Author: Henry L.

It’s Easy Being Green with Personalized Holiday Cards

I see them everywhere – in the dentist’s office by the receptionist, in my Aunt Lucy’s kitchen next to the old wall phone, in the “automotively” fragrant service lounge where I’m waiting to have my car repaired, even in my modest gray cubicle at work – all sorts of calendars personalized with business contact info.

So last year, using the same idea, my husband and I decided to send out personalized holiday cards, unique ones that wouldn’t be tossed out with the trash on January 1st. Purposely, we opted for calendar cards. They are tri-fold and fit in a one-postage-stamp-sized matching envelope. Since we had several lines of space at the bottom of the calendar card to work with, we personalized a message for our family and friends and ended with our first names. The words were crisply embedded with a shimmering gold foil. We tried to craft a special phrase that would be encouraging, attractive and applicable throughout the year. If we were business owners the space on the calendar card would be used for our address, phone, fax, and website info.

Confident we had made a useful choice with our holiday cards, we were further delighted to discover that our calendar cards choice was designated as environmentally friendly. That means they were produced with raw materials from forests harvested and replenished in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The elegant card paper stock was made through wind power and in facilities where certified renewable energy is used, offsetting carbon emissions. With sustainability being a keyword these days we knew we had succeeded in our green quest.

On a related note, it’s easy for anyone to see that in tough economic times it is more important than ever to give thanks to an individual customer or client that has remained loyal – an end of the year recognition to those who have frankly, kept all our places of employment going. On the personal side we chose personalized holiday cards to keep our family connections going.

The custom Christmas cards in a colorful and artistic calendar format are useful throughout the year and a solid choice. They are responsibly produced and the green way to go.

August Monthly Finalists

We’re pleased to announce that 4 Monthly Finalists were chosen for August! Each monthly finalist will receive a $75 Amazon gift card. Be sure to tell us what you think of the monthly winning designs by leaving a comment below; we’d love to hear from you! **And don’t forget, even if you weren’t chosen as a Monthly Finalist you may still be in the running for the $10,000 scholarship.

If you haven’t submitted a design yet for our $10,000 Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship Contest, why wait? You might just be one of the next monthly prize winners.

Make it easy for your friends and family to view the Monthly Finalists by posting the following link to your personal or school website: https://www.gallerycollection.com/greeting-cards-monthly-finalists4.htm

Or, pass on the code below to your school webmaster or someone you know with a website or blog:

Congratulations to…

Dena Bracy of Fairfax, Virginia,
a junior at the Academy of Art University		 August Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - #9238
Carson King of Concord, North Carolina,
a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design		 August Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - #9201
Schuyler Bjork of Clearfield, Utah,
a home-schooled senior		 August Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - #9187
Jackie Williams of Rosenberg, Texas,
a senior at the University of Houston		 August Monthly Finalist for The Gallery Collection's $10,000 Greeting Card Scholarship - #9164

Design #610CS – Season’s Greetings Peaceful Winter Card

If you’re searching for the perfect business Christmas cards, look no further than design #610CS, Season’s Greetings Peaceful Winter Card. This tasteful card is printed on a rich, white card stock and features a serene painted scene of gray and white. A lone pine stands in the foreground of a snowy meadow while bare branched snow-covered hardwoods occupy the area to the sides of the pine and the background. Tiny iridescent silver foil snowflakes populate all the branches of the trees allowing the card to “shimmer” as you turn it in your hand. The words “Season’s Greetings” appear almost handwritten in the same glistening foil below the landscape. This selection is elegant in an understated manner and would be perfect to send as a corporate holiday card. It is non-religious in nature and can be sent to all clients and customers, regardless of each one’s particular spirituality. The design conveys a feeling of wintertime tranquility.

Design #610CS - Seasons Greetings Peaceful Winter Card
Design #610CS - Season's Greetings
Peaceful Winter Card

Personalized Christmas Cards Keep it Personal and Easy

At The Gallery Collection, you can order handsomely designed and manufactured Christmas cards, choose from many thoughtfully written greetings, and then you can personalize your selection with two lines of print. In today’s fast-paced world it is a welcome relief to know that you can have your cards ready to send without appearing rushed or lazy. The Gallery Collection’s personalized Christmas cards look like you spent the time to choose something unique and stylish to send to friends and family. The foil on the inside of the envelope looks so elegant, your recipients will know they are getting something extraordinary and distinctive before they even see the card inside.

Honestly, I like to sign my own cards so when I am given my complimentary order of personalized Christmas cards I let my neighbors have them and they add their personal note. They get so excited when I bring the catalog over. Since I only give them 25 cards, they make a list of the special people that get the “good” Christmas cards. At their New Year’s Eve party, my neighbors brag about how I give them the free cards order, and then I hear “Can you get me some cards too? They are so nice!” Everyone wants to be my neighbor when I bring home The Gallery Collection catalog…ahh! But will they take out my garbage or mow my lawn?!?

