For several years now children have been going to work with their moms, dads, aunts, uncles, etc. on Take Your Child to Work Day to see what goes on in that person’s normal workday. This was the first year that my eight-year-old daughter, Jessica, was old enough by my company’s guidelines to join me for the day. I asked her (in passing really) if she was interested in coming to work with me and after I got up off the floor from being tackled, I concluded that the answer was a resounding, yes!
Jessica (pictured left) and a friend at the Prudent Publishing headquarters on Take Your Child to Work Day.
She went through what I call the girl drama process of picking out just the right outfit with just the right accessories and shoes. She asked me many, many questions about how the day would unfold and couldn’t wait for the day to come. She was so enthusiastic that I hoped she wasn’t setting such high expectations in case she would end up being disappointed. Finally the big day arrived (April 22nd) which happened to also coincide with Earth Day this year. I have to admit I was even a bit anxious myself to see how things would progress that day. I warned my husband that we were likely to be home early if she ended up getting bored.
Well, there was no need to worry. Several of my co-workers came up with such creative ways to get the children involved in learning about our company, which primarily sells business greeting cards. Jessica had a full day that started with typesetting and designing her name tag, then meeting with our company president to discuss her future career plans, after which she entered her own order on our website (which she found very easy to use) and designed and photographed her own birthday card design for the mini-catalog that our graphics team produced for the children. After a fun pizza lunch, we headed over to eat some dirt, er, I mean dessert; a fellow employee made an edible flower pot with crushed up Oreo cookies made to look like dirt, complete with gummy worms. Yum!
Everyone gathered like flies when the dirt dessert was put out. Thankfully, they weren’t really eating dirt; it was crushed up Oreos!
The afternoon consisted of listening to one of our customer service specialists take a phone order for thank you cards, testing her typing speed to see if she typed fast enough to take orders, and various projects that were assigned for her to complete. She was sad that the day was coming to an end but happy to receive her paycheck and company newsletter before heading home. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell her family and friends all about her experience. Does she want to return next year? Well, let’s just say the outfit is already being planned!
Several years ago my sister, Barbara, started a public relations business and when ordering her business cards and letterhead, I suggested she might want to order some corporate greeting cards as well. Why not start off with some business thank you cards and birthday cards. I felt that people would appreciate the personal touch, and greeting cards for business are professional enough to say I’m thinking of you and wishing you well without coming across as too sappy. They’re a soft sell that maintains contact with a client and reminds him that you are available if needed.
Barbara started sending out corporate greeting cards from the onset of her business with a positive and professional outlook. The greeting cards she ordered are tasteful and generic enough to send to either male or female clients, and they are equally well received by all. She sends out birthday cards, anniversary cards, get well cards, and of course, thank you cards. Her clients have often told her that they appreciate her thoughtfulness and feel that she puts more attention to their needs because she always remembers the important events in their lives.
Barbara has maintained all the pertinent information needed to send out these greeting cards for business and prides herself with never forgetting a client’s birthday. She never forgets to send a thank you for any business they may send her way. Barbara has built a very successful company aided by her sending corporate greeting cards. Why do you suppose she can’t remember to send me a birthday card?
If you are a small business owner, you may have asked yourself some of these questions about business greeting cards: Why send corporate greeting cards? Is it really worth the effort? What is the return on my investment in business greeting cards? Now we are getting to the bottom line. If you spend money on greeting cards for business, will it generate business? The answer is yes.
In my hometown, there are two bakeries, each in business for more than 20 years. A new bakery opened up last year, but sadly, is now closed. Residents and shoppers knew that a bakery closed, but which one? One of the established bakeries sent customized greeting cards in December to everyone on their mailing list to wish them happy holidays, and offered a free cupcake just for bringing in the card.
For a relatively small investment in business greeting cards and delicious cupcakes, the bakery attracted customers who purchased baked goods, more than paying for the promotional event. And, the bakery had a useful measure of the effectiveness of sending the greeting cards for their business.
When you thank your customers or remember their special occasions with business greeting cards, you are reminding them that you are in business. That can be very important these days when, unfortunately, many small businesses have not survived. Business greeting cards are one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your customers on a regular basis.
