neat wrap, try these techniques:

• Pull the cello tight at the neck, tie it, then pull stright up on the top edge of the cellophane. Pull TIGHT!

• Pull the cellophane across the front of the basket. Roll up the exess tightly on both sides (vertical roll). Use wide clear
shipping tape (one long strip on each side) to hold the excess cellophane in place.

• Pull the cellophane tightly across the front, and make a vertical roll of the excess cellophane in the back.

That should do the trick!

Anyone can sell tins of popcorn, coffee, or canisters of gourmet popcorn. And if you’re a small business, buying in small wholesale lots, the bigger guys can beat you on price. Instead of struggling to keep pace with volume packers or discounters, move into a different league -- one where your presentation knocks the ball out of the park.

In the new issue of GBR Online, this beautiful Dragon Plume is shown, with the video to be posted in the coming week, detailing how to make this stunning creation. The video is free to members of GBR Online. Be sure your subscription is up-to-date, and watch for this super “how-to” set of instructions. To see this design and more, go to: www.gbreview.com.

What sells better than a canister of hot cocoa mix? A WRAPPED one! Here, a can of hot cocoa mix is topped off with a holiday ornament and candy cane. To wrap it for show-and-sell-results, set the ensemble on a narrow strip of cellophane -- just wide enough to overlap. Bring the cello up and gather it underneath the upper portion of the ornament so that much of the ornament peeks above the wrap. Tie it off with a simple 2-loop bow of ribbon. This makes an excellent party favor, Secret Santa gift, or a nice thank you to the postman, Sunday School teacher, crossing guard at school, janitor, or anyone who deserves a sweet token of the holidays.

Visual WOW! presentation is the ultimate key to selling gift baskets. For local deliveries, each basket delivered can mean dozens of future basket sales. It is generally thought that delivered baskets should allow recipients and others to get a peek of what is inside, but keep a good deal of the contents ‘under wrap or ribbon’ so that the recipient finds surprises as they open and go through the contents. The presentation has more value as it becomes an “experience”.

Part of presentation is adding more height and style -- often achieved through using patterend cellophane wrap. These wonderful cellophane patterns can be overwhelming -- too busy -- when the entire basket is wrapped in the pattern. Instead, consider wrapping the basket itself in clear cellophane (ar a strip of clear cello for local deliveries), then adding a plume of patterned cellophane.

Using a narrow strip of cellophane to wrap a basket only works when the components inside the basket are fairly secure, and when the basket is delivered locally. Use Glue Dots® to keep components together.

Gift box, ribbon and cellophane courtesy of Nashville Wraps.

Just because budgets are tight doesn’t mean corporations stop sending gifts throughout the year. At Christmas, the pressure to send gifts to good clients is intense for service-oriented businesses. You can help them keep thank you gifts on a tight budget -- and that will earn you a HUGE thanks from the corporation.

Corporations often ask for imprinted ribbon or boxes. That’s good for you, because one simple wrap of an imprinted ribbon is all the wrap a business gift may need. Here, chocolate ornaments are boxed in a clear acetate box. The only wrap required is the imprint tie-around ribbon, with a bow topping the box. The look is stylish, elegant, and efficient.

Wow! Cellophane dramatically magnifies the presentation of a gift component. Here, a patterned cellophane (Nashville Wraps) is used to wrap a tin of gourmet coffee (Don Francisco from Gaviña). This wrap is achieved by placing the coffee tin on the front third of a square of cellophane. Pull up the cello and tie it off. Next, tug and twist the cello to create the even, snug presentation shown here. Simple - quick - and WOW! What a presentation!