Ordering personalized Christmas cards should be on your to-do list early in the year. The Gallery Collection offers huge discounts in the beginning of the year to keep the plant busy…so order early and save a bundle! All you have to do is remember where you put them. Just think…you can get incredible Christmas cards at a decent price while impressing friends and family with your class and good taste. If only everything else in life could be so easy.

Design #528CS – Frosted Wreath Season’s Greetings Card

As the owner of a company that deals in public relations, I am always aware of making sure to treat people fairly when I am trying to get my message across. When it comes each year to sending out business Christmas cards, I try to be especially sensitive not to ruffle anyone’s feathers by sending out the wrong type of holiday cards. That is why I was so happy to receive a sample from The Gallery Collection of design #528CS, Frosted Wreath Season’s Greetings Card.

This holiday card design is published on white, thick matte paper with “Season’s Greetings” printed in a clean-looking, cursive font in a bright, classy-looking silver foil. The wreath – which is raised – contains wonderful detail that can be felt by running one’s fingers over the card itself. In addition, the colors used on the wreath’s details (blue, red, green and silver) are spectacular. Selecting which imprint color to use for the inside of this holiday greeting card will be quite a challenge since all the colors featured on the wreath will look good.

Design #528CS - Frosted Wreath Season's Greetings Card
Design #528CS - Frosted Wreath
Season's Greetings Card

Usually when it comes to selecting a holiday card, I wrack my brain each year because I am an indecisive person when it comes to deciding which holiday greeting to send out. This year, I will have no such problem; thanks to The Gallery Collection and design #528CS, my mind is made up!

Business Christmas Cards and Customer Satisfaction

Customer Service at a business Christmas cards company could be daunting, especially during November and December. At The Gallery Collection it is not just our job; it is a career! We are part of a larger family that truly means it when we say, “Customer satisfaction is our priority.” This has been our objective for 90 years!

Many of our customer service representatives have been working with The Gallery Collection for over 15 years. It can be a challenge at times but our reps are empowered to make their own decisions when speaking with a customer. This empowerment shows in the confidence they have on the phone. It also is recognized by customers. We often get feedback from our customers, and I wanted to take a moment to share some of our customers’ comments with you. Recent, the following has been said about our reps:

  1. “Above & beyond in product and service. Unique cards, perfect service! Overall outstanding.”
  2. “Everything was wonderful. Thanks for making my job easier.”
  3. “Very satisfied with your company. You go out of your way to help customers.”
  4. “With the courteous, friendly ready to assist attitude that your excellent telephone representatives have, my order was handled quickly and was received in a week. Thank you for employing such loyal employees that give complete customer satisfaction.”
  5. “The representative was patient and professional regardless of how many times I asked the same question.”
    “Your service has been outstanding – just continue.”
  6. “I was extremely pleased with the sales rep who helped me with my re-order. She was very kind and extremely patient and understanding.”
  7. “I was pleasantly surprised by such wonderful customer service, which is RARE in today’s world. Thank you so very much.”
  8. “Very prompt and courteous service. I appreciate the samples. Seems we request a lot, but we order from The Gallery Collection because of service & quality. Thanks.”

People rarely take the time to comment on a job well done but they recognize that customer service today is rare at best. Our long-time customers have come to expect superb service when they call The Gallery Collection. Our new customers are amazed at the service provided. Very often they will ask to speak with a supervisor, not with a complaint, but wanting to recognize the representative that helped them. They want to tell someone how impressed they are with the way their call was handled. We recognize that they are spending extra time on the phone with us during what may be a busy day for them to say a job was well done.

We are only human so mistakes can happen, but we are able to take care of those calls knowing that when we say that the problem will be corrected in a timely manner, that promise is backed up by the loyal employees at our plant. They may not be mentioned in customer letters but their dedication to customer satisfaction is evident in every order that is produced.

Kudos to all of our phone personnel for a job well done and to all our other dedicated employees for the efforts they put forth to satisfy our customers and make our job a pleasure. Due to the dedication of all of our employees, we can say with confidence that our Christmas cards are the best quality and each order will be handled with the care that it deserves.

Design #402CS – Winter Sparkle Holiday Card

If you’re into winter scenes holiday cards, design # 402CS, Winter Sparkle Holiday Card, is one of many designs from The Gallery Collection that will definitely suit your needs. This design features a creek in the middle of a forest where the trees have been completely covered in snow. The small ripples in the river make it appear as though it is still flowing and you can almost imagine a baby deer walking up to take a refreshing drink of water. The sparkling dots on the card give the appearance that snow has once again just begun to fall, and when the light reflects on them, it gives the appearance of many different rainbows.

