Month: April 2013

Assorted Birthday Cards Show Employee Appreciation

Working as an office administrator in a small office I am always coming up with new ways of showing appreciation to our employees. This is a little easier to do than working with a larger office because of the number of employees and costs. Here is my tip on birthdays and birthday cards for cozier offices. If you work in a small office like me assorted birthday cards are a better alternative than getting a “one size fits all” card and this is why. We all know that time when a birthday card gets passed around the office because a co-workers birthday is coming up soon. Now imagine signing the same exact card 10+ times. By the time your birthday comes along you would probably already know what card you’re going to get and that’s no fun! Well ordering bulk birthday cards was the solution!

We all appreciate it when it’s our birthday and we get a different card then what we signed for Bill’s or Jane’s birthday. The surprise element really adds a nice touch to an office birthday. I found the perfect assortment from the Gallery Collection. They don’t sacrifice quality for costs and the cards are beautiful! If you are an office admin please take this tip and get your birthday cards today. Trust me, you will thank me later!

The Gallery Collection Donates to Boston Marathon Victim Fundraiser

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce a donation to Boston Marathon bombing victim, Heather Abbott, through a special fundraiser to be held in her honor.

The event will take place at 2pm on Sunday, April 28th at the Dockside 1 Waites Wharf in Heather’s hometown of Newport, RI. There is a $20 suggested donation for entry, and there will also be raffles, a silent auction, and live music with 100% of the proceeds going directly to a recovery fund for medical and rehabilitation costs. Heather, who sustained serious injuries to her left leg during the attack, recently underwent an operation to amputate the leg below the knee. “It will be a long road ahead for Heather, and we are hoping to relieve some of the impending financial burden by raising funds in her name,” reads the event website. “This will allow Heather to focus all of her energy on getting better.”

Boston Marathon Fundraiser Cards

In a show of support for Heather and this Sunday’s fundraiser, The Gallery Collection will be donating nearly $5,000 worth of products to support the day’s events, including a $300 gift certificate to the silent auction, thirty greeting card assortment boxes to be sold throughout the day, and 500 personalized cards that will be distributed as a thank you to all those in attendance.

“The events on April 15th in Boston were a shock to everyone,” said H.L. DeVore, Chief Marketing Officer for The Gallery Collection. “As I learned more about the individual stories of courage and heroism that occurred that day, I was particularly touched by Heather’s story. The Gallery Collection’s donation to her fundraiser is our way of providing both financial and moral support on her road to recovery, as well as being a gesture of solidarity to all the victims and those affected by that tragic day.”

For more info on Sunday’s fundraiser, visit the event Facebook page. Those wishing to donate to Heather’s recovery fund but are unable to attend the event can make a direct donation at the following website: http://www.gofundme.com/HeatherAbbott. For general donations to the Boston Marathon fund, visit the One Fund homepage.

Business Birthday Cards – A Unique Office Experience

The morning routine is definitely a little different today. My morning commute normally doesn’t involve making a pit stop to get a dozen bagels and delicious donuts. It’s a special day indeed. A unique tradition has been implemented at the office for these types of days. If it’s your birthday, guess what? You get to go out and get everyone gifts or in this case, breakfast bare necessities. Things are a little backwards at my office, but it’s great to see others enjoying my birthday festivities. My co-workers do give me something that I think is even better than gifts or junk food – a business birthday card signed by my entire department expressing their well wishes for me on my day of being born. Business birthday cards are the perfect way for an employee to feel cared about. These cards are given by the company to their employees and are well received by everyone.

Once the storm of co-workers has finished devouring each and every piece of the breakfast presents, the day continues to move along. Then, in the afternoon, right after lunch, there it was in all of its glory (insert exaggeration here). It was the office birthday card. Seeing all of my co-workers say a little something with their signatures meant a lot. It made me feel a part of the group, a part of the office tradition, and definitely feel special. Office birthday cards are the ultimate display of appreciation. The gesture itself is more than gratifying in my perspective. As people get older, you tend to forget the value of your birthday and often do not even want it to come; another year older doesn’t sound too appealing in the eyes of many. Then you remember, “Wait, I have a job to go to and have to be reminded that it’s my birthday by other people.” The bitterness then goes away when you see that birthday card at your desk. The day instantly gets a little brighter. When you know you can share your birthday with such great people, you do not regret your birthday from happening, you embrace it.

Announcing The Finalists of The 2nd Chance – $1,000 Christmas Tree Design Contest

The Gallery Collection is pleased to announce the finalists of our 2nd Chance – $1,000 Christmas Tree Design Contest. This exciting new design contest was open to the finalists from the Gallery Collection’s 6th Annual Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship contest. You can see all of the amazing submissions that we received below.

All finalists from the 6th annual scholarship contest were invited to submit designs that feature Decorated Christmas Trees. One of these beautiful designs will win a $1,000 prize for a very talented artist. If there is a design you love and want to share on a social network, just click the image you would like to share and use the URL from the new page.

Stay tuned! The winner will be announced on May 15, 2013!

Business Greeting Cards Keep You In The Minds Of Customers

I’ve noticed lately that when I visit a new store or restaurant and join their “frequent visitors” list, one of the questions they ask is “when is your birthday” or “when is your anniversary”. I guess in the back of my mind I wondered if they’d send business greeting cards, but that seemed so personal and I always thought of most businesses as just the opposite. Imagine my surprise when I got a birthday card from my favorite new restaurant.

Aside from the good will something like corporate greeting cards spread, there is the word of mouth that, as we all know, can make or break many businesses today. I was on the phone and Facebook immediately telling all my friends about getting birthday cards from the restaurant we had all just eaten in a few months ago. Without exception, everyone commented on how thoughtful it was that they actually acted upon the information they collected.

