Tag: advice

Social Media Versus Greeting Cards

The world that we live in today consists of Facebook, Twitter, Texts, Emails and impersonal relationships. We are so consumed with our lives and how quick we can get to the next thing. In my opinion, it is alright to keep in touch with people that are not currently in our everyday life, but close family and friends deserve for us to slow down and become more human.

Take a moment to remember how it felt to receive a greeting card in the mail and appreciate the time someone took to sit down and write you a message. We need to keep relationships that are close to us, closer. Just know when it’s the appropriate time to text, email or simply send a greeting card.

I understand technology makes a lot of communication more available. We also now have the ability to create beautiful pictures on cards at the push of a button. Getting married? Send those invitations through the mail, not an online post. Wishing your mom a happy birthday should not be sent electronically. Think to yourself before you send that impersonal email. Can I take a moment to send a personal card instead?

Working Remotely – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

When the subject of working from the comforts of my home was suggested to me, I couldn’t be more excited.  I thought about rolling out of bed, pulling out my laptop and moving to my enclosed deck still in my pajamas with a cup of coffee in my hand.  I even thought I was going to be able to keep my favorite talk shows on in the background.  After about a week, I realized I was not productive and working remotely was not all that I expected.

Being as I am not one to fail, I changed my attitude.  I realized that the first step was to put on real clothes…maybe not the suit, but jeans and decent shirt.  This helped me get my mind in the business state of mind.  I also set up a work area designated just for use during work hours.  Besides that bottle of water that I always have at my desk, all eating and drinking is done during my break and lunch times in a different room.  Work was back on track but then came the loneliness.

I feel that it is normally much more efficient to communicate with email, but since working remotely, I have adjusted my thinking.  In most recent weeks, I have picked up the phone to have that human contact and it has made a huge difference on my mental state.  I have also organized a lunch meeting monthly or bimonthly depending on the situation.

There are plusses and minuses to working from home.  It is all what you make of it!

What To Look For When Buying The Company Christmas Cards

Were you just asked to purchase holiday cards for your company? Whether you are a seasoned pro or you found this page from frantically googling for guidelines . . . Here are some ideas to get you moving.

Firstly, it’s important to be aware of you audience. Think of who will be receiving these cards. Are they religious? Mixed religions? Non-affiliated? What’s their age? Answering questions like these should help significantly condense your options, whether you’ve narrowed it down into a category of cards or have decided to get more generic (Holiday, Seasons Greetings, or Winter scene) cards.

Next, think about the intent of your company Holiday card—is it meant to gain customers or show thanks for their business? Then keep it polished, maybe use foil to create an elegant, sincere card. Are these festive cards for your employees or a close boss? These should boost morale, show appreciation, and perhaps be funny or casual.

Think of your budget—if you need hundreds of cards, buying in bulk could save you money. Also if you choose The Gallery Collection, you even have the freedom of customization. You quickly and easily create a holiday card, choosing from hundreds of card designs, dozens of greetings, or write your own!
No more excuses, it’s time to select your perfect company christmas cards!

Correspondence Note Cards vs. Business Cards

There is a significant difference between correspondence note cards and business cards.  So let’s discuss the differences…

Correspondence Note Cards

Correspondence Note Cards are perfect for short notes that can be used for business or personal use.  The cards measure 4 ¼ by 6 3/8 and can be used in many instances such as for Thank You notes or to recognized employee milestones.  At the top of your correspondence note cards, you can imprint your name, initials or short personalized message in your choice of 4 different fonts and choice of ink or foil.

The egg shell white correspondence note cards are available in a boxed set of 15 plat panels with matching seal fast envelopes.  To add a little flair to the cards they have an embossed border framing your personalization.  If you are in need of a unique gift, these are a memorable, personalized option.

Business Cards

Business cards have a completely different use.  Sure, you can use correspondence note cards to pass on your company information, however, the sole purpose of business cards are to promote yourself and your company.  They are an effective, low cost and convenient marketing tool.  You can add images of yourself, your product or your location along with adding pertinent text on the front and back.  Where correspondence note cards are only available in the egg shell white, business cards can be customized in a variety of colors and many different fonts opposed to just the four for note cards.

Choose the product that best suits your needs.

Change of Scenery – Outdoor Business Meetings

Outdoor business meetings? Really!? That is such a crazy idea. Or at least that was my first thought. But just think about. With the weather beginning to turn, how great it would be to ditch the stuffy office and fluorescent lighting for fresh air and warmth from the sun?

Think about trying this for your next business meeting. A change of scenery may be the thing to shake out the cobwebs and get your employees to come up with some new and innovative ideas.   Changing scenery by going outdoors has the same effect as if you are recharging your battery. You will get out of that stuffy office and get your staff’s blood pumping.

I know when I go outside, I feel an immediate sense of relaxation and stress relief. The results of this make me more creative and more proactive. It makes it easier to concentrate and simply makes me happier. Why wouldn’t you want this for your employees?

If your staff is more relaxed, they may even feel a little more courageous about giving input or suggestions. They may talk more from their hearts and give you more effectual feedback. Outdoor business meetings will make your employees more energetic and more engaged.

The benefits of a change of scenery for your business meetings are abundant. Bring your staff outdoors for a productive business meeting.

Writing for Business Birthday Cards 101

 

It can be a daunting task to figure out which birthday cards are right for your office. Luckily, The Gallery Collection offers plenty of business appropriate Birthday Cards. Here are some tips to guide you through the process of writing your business birthday cards. Welcome to Business Birthday Cards 101.

