Author: Henry L.

Sympathy Cards – One of the Many Types of Corporate All Occasion Cards

Extending your condolences, wishing a Happy Birthday, expressing your get well wishes or thanking someone for a gift or a job well done are occasions that occur in everyone’s personal life as well as in their work life.  It is just as important and beneficial to acknowledge these occasions as they occur in the lives of your employees, business associates and co-workers as it is to your friends and family.  The use of All Occasion cards in the workplace offers an opportunity to create goodwill and provide motivation.  They can express your wishes of sympathy or congratulate an achievement. Sympathy cards are one such type of all occasion cards that can be used in the work environment, along with Birthday, Anniversary, Congratulations or just plain “Thinking of You”.

Not only is all occasion card giving important and beneficial in the workplace but boxes of assorted cards are a major time saver and convenience.   When these life events occur, you will be ready to respond without having to go to the store to buy a card for a specific occasion!  Your message of good wishes, congratulations or thoughts of sympathy will surely be expressed.

Business Birthday Cards, a Funeral Home, and the Perfect Sentiment

As many people who work as customer service representatives know, dealing with the public can occasionally be quite frustrating and stressful. Sometimes their demands are unreasonable. Sometimes they are angry or verbally abusive. But every so often they can be quite amusing – the “you can’t make this stuff up” kind of amusing.

I work for a company that offers customization on numerous office supplies and stationery. Among the items we offer are business birthday cards. Taking an order for the perfect cards is usually a relatively simple task. You listen to the customer, offer suggestions for wording a desired message or sentiment, and maintain self control under all circumstances. Describing the card design chosen by the customer is always a must and recommending appropriate ink or foil colors is also very helpful. Our goal is to produce the best greeting cards money can buy – ones that you could confidently give to your clients or customers; cards you’re proud to present and ones that they will be honored to receive. But some days just never go right…

I was taking an order for birthday cards that required a customized sentiment. The customer wanted to express his gratitude to his cherished clients while mentioning his desire for them to share a long term business relationship. After exchanging ideas he finally decided on the following wording for his greeting: “Thank You for being such a valued customer and contributing to our success. We look forward to serving you again.” At this point I asked what wording would be used as a signature or personalization which would be typeset underneath the greeting. The customer indicated that a simple imprint of his company name would suffice. Agreeing with his decision, I asked for the company name. “McHenry’s Memorial Home and Funeral Service,” he replied. “Oops!” I thought, but couldn’t think of a delicate way to point out how awkward it sounded. I guess the birthday cards worked out okay though. McHenry’s has been a loyal customer of ours ever since that order was placed.

Congratulations to the Winner of our 5th Annual $10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest

Congratulations to Whitney Fuertes of Tolleson, Arizona! She is the winner of our 5th Annual $10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest! Whitney is a senior at La Joya Community High School who plans to study Nursing in college. She has created a beautiful hand-drawn work that depicts a Nativity scene under a night sky. Whitney submitted a design that is 100% original and unique, and we can’t wait to see the finished product! Our judges had a tough decision to make as there were so many outstanding entries in the finalist pool, but we think Whitney’s design will make a truly amazing card.

Here is the design Whitney submitted:

Winner of the 5th Annual $10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest
Whitney Fuertes’s winning design for the 5th Annual Create-A-Greeting-Card $10,000 Scholarship Contest

The 6th Annual Create-A-Greeting-Card $10,000 Scholarship Contest will begin on March 19, 2012. Be sure to visit the entry page to reacquaint yourself with the rules and guidelines. You may also check out our newly updated winners page to view the designs submitted by our previous winners and to get inspired.

Business Greeting Cards Can Enhance Your Reputation

A simple and inexpensive way to get noticed and remembered is to send business greeting cards to clients, patrons, customers, and patients. And don’t forget how useful they can be for co-workers and employees.

My company gives all of its employee’s really nice custom greeting cards for their birthday every year. This year they made them even more special by adding a note at the bottom of the card saying, “Bring to HR & receive two movie tickets.”

Alright, a trip to the Caribbean might have been more exciting, but a free evening at the movies was a thoughtful and unexpected gesture – especially with today’s economy – and it made each of us feel appreciated and valued. It’s nice to know that our employer continues to be interested in our having enjoyable lives outside of work.

