A hospitality bag is the first welcome gesture you make and the last reminder of the event-if it gets taken home. How do you create a bag people won’t toss? Figure out who your audience is, how and when they will be using it, and follow these eight tips.
The hospitality “bag” can be a misnomer because it doesn’t have to be a bag. “My top three containers for out-of-town guests are paper bags, collapsible gift boxes or gable boxes, and shallow baskets-usually shaped like the state of Minnesota,” says Mary O’Rourke, owner of Baskets on Occasion.
The key point in packaging is asking what happens to the container after the contents are gone. If the recipient is traveling, it’s got to be something that can be packed and stowed. “We tend to use disposable containers, like a themed gift bag or corrugated box,” says White Bear Gift Basket Company’s Shawn Augustine. “You can still achieve that presentation ‘wow,’ but the recipient doesn’t feel obligated to take the container home.”
Great hospitality bags include a mix of food items and a keepsake item or two like a toy loon or Minnesota-themed playing cards. The addition of Vikings, Wild or theater tickets will make guests feel extra-special. “Sometimes we’re asked to do a pamper basket for a female guest if they’re staying for a long time,” says O’Rourke. “These can include hand lotions, bath oils, teas, face masks, scented candles, bath gels, chocolates.”
Share your budget expectations with your gift basket provider. “There are many variables that can be changed to help accommodate your budget,” says Augustine. Remember, you are not trying to supply meals to your guests, just “tide them over” and let them know you are happy they are here.
Think about information your guest might need. A business traveler might need driving directions or pick-up times for car service. Provide specific event information like brochures, maps and event literature, as well as info on the area including entertainment, restaurants, attractions (Mall of America maps are often requested, says O’Rourke) and arts and cultural venues.
Work with the front desk supervisor or sales manager at the hotel, letting them know in advance that you are planning on providing welcome gifts. Augustine recommends that gifts not be tagged with guests’ names, but instead advises planners to provide the front desk with a list of who is going to receive a gift. Most hotels will place an alert in each guest’s reservation and then will hand-deliver the gift to their room prior to their arrival or upon check-in.
Don’t supersize. Many large gifts cannot be carried home on the airplane. No-no items include full-sized bottles of anything (wine, lotion, etc.) and perishable items like cheese, etc.
