You need water to make tea

It's been awhile since we introduced what I like to term as 'traditional gift hampers' to Rainbow Designs and this became from, what I felt, a need to increase our product line but without having to increase our products. So I began working with another gift hamper business. I had always seen Rainbow Designs from a lolly point of view, alternatives to flowers and hampers but still affordable and happy inducing but realised that I needed to also appeal to people who may not have had such as sweet tooth as me. (I think there may be a few people!)

Afternoon Tea Hamper

The hampers I have available are what I would want to receive or want to give to family or friends. They're filled with produce that I see as something that would be used and enjoyed as apposed to products that are there just to fill the gift box.

Ha, while writing this I was waiting for my tea to brew. Always nice to sip on a cuppa while working but just as a note, you do need to pour the boiling water from the kettle into your cup for this to happen!

All You Can Eat Hamper

Anyway, where was I? Right, our fabulous hampers and making sure they live up to expectations. I've always listed our gifts on our website with as clear details and information as I can and try and make any amendments if this change or we've updated products. This doesn't always work but for the most part what is on the website is what we send. I've made account for products that may need to be substituted or replaced when we can either no longer get a particular brand or item or when our deliveries are later than expected so need to use something else. We also, always, ensure that the hamper is still just as fabulous and value packed when this happens.

Boutique Beers and Snacks Hamper

I am finding it a little harder with the lolly and chocolate gifts. These are the gifts that I use to personally pack and send but for the past year these have been done by my lovely worker bees in Victoria. They do an amazing job, don't get me wrong, but the gifts are slightly different to how I did them. The packaging is different as are the types of confectionery used. We have been working harder at getting similar, if not the same, sweets as well as a larger variety. It's just taking time to work all of this out. The lolly gifts are still amazing just a bit different to what you may have previously received in the past. (if you've been lucky enough to have been gifted one!) I hope this doesn't discourage anyone from using Rainbow Designs and if anything I hope people are even more excited and more inclined to use us. We are working our little tails off to get all our gifts as perfect as we can and try and improve a little bit every week.

Medium Sweet Tooth Gift

I'm finding that the most popular hampers are our ones that are priced under the $100 range and our $29 confectionery gifts. It's so hard to produce gifts under $30 with the inclusion of delivery but I know how many of my repeat customers (and new ones) rely on these. That was one of my main reasons for starting Rainbow Designs back in 2004, to provide an affordable way of buying and sending gifts and I don't want this to change. Seeing that it's been 13 years since I started Rainbow Designs I am happy and proud that I have managed to keep some gifts under $30. It's hard and there isn't much money to be made with these gifts but it is why I started my business so really want to try and keep them around for as long as I can! I don't think people realise how expensive just the delivery is. It's not cheap people :-)

Just Smarties Gift

Staying focused and enthusiastic about my business is my main goal this year. I let it waiver a bit last year and this showed in the poor sales. My belief in my business and myself lacked a lot in 2016 and it pushed me to my limits, almost passed them, and left me hanging on for dear life. I haven't let go (yet!) and I'm slowly, slowly getting my motivation back and my sh!t together. Baby steps are better than no steps. So lets get this year started. 2017, don't disappoint me or my customers.

Let 2017 be the sweetest year yet!

Just add water!

Jacqui ~ boss of Rainbow Designs, lover of chocolate and owner of many, many books