Month: June 2012

Business Christmas Cards Give Holiday Thanks

What joy it brings when we see sparkling lights and bright faces, people with bags and packages scurrying everywhere and the feeling of holiday cheer is in the very air you breathe. Tis’ the season for goodwill toward all and it is as easy as using business Christmas cards to say Thank you to spread that goodwill to your customers and clients.

Whether your customer is a once a year or once a week customer; they want to be given good customer service and they want to know that their business is appreciated. With that in mind, why not give them great customer service? To take the time to go the extra mile will earn you points in the “I will return to business again” column. Although, it certainly is not a new practice to send business Christmas cards, and it is almost expected, saying thank you in that same card will just add a fabulous closing to your business year. Your customers will experience the feeling of goodwill you are sending and look favorably when they have need of your product or services again. Just knowing that you appreciate their continued patronage will realize an immeasurable benefit to your company. Really, everybody can use as much goodwill as they can get if their business is to flourish in today’s market.

In the impersonal computer age it goes a long way when we take a more personal approach to our customers. The human touch is so much more welcome for having become such an infrequent occurrence and you will be heads above your competitors by providing that touch. Taking the time to let your customers know that you are aware of how much they have contributed to your success is an easy step. Sit down and send corporate holiday cards and you have taken a huge step towards great customer service.

Business Birthday Cards – Good for Morale

Are business birthday cards good for morale? You bet they are! Yesterday was my birthday. When I got into the office, inserted into the slot above the number keys on my keyboard was an envelope with my name on it. Inside was a birthday card hand signed by the management team. Each of them, and there are six, wrote a brief personal message wishing me a happy birthday and thanking me for my contribution to the success of the company. It really made me feel special and appreciated. The card was not one of those funny or off-color cards I like to get for and receive from friends. It was definitely a business birthday card – formal, but modern and definitely appropriate for a corporate environment.

The management team started sending birthday cards for employees a few years ago. I really think it makes a difference that they acknowledge employee birthdays in this way. I mean it’s not like kindergarten so no one brings cupcakes and goodies and no one is singing happy birthday or handing out birthday gifts but the card is a small gesture that says: we care about you. And in return, they probably got more work out of me that day. So are business birthday cards good for morale? I’d say so.

Sending Boxed Sympathy Cards to Co-Workers

Although you might not know the person in all the cubicles in the office or in every department, when someone loses a loved one something tugs at the heart strings especially. The need to send boxed sympathy cards and acknowledge their loss looms large. Family is so important to many of us; it is a void that never gets filled.

It happened to me. I lost both my grandparents and they were waked together.  Although they died under different circumstances, their deaths made all the local papers. It was such a love story even at the time of their passing away.  They were married for 75 years and were never separated, so when they died in this manner it was emotional reading for the romantic at heart.  I received sympathy cards from people I hadn’t heard from in many years from all aspects of my life, personal and business.  My grandparents were a big part of my life, my friends and business acquaintances knew them, some better than others. My grandfather’s smile is so vivid in my mind; it makes me laugh when I think of him. Talk about lighting up a room! My grandmother would cook for any one that mentioned that they were hungry. They would even deliver the food!

Sharing these stories to others while my grandparents were alive, made their time of death remembered by so many.  It was comforting to me that so many people knew of them and respected my family ties.

When to Give Employee Anniversary Cards

When it’s your wedding anniversary you’d better give anniversary cards, this is a lesson I learned years ago. I could get all the jewelry money could buy, but if I don’t get that card it’s as if I hadn’t done a thing, which means no sleep for a week. I buy flowers, jewelry, etc. and here’s the reaction, “What,  no card?! What kind of husband are you?”

With that said, let’s talk about employee anniversary cards. You know, the ones your company, if you are lucky enough, give you every year. The business anniversary card that tells you how much they appreciate you and the many years of loyal and dedicated service you have given them. That makes such a big impact on an employee who is dedicated to his company. Personally, I like that acknowledgement. At my company everyone receives a card every year to mark the length of their employment. Not only do you receive a card, it’s given to you directly from the CEO or President of the company.

In a week I will be receiving corporate greeting cards from either the president or the CEO of the company I work for. It will be my 5 year anniversary. Having my hard work recognized gives me a good feeling. Sending anniversary cards to employees and co-workers is good for everyone.

