Category: Holiday Cards and Tidbits

Kicking Off the Holiday Season With Thanksgiving Cards

This year, you need to be the first one to make your mark among other businesses. How do you do that? By sending Thanksgiving cards! You will be opening the season with bang by sending Thanksgiving cards and assuring that you will stand out from the rest of the crowd. Your greeting cards of well wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year will be easy to remember because they will be received before the onslaught of cards normally received between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Another upside of sending a Thanksgiving card is the opportunity to say, “Thank you.” Whether your recipients are customers, other businesses or family and friends; this is a great chance to show your appreciation for what they contribute to your world. There is nothing more American than sending Thanksgiving cards. Most businesses stick with the Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings card and remain on the sidelines till later in the holiday season. By sending Thanksgiving cards you’ll be ahead of the game and recipients will surely love them. This year, get ahead of the rush and open the holiday season up with a bang by with fun and thoughtful wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Winter Is Coming: When Should I Send My Office Holiday Party Invitations?

Winter is coming! Winter is coming! Most people don’t get too excited about the news that the dreary, snow filled days of winter are approaching. I really don’t either, but what I do get excited about is all the holiday excitement and celebrations that are on their way.

The hectic holiday season fills me with a rush like no other. Between work, family and friends, I am always rushing from one event to another. This is not a complaint, but getting the invites on a timely basis is extremely important. I hate to miss even one gathering.

Sending a holiday party invitation too late becomes an issue if your invitees are busy. They may already be booked. If you send your office holiday party invitations too early, then you run the risk of being forgotten. Although there is no concrete guideline on when to send an invitation, I suggest you get those invitation out about four to six weeks before the holiday party. This timing gives your guests plenty of time to save the date, find a sitter, pick out the perfect ensemble and still have time to generate excitement. Try to be respectful of your employees. They have many obligations outside the office and understand the importance of attending the annual office holiday party.

Why Proper Grammar is Key in Letter Writing

There complementary desert is grater than hearse. Their complimentary dessert is greater than hers. The first sentence states that there exists a matching area of arid land that functions as an implement that grates in some unidentifiable relation to a vehicle that transports those who have passed away. The second sentence states that someone’s free cake tastes better than someone else’s cake. I believe these two sentences clearly illustrate the undeniable and unquestionable importance of grammar.

Perhaps you are not convinced. All grammatical errors are not as blatant as the above, and you may feel it is perfectly fine to ignore some rules of grammar once in a while. You might want to have your complimentary cake and eat it, too. Resist that temptation. Grammar is not meant to be a tedious set of rules. Its function is to assist in the accurate and coherent expression of thoughts and ideas. Certain forms of communication rely more heavily on grammar than others. In particular, proper grammar is key in letter writing. This is the case for many reasons, two of which are listed below.

Perceived Intelligence – Whether it is fair or not, most people judge the intelligence of others based upon the quality of their writing. An individual may be ignored or dismissed despite their intelligence simply because of poor grammar.

Meaningful Communication – Ideas, beliefs, and thoughts only exist outside oneself if they can be properly communicated. Faulty grammar hinders true expression as it can serve to frustrate or confuse the letter reader who may, in turn, abandon the letter without ever grasping its inherent value.

Holiday Cards: Should Your Business Send Them?

I remember when I use to check the mail in the morning as a kid. I’d shuffle through envelopes as if I had important mail coming, but I never had any mail for me. It wasn’t like I was paying the bills. I just liked sorting through mail; don’t ask me why. I’d look through it and anything with my dad’s name went into his pile, mail with my mom’s name went into hers, etc. I was basically the in house mail sorter. I thought I had their mail all figured out until companies began to send them huge calendars and Christmas cards. They were interesting because they usually would send them around the holiday time. They always caught my eye with all the cool Thanksgiving and Christmas designs, and some even had the companies’ names printed on them which stood out even more. One day, my mom was helping me sort through the mail and I remember her saying about one of the holiday calendar cards, “you always need these calendars around and I might need this to get the info about the company who sent it.” So, if you’re a small local company on the rise or an internationally known business with thousands of locations,  does sending Holiday Cards make sense? I would emphatically say yes.