Then there was the Thank You card my daughter received from the sales woman at the furniture store. Yet another example of business greeting cards showing that someone took a little extra time to show appreciation. We all know, there are lots of stores out there, not to mention all the online options for shopping. When a business takes the time to say “Thank You for Choosing Us” it leaves a real impression. I know the next time I am shopping for furniture, I will think about going back to this particular store. They were kind enough to thank us for our business; I will return the gesture by shopping there and recommending them to friends and family.

It’s not just restaurants and retail establishments that have realized the value of business greeting cards though. I changed dentists last year and now I get a greeting card from him on my birthday or whenever I refer someone to his practice.

It’s a good feeling to be appreciated or remembered – whether it’s a restaurant, furniture store or even my dentist!

A Warm Reception At My New Job With Personalized Birthday Cards

It was my first day back to work at a new company after a long hiatus taking care of my young daughter. I was about to begin a week long training session, and it was also my birthday. I walked into the training room filled with anticipation for this new chapter in my life. I was surprised to find a card placed on top of my employee manual. The card was to welcome me to the company and congratulate me on my birthday! It was personally signed by the managers and executive staff. It put a smile on my face and made me feel at ease. I couldn’t believe that my birthday had been recognized, and on just my first day; on top of that, the executives took the time to hand sign all their personalized birthday cards!

Today, I still have the card proudly displayed at my desk. It is so beautiful with the company’s name and logo in the card. I now do the purchasing for the company, and I make sure that I order the same business birthday cards (from The Gallery Collection) that I received on my first day. That day set the tone for what has turned out to be an exceptional workplace. It’s amazing, but true, that the smallest things can have a big impact.

Assorted Birthday Cards Work For Everyone

You can never go wrong with assorted birthday cards. When you send birthday cards at a company the recipient always expects it to be the same as someone else’s card. We think things like “they wouldn’t spend all of their time personalizing something for just me.” In all actuality the thought is what truly counts. Everyday we think about how we can send out birthday cards and not be repetitive. Assorted cards are the perfect way to tackle that issue. This make employees feel special and appreciated.

I actually have my own set of bulk birthday cards to send to friends and family. I purchased this same birthday box for myself. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and scenic look of all the cards. All I have to do is slap some labels on the cards and away they go. It makes my cards sending process reasonable and affordable every year. Creativity isn’t one of my strongest suits. After getting a great deal on a box of assorted birthday cards from The Gallery Collection, I created a list of birthdays. I wrote each name from my birthday list on a post-it and stuck it to the card that represented each person best. Problem solved!

Business Birthday Cards – Even If You Hate Your Birthday

I have a niece who loves her birthday. She looks forward to it every year and is very disappointed if we don’t make a big deal about it. On the other hand, I can’t say I ever loved my birthday – and I love it even less so as the years add up. I guess it beats the alternative but I was never one to look forward to my birthday. I don’t like being in the spotlight and I don’t like to receive gifts. At the beginning of every year I check the calendar and hope that my birthday falls on a weekend so that I miss all the hoopla that takes place at work – even though weekend birthdays are celebrated on Friday or Monday so your birthday cannot be avoided. But I have to say I do enjoy the business birthday cards I get from my boss each year. Having worked in the same company for 27 years that adds up to 26 cards and counting. Every year, without fail, when I arrive at work on my actual birthday, or the Friday or Monday before, there is a card for me waiting on my desk.

My boss orders personalized birthday cards at the beginning of each year and he marks his calendar for all upcoming birthdays. Even though we all know we are getting a birthday card it is still a pleasant surprise to see the card waiting for us when we arrive at work. He orders birthday cards – his name and the company name are already printed – but then he adds some personal notes. This is what makes the birthday card so special. He tells us all the nice things he should be telling us all year long instead of just on our birthday. But hey, at least he tells us!

Helpful Tips for Sending Sympathy Cards

For obvious reasons, no one likes to send sympathy cards. But they are needed, as they help bring comfort to the bereaved and also enable you to express and share your grief. Knowing the right things to say and do can be difficult. Here are some tips for sending sympathy cards.

Writing the Sympathy Cards
• Opt for a black or blue pen. Do not use colorful pens.
• If you’re not sure what to say, keep it simple. Messages such as “I am sorry for your loss.” and “My thoughts and prayers are with you.” are always appropriate.
• Avoid saying things like “He is in a better place.” or “Time heals all wounds.” Hearing trite clichés like this might be painful for the family.
• Be heartfelt and respectful.
• If you knew the deceased well, you can include a memory or acknowledge how much the person meant to you.
• Be sure to include your last name when signing the card.

When and How to Give the Sympathy Cards
• If you are attending the wake or funeral, you can give the card to the family at that time. The funeral home usually has a dedicated holder for everyone to place their cards.
• If sending the card via mail, write the mailing and return addresses by hand to make the envelope more personal.
• Some people are able to visit the bereaved in person and like to bring flowers or food to help the family during this difficult time. Sympathy cards can accompany these gifts.
• The sooner the better, so your card reaches the person grieving when needed most. However, it is never too late to share your condolences.

Types of Sympathy Cards and Thinking of You Cards
• A nice touch would be to select a design that honors the deceased. For example, if she loved going to the beach, an elegant card with seashells or peaceful ocean scene would be appropriate.
• If the deceased or the family is religious, a card with that theme would be well-received.
• “Thinking of You” cards can be considered instead of traditional sympathy cards. These designs and sentiments are just as appropriate.