This morning, I was telling my next door neighbor about my birthday card and movie tickets, and she very enthusiastically had to tell me about a special greeting card she had recently received. It was a thinking of you card from her surgeon, which arrived a few days after she returned home from the hospital. It said he appreciated her choosing him and reminded her that he and his staff are dedicated to her speedy recovery and are available to her any time.

The card was a welcome surprise, lifting her spirits and making her smile. She’s now his biggest fan and all her friends at the weekly Senior Citizens Club have all heard how remarkable he is. It’s enhanced his reputation and made his name more well-known. I’m sure he’ll be at the top of the list of any one of them needing surgery in the future.

Especially in today’s world of emails and tweets, sending business greeting cards can have a great impact and leave a lasting impression.

Business Birthday Cards Add A Personal Touch

What use do we have for business birthday cards? In this day and age of immediacy things are done so instantly. We order food and it’s ready in less than three minutes and that includes the time we take to pay for the meal. We write others and no longer does it take a few days to get the folded letter but we have it instantly in front of us with the help of email, sometimes bold and full of color. We text each other to the tune of 30 words or more per minute, and that’s not even words written in full text! What chance do business greeting cards have up against these things that are done at the speed of light?

I say they have a great chance! They have a chance to show that you took time out to care; you took time out to appreciate by purchasing a greeting card and all that is involved with that process. It goes a long way in terms of showing how much you think of someone.

Well of course they are not sent or received instantly, but that is exactly what sets them apart. The time it takes, and the cost to make what you are trying to say…that’s the added personal touch that makes business birthday cards so special.

Congratulations Cards for Flying High

Almost all of us have a written list or have at least thought of some things that we would include on our bucket list. I have been very blessed to have done a few things already that I have been able to cross of my bucket list but my latest thrill has come from jumping out of an airplane from 14,000 feet. Do I deserve Congratulations cards for such a feat? My kids think I do! Let me tell you why.

Skydiving is totally safe is the message I got from the company that was allowing me to jump, yet I had to sign many a form saying that I would not hold them liable should anything happen. Always having been a bit of risk-taker, I was undeterred and ready to jump. I was not really nervous but as we were ascending higher and higher, 7,000 feet, 9,000 feet, 12,000 feet….I did have a brief moment when I thought to myself, what the heck were you thinking? But alas, that passed quickly as my tandem instructor hurled himself, with me attached, out of the back of the airplane. I can’t tell you how incredibly liberating it is to free fall for an entire minute before having your parachute deploy. I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list.

The next day, I found Congratulations cards that my kids had made for me which said Congratulations Mommy for jumping out of an airplane. I found it very amusing to be congratulated for something I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager. But nonetheless, I saved those precious hand-made greeting cards along with the video and pictures I purchased of my extremely eventful day. I will never forget the experience but it’s great to be able to relive it every once and awhile. My next bucket-list adventure is a hot-air balloon ride. Not quite as risky maybe but at least the hot air won’t only be coming from me this time.

Now I Know What Corporate Birthday Cards Are Truly For

The first time I received an invoice from our sales and marketing department referring to corporate birthday cards I didn’t understand why we would spend money on something that seemed so frivolous. You see, I work in the accounting department involved with accounts payable and I didn’t know what the company would use a corporate birthday card for. My friend Mary works in sales and I asked her. She explained how very valuable they are because it reminds each customer that we remember them and they are individuals with a special day and that they really matter to our business. She went on to say how sometimes a customer will call without placing any order just to thank the sales representative who thought of them.

When you are selling a product and there is a lot of one on one contact with your customers you really get to know them. These business birthday cards are just the right touch for that purpose. I’m sure we get a few extra calls and even more importantly sales. Recently, I received a birthday card from my insurance company representative and it made me smile, proving that it really does matter.

Gain the Competitive Edge with Business Greeting Cards

My husband’s financial management company lets him know that his business and loyalty are appreciated by sending him handsome business greeting cards every year for the holidays. His personal advisor usually adds a note and hand signs it above the company’s logo. They always wish him all things good for the coming New Year and when he receives it, the gesture reminds him that he is thought of and valued.

