I have donated tons of baskets for raffles, auctions etc. Here's some tips that have worked for me.
1. Did they give you an expected 'value' range? if so, the expected value is for retail cost, not your wholesale cost. Include the actual cost to you of your basket and packaging materials as well. So if I'm asked to donate a basket, and the range is $15-$25, I pick a container size that will showcase the products and make it seem very full. Rather than a big basket, I go for a smaller basket so that all the products snuggle together, but are also all visible. Be careful stacking things up, or use glue dots to hold them in place, because they shift around and your beautiful basket looks stupid with stuff scattered all over. 'bread baskets' where nearly everything is on one level can work just fine!! I try to be sure that all products are visible. I use inexpensive filler items, like bath poufs, foot brushes, pumice stones, etc, but not too many of them. You can try a local dollar store for some inexpensive beauty supplies AND for unique containers, remember, gift 'basket" doesn't have to mean 'basket". People love re-usable stuff these days!! I don't want people to think that they will get a huge amount of product for only $25, so it needs to be realistically packed. When I first started out I was overly generous with the stuff I put in. But remember, you are not a big company that spends lots of $$ on fancy packaging and advertising, as a result, retail $25 worth of your product will be more than what people would get at Body Shop of Bath & Bodyworks and it's LOCAL.
2. Themes are nice, so that everything is somewhat coordinated. For example, around Valentine's day our local hospital employee group had a silent auction. I donated a $30 basket with a 'champagne and roses' theme: tea rose cp soap, champagne-scented foaming bath salts, small sizes of passionfruit-rose edible massage oil, champagne-scented body wash, chocolate-rose sugar scrub and a bath pouf. It was a big hit and the winner ended up paying $40 for it. You could do a summer theme, a scent theme, beach theme, whatever strikes your fancy. I've even done baskets that are only multiple bars of his & hers cp soap "Six Months of Soap" themed.
3. Label every product and be sure your contact info is on each label. Be sure the labels are consistent in color, font, etc. I used to do different types of cigar-band wrapping on my soaps, which was really pretty but in a gift basket it looked a bit jangly. So gift basket soaps have the same wrapping/label,and anything else has matching font/label type. Ditto for caps. That may seem like a small thing, but I use only white caps now, because previously I had a mix of black and white sprayers, pumps and caps. Didn't look quite pulled together in a basket situation. I also stick a little note into each basket, under some product so they find it when unpacking. the note reminds them the products are handcrafted and thanks them for using. Also, be sure you are putting only products in that you know well. Sometimes this stuff sits for weeks before people get around to using it. An untested product can be a disaster by then. So go with your strong stuff.
4. Definitely have plenty of business cards, brochures available next to your basket. Also, see if you can put an email sign-up list near your basket for people to receive special offers or to enter a raffle for a free whatever. Some folks like that and it's a way to maintain contact.
One thing I've found is that you will get SOME business from the gift basket donation, but usually people need a gentle prod/reminder that you are there (hence the email or mailing list---I do one craft fair at that same local hospital I mentioned previously. I originally got into it by donating a gift basket and being invited back, and I have some very steady customers that work there. So when I am going to be there, I email them a discount loyalty coupon with their name on it. 93% of the coupons I sent got used at the last craft fair, and I picked up some additional loyal customers who will get coupons this year.)
Good luck!
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