Vermont Shortbread Company

Where to Buy Holiday Shortbread?

We're slowly expanding our retail presence and we are making retail sales top priority in 2008.  However, internet sales continue to be our top source of revenue. 

If you're a local and you're looking for Vermont Shortbread gifts for the holidays, you can pick them up at the following retail locations: 

• Sweet Clover Market, Essex
• Beaudry's Store, Huntington
• Vermont Green Grocer, Richmond
• Moon Studio Day Spa, Shelburne
• Vermont Holiday Craft Shop, University Mall, South Burlington
• Simply Delicious, Barre
• Firehouse at Barre, Barre
• Apple Tree Natural Foods, Morrisville
• Stowe Coffee House, Stowe
• Leunig's Bistro, Burlington (dessert menu only - not available for retail sale)

We've got a few more big potential retail customers in the hopper, but I can't list them yet.  I'll let you know just as soon as they're on board.  We want to be in all the food co-ops and coffee hangouts across Vermont in 2008!  Let us know where you'd like to see Vermont Shortbread Company's products.   

The easiest and most stress-free way to order your holiday shortbread now is right here at our convenient Vermont Shortbread Company web site.  There's still plenty of time to order and ship before Christmas and we'll even put in a gift card for your recipient. 

This year we're doing quite a few corporate gift orders (40-50 gift boxes at a pop - we like those!) for local attorneys, banks, and other professionals who want to show customer appreciation with a personalized thank-you from Vermont.  We're also selling a lot of our shortbread sampler boxes for $22 (filled with 8 assorted "shorties" so your gift recipient can try ALL our wonderful flavors). 

There are 23 days until Christmas.  We cannot guarantee that orders shipped after Dec. 19 will arrive by the big day.  So, as of this writing you have 17 days left to order YOUR holiday shortbread.  What are you waiting for?  Order today. 

Cyber Monday: A Perfect Shortbread Holiday Gift Day

If you purposely avoid the malls like I do on "black Friday" and the first few days after Thanksgiving, you'll be happy to know that November 26 (Monday) is known as Cyber Monday.  Nearly 75% of online retailers offer specials on Cyber Monday and Vermont Shortbread Company is no exception. 

For each gift box shortbread you purchase from our web site today, November 26, we will add one of our famous shorties to the shipping box, FREE.  This offer is good on orders placed between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Monday, November 26. 

So, go ahead, place your holiday gift order today and your lucky recipient will receive a little extra treat compliments of us.  Or if you want to be more "naughty" than "nice", just have your shortbread shipped to yourself.  I won't tell your great aunt in Nebraska...   :-) 

Holiday Craft Shop at University Mall

Just a quick reminder that the holiday craft shop at the University Mall in South Burlington opens on Friday, November 2nd. 

If you live in the Burlington area and prefer to pick up your holiday shortbread rather than using our convenient shipping service, stop by anytime during regular mall hours to make your purchase. 

I'm still looking for folks interested in working a few shifts at the store.  I will not be working there this year and will only be stopping by to check my inventory and display. 

BTW, if you're in the Barre-Montpelier area, we'll also be selling at the Barre Firehouse craft shop.  It's an old firehouse converted into a craft shop, coffee shop, and florist.  Very cool!  I'll have more info about when we'll be starting shortbread sales there after I get the U-Mall booth set up. 

I'm off to Connecticut and don't know exactly when I'll be back in Vermont, so toodles until the beginning of November.  Can you believe it's only 3 1/2 weeks till turkey day? ! This is going to be the biggest shortbread season ever! 

Holiday Shortbread Parties

I'm heading to my home state of Connecticut this weekend for a holiday open house hosted by an old college pal.  She started this tradition last year and invited a few of her small business friends to bring their wares and set up shop so guests could do their holiday shopping early and in the company of good friends munching on snacks and sipping wine.  Pretty cool, huh?  All that was missing last year from my friend's party was shortbread.  I remember I had another commitment and I missed out on great pre-holiday sales! 