I know some may say no because people will receive them in the mail and simply toss them. But, I have come to believe it is more than worth it to send out holiday cards. This is a chance for new customers to learn about your business or spark their interest in you. Of course, some will be thrown out, but there’s a better chance of people who won’t and will need your services. They will be more likely to contact you instead of the competitor who didn’t pay to have those cards made and sent out, since they have your info at the ready.

So yes, sending out holiday cards are one of those decisions you weigh out the pros and cons on. But personally, I feel they are more than worth the effort because I can potentially make new clients in the process. New customers will have all my contact info I’ll have new business along with new friends to enjoy the holiday season with. It’s a no brainer for me. 

Christmas Cards Throughout History

As with all things, Christmas cards have changed dramatically since their inception. Cards actually originated way back in the Victorian Era. In the 1920’s, Christmas cards really took on steam. At this point in history, the card designs and greetings were all religious cards. They had their own unique charm. In the years that followed, changes started to take place, and by the 1940’s, cards were moving further away from the religious theme. You could find Christmas cards with characters such as Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop.

From the 1960’s until about 2000’s, things really took a turn. Cards were getting cheekier in their humor. This period of time in general is known for the freedom movements and edginess. Naturally, Christmas cards followed suit. While there were still plenty of classic religious cards to be found, the majority of people were looking at cards with pushed towards humor and varying themes. Commercialism rose to an all-time high. Along with this change, the cost of greeting cards began to rise.

Present day greeting cards have evolved to include all extremes and everything in the middle. You can find cards truly inspired by the spirit of Christmas. As you browse the selections, you will also see some middle of the ground – not overtly religious but just offering peace and happiness. Then, there is the totally funny and outrageous. There are cards for everyone out there these days. Throughout time, greeting cards have evolved into a booming industry.

Feature Your Company Name on Your Holiday Cards

You’ve decided to distribute holiday cards this year because you could use the business. Are you worried the product won’t be worth the price-tag? Well wipe that concern from your mind if you’ve chosen to order from The Gallery Collection. Their premium quality cards will impress your recipients every time—and with so many designs options, you’ll never have to send the same card twice (unless you want to )! This post will shine a spotlight on how to feature your company name on your holiday cards.

It’s pretty unique that so many components of The Gallery Collection’s cards are editable. Feel free to browse the hundreds of holiday cards that allow you to have your company name right on the front: Feature Your Company Name Holiday Cards. With options like using an ink card with a customizable cover or a foil and embossed card with a peek-through window, you’re going to have a difficult time narrowing it down!

It’s a smart move to have your company name blazoned on the front of your holiday cards. This marketing move gives your company visibility while also showing gratitude. Chances are your customers or business partners will display your card where other potential clients will see. You could even add your logo or printed signatures inside your cards for that extra touch of professionalism.

Should I Send New Year’s Cards to Customers?

After Christmas is over, New Year’s Eve and Day is right around the corner. You’re really not sure if it is appropriate to send New Year’s cards to your customers, so soon after sending the Holiday cards. Maybe you haven’t even sent your Holiday cards yet, and are looking to send a dual card. The Gallery Collection has an entire selection of beautiful holiday greeting cards. They also have a selection of New Year’s Cards and Calendar cards, sure to put a smile on your recipients’ face! One of my personal favorite New Year’s greeting cards is the Starburst New Year’s Card. This greeting card is digitally printed in ink, and the text can be personalized on the front of the card. Another fun New Year’s greeting card design is Bright New Year Card, another greeting card that is digitally printed in ink. The text can also be personalized on the front of the card. The Four Seasons Calendar Card has colorful trees representing each season of the year, featured on the cover of this attractive Z-fold design. Whichever card you choose, I believe that it’s a great way to send your well wishes for the new year to come!