When selecting your business birthday cards, be sure to consider both how the cards reflect the business and how your employees will receive your card. Choose a card that suites your business’ appearance by choosing an industry specific card or a card with your company’s colors. Know that various kinds of people will be getting your cards, so choose an all-encompassing design or opt for a Birthday Assortment Box to best tailor to each employee as their own special day approaches.

With The Gallery Collection’s cards, you are able to entirely edit the inside of the card. This can be intimidating to some, but don’t fret. The Gallery Collection offers plenty of classic greetings to choose from. You still have the option to create your own if these do not meet your needs. You could even add your company logo or printed signatures to your cards! This will make your cards look even more professional, not to mention save time for whomever needs to sign them.

Top 3 Bad Work Habits You Need To Overcome

 

We all want to do our best at work. But even the best intentions are sometimes met with bad habits. Here are 3 bad work habits you need to overcome today!

Being late for work or meetings
Unless your role at the company doesn’t require you to be at your desk and ready to face the day at a set time every day, start times are implemented for a reason. If you know that traffic can be unreasonable, allot yourself some extra commute time in the morning.

Being late for meetings is another bad work habit. If a meeting is set for an hour and you’re five minutes late, you’ve set the hour off and that can bleed into other commitments later in the day. Being on time is a sign that you respect other people’s time – and your own! It also goes a long way towards showing that you’re dependable.


Answering emails as they come in.
You may think that answering emails as soon as you see new ones in your inbox is a good idea. It’s not; in fact, it’s counterproductive. As email’s role in our work lives becomes more and more prominent, the number of messages you receive increases. If you spend all of your time checking your inbox, you’ll find little time for your other responsibilities!

Instead, schedule email processing time into your calendar. Spend some time with your inbox over your morning coffee when you arrive at the office, then schedule an afternoon session after lunch. If an email is informational and doesn’t need further action, move it to a reference folder or delete it. If an email can be responded to at that time, do so. If an email needs a bit more time to respond to, flag it for a future time.

Scheduling in your email time frees up the rest of the day for you to work on projects and tasks without an added distraction.

Not practicing proper hygiene

If you’re guilty of flossing your teeth or clipping your finger (or, please, no, toe) nails at your desk, stop this behavior immediately! Your boss and your coworkers will appreciate your well-groomed hands and your free-from-food mouth a lot more if you take care of that stuff in the privacy of your own home before you get to the office.

These top 3 work habits you need to overcome are just the tip of the iceberg. What other bad habits have you noticed in your office or overcome yourself?

Tips On Helping Empower Your Workforce

Having trouble keeping your workforce motivated, autonomous, and with high morale? The following are some quick tips on how to help empower your workforce!

Make expectations clear. When employees are given a standard with which to measure their success, they are more likely to meet or exceed that standard. Creating smaller goals along the way encourages employees to reflect on their own performances and asses if they are meeting these smaller, more attainable milestones.

Keep your employees accountable. When you properly reprimand or appropriately acknowledge poor performance, you are increasing the accountability in your workforce. You want employees to know that substandard work will not be tolerated. This keeps employees from trying to take advantage of the company and helps encourage employees keep each other on task, as there are consequences.

Give them a say. Ask for your employee’s opinions and encourage frequent feedback on every aspect of their day at work. Find ways to improve and resolve any concerns. This will make your employees feel included and will make them more likely to come to you with issues or suggestions in the future. Having an open line of communication with your employees is imperative to achieving higher levels of success.

Business Cards: Dos and Dont’s

Dos

  • Do always keep enough with you. What’s the point of having them if you don’t hand them out? They are a staple marketing tool of the modern business world.
  • Do include pertinent information like name, contact info, and a website or link to recent work/resume.
  • Do deliver your card confidently with a firm handshake, eye-contact, and a smile.
  • Do think about your line of work and which design would best suit your needs. Consider the type of card as well (horizontal or vertical, glossy and laminated, matte, velvety, etc.). Take care in deciding the details. This will set you apart from your competitors.

Don’ts

  • Don’t use hard-to-read fonts, colors, or designs.
  • Don’t bend, fold, crumple, or stain your cards. They are a reflection of you and your attention to detail, so they must be neat and clean. Consider keeping them in the free travel case The Gallery Collection provides with your order! It will be oh so impressive when you retrieve a fresh card.
  • Don’t crowd your card with too much stuff. Photos, logos, quotes or testimonials, accomplishment highlights, and extra links are all fine additions to your business card . . . but maybe only one or two of them. And absolutely never include outdated or incomplete details. Weigh your options and strive for developing a precise, informative card.
  • Don’t keep putting off ordering your business cards at The Gallery Collection! The Gallery Collection’s high quality, double-sided, customizable business cards will be sure to impress.

3 Card Assortments Everyone Needs

Card assortments are essential for any business or individual to keep at their disposal. Unless you can remember every event and foresee unexpected events, assortment boxes are a must have.

The first one I feel is a must have is the All Occasion Card Assortment box. This box has an assortment of cards for every occasion. There are birthday, anniversary, thank you, get well and congratulations cards in this box. When something unexpected occurs you will have the necessary card to make someone’s day.

The second card assortment box I feel is necessary to keep on hand is one of the Birthday Card Assortment boxes. I feel like every time I turn around I need an unexpected birthday card. Sure I can run to the local card store and spend $5.00 for a card, but why deal with that stress and expense? When I get these assortment boxes the cost per card is less than half that price and the quality is awesome. Plus, I avoid any last minute running around.

As for the last card assortment box, I always make sure I keep a box of Fine Art Note Cards around. This way if it just a simple note to say, “Hi. I’m thinking about you.” you can use one of these. They are an all-purpose option and can be used for business or personal use. Consider these assortment box choices to keep at your disposal.