So, picture this, shortbread friends:

A group of friends gathered in your house, sampling delicious baked goods, sipping tea (or wine, if you prefer) and shopping for the holidays with NO STRESS! Perhaps a fire is gently crackling in the fireplace and your kids and husband have gone out for pizza.  Everyone's relaxing with their shoes off (ever holiday shopped like THAT before?). You're laughing with your friends while a buttery morsel of shortbread melts in your mouth and a "MMMMMMmmmm..." escapes from your lips as you take a sip of Earl Grey tea.  You never knew holiday shopping could be so carefree, so easy. 

You as the host, get a discount off your entire holiday shortbread order and your friends get a 10% discount if they order more than $75 of shortbread products.  Invite your friends who sell homemade jewelry, quilts, whatever to join the fun and sell their stuff and think of all the stress you've saved everyone! 

Want more info on hosting your own holiday shortbread party? 

Email me today - ann@vermontshortbread.com for details and benefits TO YOU.  We're booking fast and there are not very many shopping days left till Thanksgiving and Christmas...so book now while we still have a few openings left! 

Does Your Business Give Customer Appreciation Gifts?

One of my local commercial clients gives customer appreciation gifts of shortbread gift boxes frequently.  Each month the customer sends me a list of people to whom to deliver the gifts (in Chittenden County) and yours truly delivers a fresh shortbread gift box, with a thank you card and a helium-filled balloon to the recipients' workplaces. 

It's a win-win.

Vermont Shortbread is finding its way into offices and the mouths of employees all over the greater Burlington area and my client has a big helium balloon with their logo on it floating around in the same offices.  Sooooo...who do you think the people in these offices will call next time they need the services that either Vermont Shortbread Company or my client offer?  I'd be willing to bet they call those companies who made an impression by saying THANK YOU. 

This is smart marketing.  Inexpensive.  Fun.  Memorable. 

Are you a business owner who sends thank you gifts?  Talk to us today about customizing a gift program for your business by dialing our "shortlines" at 802-264-4835.  Not in Chittenden County?  No problem.  We have many solutions to fit your needs.  Give us a ring and let us help you come up with a unique solution for your company.      

A little thank you goes a long way.  It works for me, my client, and many other savvy business owners who send shortbread regularly. 

Does your business send customer appreciation gifts, speaker gifts, or referral thank yous?  If so, we need to talk! 

Gifts for (or from) Small Business Owners

Vermont Shortbread Company is your one-stop-shop for gifts for your small business owner friends AND for the small business owner who wants to give small, unique tokens of appreciation this holiday season. 

We can help you find the perfect shortbread gift for a small business owner friend or take care of all your gift giving requirements if you're a small business owner with a list of folks for whom to buy throughout the year. 

Have a question about flavors, shipping, or a comment about our site?  Well, email us at jsaz@gmavt.net OR pick up the phone and "dial our digits" (I picked up that cute phrase from Lori Davis' lovely web site) at 802.264.4835.  Our small business gift counselors are standing by and waiting to help you! 

- Ann at Vermont Shortbread Company, your source for holiday gifts

For the Harried Entrepreneur: A Virtual Assistance Gift Certificate

Ah, Halloween is over and the gift giving season is in full swing.   If you're anything like me, there's nothing more unappealing than shopping.  And if you're a small business owner like me, there's nothing more helpful during the holidays than...HELP!  Forget the flowers, socks, chocolate, Barnes and Noble gift cards, and jewelry.  Give your favorite entrepreneur a virtual assistance gift certificate this year!  (Okay, I was just joking about the chocolate...)

You know, most folks in my local networking group have no idea what a virtual assistant is.  I'm here to bridge the gap between my internet marketing friends and my traditional networking contacts.  Simply put, a virtual assistant is someone who can help you with taking care of your business...from the comfort of their own office.  Here's a sampling of what my friend, Lori Davis and her merry band of VAs can do for you this holiday season.  Lori's straightforward, get-it-down-now approach, sprinkled with her own brand of goofy humor and unflappable serenity will have you wondering why you didn't buy yourself a Davis VA gift certificate! 

Still not quite sure what to get your favorite harried entrepreneur this year?  That's okay.  Visit DavisVA anyway.  There is a wealth of practical information on Lori's site about topics such as: disaster recovery for the small business owner, how to launch your own career as a virtual assistant, Lori's 10 minute logo service, everything you always wanted to know about using Craigslist, and more. 

When you're watching your favorite stressed-out entrepreneur pulling her hair out, don't come crying to me.  Call Lori instead.