Ways to Recognize Employees This Holiday Season

My business revolves around Customer Service calls for a Medical device company. Our agents have had to learn quite a bit about products that customers call us about every day. There are manuals in all their cubicles so the representatives can answer questions. Our Human Resources department is small and we all know each other pretty well. So, when they received a pamphlet last year titled “Ways to Recognize Employees this Holiday Season!” they forwarded it to the administration team, in hopes of finding some new options which would show our appreciation to all employees this next upcoming holiday season.

Our choice for the best idea was: “Give all the employees something they would really be happy to receive”. After going over all the company expenses we decided that along with the Company Christmas Cards we’d also enclose a gift card from American Express! We are using the business AMEX card to pay for everything possible through the business and in this way we will accumulate a percentage of our total spending. The grand total can then be divided up among the total number of our employees and we can have gift cards issued. We are anticipating the amounts will be a number that feels like a really good gift! This way since everyone gets the same dollar amount there are no secrets about how much each employee receives and each can feel truly valued.

3 Reasons to Add Signatures to Your Christmas Cards

 

While it is always nice to personally hand sign any greeting card, it is not always practical. During the holidays, most companies send out Christmas cards to all their vendors, customers and other business contacts. This can be a huge mailing for most companies. Face it, signing 25 personal cards can be an overwhelming task in November and December; imagine handsigning upwards of 100 to possibly thousands of Christmas cards!
So with today’s printing technology, here are 3 reasons to let a machine do your signatures for you:

#1- Time: Time is money. If your employees are busy signing hundreds of cards and passing the bunch of them around the office to each employee to sign, the work is not being done or at least it is being temporarily set aside. While passing the cards around, each staff member will probably take a few minutes to chit-chat about the weather, the family, football or in this office the latest episode of the TV hit “This is Us”. Multiply those few minutes by every employee and that lost time adds up. I hate to sound like Ebenezer Scrooge during this festive season, but…

#2- Neatness and Esthetic Appeal: Maybe signing your name on 5-10 cards is not so bad, however when it gets into the hundreds, things get sloppy. Even the nicest signature begins to turn into an unreadable scrawl. Combine this with the coffee and donuts being consumed or the pizza being eaten during the signing and those cards are starting to look like a real mess. A greasy thumbprint does not qualify as a signature.

#3- Signatures are like Human Logos: Handwriting analysts can tell a lot about a person from their signature and this holds true about a signed name on a greeting card. Think about it- You have been emailing customers for years but really know little about them. Seeing a person’s signature on a company Christmas card gives you a little insight into who that person is. Some people will dot their letter “i” with a heart or a star, some will cross their “t” with a really long line, and others will make huge scrolls with their initials. Given the opportunity to sign their name once on a signature template often gives people the time to be at the very least neat and sometimes imaginative with that one signature. They may add a caricature of themselves incorporated into their name or draw a snowman or a Christmas tree next to it. The creativity can be endless if 1000’s of cards do not have to be manually signed over and over again.

So all you people who are responsible for ordering the company Christmas cards this year, request a signature template to make the task of adding employee signatures to the company Christmas cards easier this year. Everyone will be much happier and less stressed because of it!

Don’t Wait Till The Last Minute – Send Those Business Holiday Cards Early

 

Receiving a card for an event that has already passed is the worst. Don’t want your stunning Business Holiday card to immediately see the trash? Think about why it’s important to send out your Business Holiday cards early.

Many people (and companies) like to display their cards well in advance of the Holidays. This is partially because many businesses close during this time. If you want your recipients to have time to enjoy your business Holiday cards, send them out early.

It’s easy to get buried in the slush-pile. You don’t want your beautiful card to get lost or misplaced because you sent it too late and now it’s in the mix with everyone else’s business Holiday cards. Do yourself a favor and stand out.

Another reason to get your business holiday cards out early is so that if your clients need your company’s line of services, you are on their mind. Sending business Holiday cards in the first place sends warm regards, but sending them early ensures that your company will be the first that comes to mind when they need.

Lastly, you are less likely to make mistakes if you are not rushing to get your cards out. This card is a reflection of your business: show that you are punctual and pertinent. Giving yourself plenty of time limits unexpected variables like errors on your cards, your card design running out of stock, or missing the mailman . . . again.