Bulk Birthday Cards Mean You’ll Always Be Prepared

I have always been a sender of birthday cards.  Family and friends tell me that if my card doesn’t reach them by their birthday each year, they are alarmed.  If my card arrives late, it brings a sense of relief.  So, birthday card sending has always been my thing, and having bulk birthday cards on hand makes me job a lot easier.

As I got older, more family members were born, weddings added spouses, and because we are a genetically long-lived clan, there have been more birthdays to keep track of every year.  I’ve also been blessed with many friends, who I dearly love and whose birthdays I’m happy to celebrate.

I do put effort into keeping track of a lot of birthdays.  Lots of people think I’m an extremely organized, sensitive friend and business associate.  To be honest, once I put the date, name and address into a monthly file, it’s easy to keep track of each year. And having birthday cards by the box make me seem like an absolute miracle worker!

Boxed Birthday Cards Are The Best Thing That Ever Happened

I have two small children who are both in day care and both attend a lot of birthday parties. Let me just tell you how convenient boxed birthday cards are! Everyone with children, especially young children, knows that going to any kind of store can be an adventure in itself. Before I bought my boxed cards online, this is how my adventure to the card store went…

Going to a card or stationery store can be worse than going to a toy store. They walk in and see thousands of brightly colored greeting cards and can’t help but want to touch every one of them. So, while I’m trying to find those special birthday cards, I’m also making sure my “angels” (who are trying very hard to listen to me) do not touch the cards on the shelves. If I am not quick enough in picking out a card, their patience runs out. Then their little hands start helping me select cards.

Now, the problem occurs when one of them accidentally bends the corners or crinkles a card. So I’m left with the thought of either paying for a slightly thank-you-for-your-business card or quickly putting them back on the shelf. At the end of the adventurous trip to the card store, I end up spending money on at least one card I have no use for because it’s slightly damaged and spending half an hour in the store for one or two simple birthday cards.

When I found bulk birthday cards, it was the best thing! Not only are they brightly colored and the children love them, they also save me a lot of time and money!

Personalized Birthday Cards For A Feline Super Sweet 16 Celebration

Okay. I admit it. I am crazy! It’s official.

While most people make plans to celebrate a family member’s birthday with personalized birthday cards, a cake, and maybe a celebration or a party, I have gone above and beyond this. It just so happens that one member of my family is celebrating a Sweet 16 Birthday! This has become something of a major celebration since that show on MTV, My Super Sweet 16. This show exemplifies the excesses that people go to…huge parties, entertainment, and at the end of the show the birthday boy or girl is presented with an overly expensive car or SUV.

Besides the fact that I don’t have that kind of money, the difference with my party is that it’s for Spike – my 16 year old cat. I know, I know, he’s a cat. But hey, he’s almost the same age as my daughter and he was a heck of lot easier to potty train.

My party consists of a tablecloth depicting kitty cats wearing party hats, matching plates, assorted birthday cards, and a cake for Spike and his feline guests. The cake is from a website that makes cakes for cats with natural ingredients and ices them with yogurt. The really cool thing is that you send a picture and they reproduce it by painting your pet on the cake with edible paint. We plan on having cupcakes as well…for the humans. The only thing that is missing, and if anyone can help with locating it, (I’d very much appreciate it) – Spike wants his own Hummer. But I guess he’ll have to settle for a catnip stuffed Chevy!

All Occasion Cards and My New Pet Store

Last year, I opened up a pet store in my neighborhood. I never did anything like this before; I’m really just a computer geek with a soft spot for animals. I woke up one day and something told me to just do it, so I did. It took a lot of time, effort and many sleepless nights but now I am proud to say, I am a pet store owner. As a pet store owner, I have become very close to my customers and feel like they are a part of my extended family. I would email them thank you, holiday and even pet birthday cards, but I felt that the e-cards were too impersonal. One day, I went on Google and looked for some card companies and I am glad that I found the Gallery Collection for my All Occasion cards.

I called them and ordered cards for my pet store. I chose assorted greeting cards to celebrate the pet stores one year anniversary, and to also have cards to thank my clients, and much more. I had some apprehension but the lady on the phone was so friendly, patient and helpful that I felt like I was standing right in front of her. She asked me what I was looking for, took it step by step and explained everything to me. I ordered cards for my employees and my customers as well. The cards were like a thank you for being a loyal customer. The lady on the phone completely understood what I was trying to do, and eased my apprehension by assuring me that the Gallery Collection would make it work. And it did!