Design #402CS - Winter Sparkle Holiday Card
Design #402CS - Winter Sparkle Holiday Card

This design is featured on white stock paper and the different shades of blue can be perfectly matched with blue or black ink or even with silver foil imprinting. This is a great Christmas card that anyone would be happy to include on their desk, mantel, or even scrapbook to look back on the great holiday seasons of the past.

Thank You Cards and Feel Good Moments

Have you ever found yourself at a loss for just how to say “thank you” to someone? Whether in a business or personal situation, you should never want to let the opportunity pass to let someone know how much you appreciate their generosity or actions.

Business thank you cards may be a little tricky since we want to keep it professional but still add a personal touch. Perhaps a note written inside an already imprinted card is all that’s needed. Thank you cards sent in a personal situation can be totally different. Sometimes silly or funny, they nonetheless let the recipient know how much their act of kindness meant to us. Often times sending or receiving thank you cards brings back a flood of memories, sometimes bittersweet, that allow us to replay the occasion in our minds.

Sending or receiving thank you cards is one of those “feel good” moments that in this fast paced world can be few and far between. We need to be sure the opportunity doesn’t pass us by.

Design #621AE
Design #621AE
Design #095AY
Design #095AY
Design #503AR
Design #503AR

Design #504AR – Happy Birthday From All of Us Greeting Card

I’m so happy to tell you about one of my favorite Gallery Collection business birthday cards! It’s design #504AR, Happy Birthday From All of Us Greeting Card, and I know you’re going to love it too! This whimsical card is the perfect business birthday card to give to co-workers celebrating their special day! It will bring a smile to their faces long after their birthdays have come and gone! Another plus for this particular design is that it’s appropriate for both the men and women in your office. This card shows a happy group of coworkers, smiles on all their faces, each one holding brightly colored balloons. The balloons spell out “Happy Birthday” in a most delightful way and “from all of us!” is written in script at the bottom of the card. Who could resist this cheery group? They look like they’re ready for some cake and coffee! No wonder they look so eager and happy! Who doesn’t enjoy a break from their everyday routine?

Design #504AR - Happy Birthday From All Of Us Greeting Card
Design #504AR - Happy Birthday
From All Of Us Greeting Card

When your coworkers receive a business birthday card like this, it will really make them feel special, like part of the group. Everyone deserves to feel that way, especially on their “Big Day.” Birthdays only come once a year, so it’s important to acknowledge them in a special way. Sending this card will make your coworkers feel noticed and appreciated.

If your office is a casual one, or even if its not, and you’ve never sent this type of business birthday card before, maybe now is the time to do it. A greeting card might seem like a little thing, but, as the saying goes, “it’s the little things that matter most.” Add a little lightness to your office atmosphere, build camaraderie, get the cake ready and enjoy the party! You’ll be glad you did.

Personalized Christmas Cards and Sharing the Christmas Spirit

As I decide on what personalized Christmas cards to order, I am reminded that Christmas comes to everyone. In this economy, and as we enjoy all the colorful Christmas decorations in our neighborhoods, I am reminded of those who are living in more humble circumstances in public shelters, tents, inside cars, or even on the street. Everyone likes to be part of the season and the homeless are no different.

Years ago on Christmas Day we used to drive to downtown San Diego with my car stuffed full of all kinds of gifts: new coats, new blankets, shirts, shoes, socks and the like. I worked for an apparel company and they were most generous to give to the effort. Nearby golf apparel companies would also donate boxes and boxes of new golf shirts to give away. A coworker gave a cash gift and we were on our way with new socks, t-shirts and hygiene items.

We drove up and down the streets of the deserted downtown area and looked for people in need. They were easy to find in the late holiday afternoon resting on loading docks, behind trucks, huddled in doorways. One homeless gentleman was so surprised to see someone on Christmas Day. His home was hidden deep in the midst of a truck yard where no one could see his makeshift abode. As I approached with our Christmas good wishes he declared with surprise, “A clean woman!” I guess he was not used to being in proximity of everyday society.

Another man walking on an overpass near Balboa Park was so delighted confronting our Christmas cheer that he said, “I haven’t had an intelligent conversation with another person in seven months!” Just like the exchange of Christmas cards, it doesn’t take much to share the true Christmas spirit.

On one of those outings I caught a glimpse of one of my fellow homeless workers walking along the cold downtown streets in his socks. I asked him what had happened, thinking there was some sort of mishap. He had taken the shoes off his feet and given them to someone with a greater need. He said, “I have plenty of shoes at home.”

Now that’s the Spirit of Christmas!