Law firms and insurance companies, accountants, banks and credit unions along with medical practices, hospitals and others in the health care field can all reach out to their clients and patients in a simple, inexpensive but thoughtful way. Besides using them for the holidays, greeting cards for business can be sent for birthdays and anniversaries. They can be used to offer sympathy or get well wishes, as well as to convey congratulations or a special thank you.

Sending greeting cards is a great way for small businesses to show appreciation to existing customers or appeal to potential ones. Landscapers, auto mechanics, spas and beauty salons, real estate professionals, tradesmen and suppliers can all use custom greeting cards to stay in touch with those who are important to the success of their business.

Restaurants, retailers and service industries can all keep their name in front of the public as well as make special promotional offers to their regular patrons. Schools, colleges and universities can use them to stay in contact with their students, alumni and supporters. Greeting cards for business can strengthen ties and bolster good will.

I’m sure you can think of several ways you could use them to maintain or grow your client base, or to promote your new or existing business. Today’s economy requires special measures and extra effort to gain the competitive edge. Business greeting cards are a proven tool of success for companies of all sizes.

Personalized Birthday Cards Flew us to California

Who would have thought that personalized birthday cards could have been so rewarding. It was my daughter Terre’s Sweet 16 birthday and she didn’t want to have a Sweet 16 party, the same as all of her friends were having. She wanted instead to go to Southern California – Huntington Beach to be exact – with three of her best friends (my sister and I also went). So I ordered some custom imprinted birthday cards which incorporated a special invitation for Terre and her three best friends to Huntington Beach for one week for a Sweet 16 birthday vacation. I placed a round trip airline ticket in each and gave out the special birthday cards to my daughter and her friends. They were thrilled, to say the least.

When the special vacation week finally arrived, we had a limo come and pick us up to go to the airport. We landed at LAX and for our first night, we stayed at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. We got to the hotel, checked in and went to the poolside café to have lunch. We were so excited to be there and so hopeful we would see a famous person or two. We weren’t there ten minutes when Jennifer Aniston walked in and sat at a table 25 feet from us. The girls could barely hide their excitement at seeing her. I really couldn’t either!

While we were all too shy to say anything to her, she was very sweet nonetheless. She couldn’t help but notice the gaggle of teenage girls trying not to stare at her. When we were finished and on our way to do some sight-seeing, Jennifer waved to the girls as they got up from the table and left. Well, they were on cloud nine the rest of the day.

We left for Huntington Beach the next day and had a great time. We didn’t see any other famous people but to be honest, seeing Jennifer Aniston was all we could handle for one trip! But those special birthday cards, and the whole vacation, is a memory the girls will cherish forever.

 

Reunited by Personalized Holiday Cards

When I was just sixteen I dated the love of my life, Ed, for four years. We did everything together. We spent school days together walking to class. We spent summers at the pool. We celebrated our birthdays and holidays with each other and our families. No matter what we did, we were laughing. We really had an amazing time together.

Three years into the relationship he went away to college. I missed him like crazy. We talked on the phone. We visited when we could afford it. We sent personalized holiday cards, birthday cards, cards for everything. As time went by the cards became less personal, and they became less frequent. So did the phone calls. Season’s greetings were almost never exchanged anymore. After about 11 months it seemed as if the relationship that once was my world was now just a memory. I always wondered where Ed was, how he was doing, and was he the one who got away?

Nine years passed. I still thought about Ed once in a while, maybe a little more during the holiday season. I was working as a receptionist in a doctor’s office. It was the middle of December and I had “decked the halls” of the office with holiday décor, lights, and bells. Before I left one night I was hanging all the Season’s Greetings cards sent to the office and the doctor. As I hung the last card I noticed something oddly familiar. Inside the company president thanked the doctor for his business. At the bottom of the card, clear as day, I’d recognize that handwriting anywhere, “Best Wishes, Ed.” I couldn’t believe it, I hadn’t seen or heard from him in nine years and there was that familiar signature printed on the card. Could it be? Could it be my high school sweetheart, Ed?

I wasted no time calling the number on the card. It turns out it was my Ed and he had been thinking about me too! We were both single and lived fifteen miles from each other. That was 2 years ago that we finally found each other after nine years. We now live together and are getting married next month. We even have the holiday card that brought us back together framed in our family room!