Looking for a new niche market to pitch gift baskets or tea-related gifts? There’s no better time than the holiday season to encourage our customers to say thank you to teachers and caregivers - whether nurses or aides or moms who tend to our youngest and eldest and, when necessary, those who are ill or frail.

IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER

What better way for your customers to show gratitude to their children’s teachers or professors, than a “Thank You, Teacher” tea gift. Pull out all the stops for gift ideas that are genuinely special. Some ideas we love are Blooming Teas to brew in our heat-resistance borosilicate glass teapots, or an elegant classic gaiwan packed with an envelope of loose-leaf tea from our collection of Masters Teas. For those who want to say thank you in an even better way, introduce our collection of temperature controlled tea kettles, a direct route to a tea-lover’s heart.

Provide options to customize a gift basket with teas and accessories to fit any price range. By pricing from modest to high, you acknowledge that anyone with a strict budget or a substantial bank account can enjoy a cup of quality tea and a lovely way to brew it.

These gifts provide a variety of ways that your customers can celebrate and thank teachers for providing all that extra support they offer to help children and themselves to continue their education.

EVERYONE DESERVES A TEA BREAK

Your customer does not necessarily need to be carpooling the kids, working full-time, or tending elderly parents to deserve a break with tea because EVERYONE deserves one. Make it your civic duty to remind them to take care of themselves so they can be alert and energized to help others. They deserve the best tea they can afford to make a treasured break genuinely nourishing and energizing. Pair a “Tea for Me” grouping of an ingenuiTEA brewer with a few ounces of their favorite herbal or tea. It’s convenient to use, refreshing to drink, and they deserve it (as well as some applause!)

Consider creating a “You Deserve a Tea Break” campaign and use it to send to your email list, post on your web site, and through your social media. List one to three teas that you are excited about this holiday season and explain why customers should try them. This is a terrific way to share your information, educate customers about new teas, and suggest different accoutrements for brewing these teas. You can adapt this as a regular feature on your web site and with in-store signage, and promotional flyers that you include in every in-store sale or shipped purchase.

Also, remind your customers if you offer local delivery, curbside pickup, or shipping. They are sure to love that convenience.

TURN EXCESS INVENTORY INTO A PROFIT CENTER

Sometimes a tea shop has excess inventory. Naturally, you can simply put it on sale to clear the way for incoming fresh tea, however there are alternatives. Consider donating these teas to food banks, homeless shelters, venues for the elderly, nursing staff at hospitals or convalescent facilities. Unsure which groups to give your teas? Ask your customers, and stand back!

Remember to write about the tremendous service these groups provide to their clients and why you support them. Put a mention on your social media, web site, or newsletter to share with your customers.

If inventory donations aren’t your thing, consider donating a portion of profits from any particular tea accessory or tea to the charity of your choice. You promote your store, consumer interest is directed to this tea or accessory, and a local agency earns a little cash. Individuals get a great cup of tea, and you get a tax deduction. Win-win!

GIFT BASKETS FOR BUSINESS

Many of your customers may be wooing or working with clients they would love to acknowledge in a unique way. Designing gift baskets for business-to-business gift giving is a profitable and exciting part of any business. Don’t be shy about high-end collections and their cost. Business people value the innovative and the exclusive, and are willing to pay for it, so aim to find exceptional boxes or baskets, fill them with only your finest teas, like those from our Masters Teas and beautiful paraphernalia. Think theme, like Asian or techie, or go for colors and choose the accoutrements accordingly.

Your customers will be proud to give a spectacular tea basket to honor their business relationship with their clients.