The Lost Art of Thank You Cards

Recognizing good deeds or generous gifts is just common courtesy; however, it seems that most people of today do not make acknowledgements of “Thank You”.
When I was growing up, my mother would always make sure we sent Thank You cards for birthday gifts, Christmas presents and any other generous offering we received. Of course, my brother and I would whine and complain because we would have to handwrite each card, but it taught us to show appreciation for all that we are given.

I would send Thank You cards out for my children when they were little but now it’s their turn. Naturally, their response is “Can’t I just send a text?” My response is to ask them how it feels when they get a card a mail. That seems to be enough of an explanation. We all get that warm and fuzzy feeling when there is a surprise in the mailbox even if it’s as simple as a card.

Doing the right thing in your personal life will carry through to your professional life. When business associates stop in with donuts or my boss brings us lunch, I always make sure to send a Thank You card. The first time I did this my boss was so surprised that I would do such a thing.

Don’t fall victim to the lost art of Thank You Cards.

A Corporate Game-Changer: Thanksgiving Cards

Thanksgiving cards are often over looked by businesses and this is a mistake. Oftentimes companies focus all of their efforts on Holiday cards each year, but why not try a new approach? Thanksgiving cards can be a fresh way to engage your clients, business contacts, and vendors.

Thanksgiving cards are a great way to send your company’s thanks and show gratitude. Since it’s before the holiday rush, and near Black Friday, this is a great time to send coupons or promotions for your products and services. Use a corporate-appropriate Thanksgiving card to send out special offers to certain clients or to advertise upcoming sales or releases.

Sending Thanksgiving cards is also perfect because of the timing. It is a great time to send a card seeing as your recipients won’t have over-flowing mailboxes yet. Your thoughtful card will stand out for sure and won’t be as likely to get tossed.

Show your appreciation with a beautiful card like the Harvest Wreath on Door Thanksgiving Card. This card is elegant and also offers you the chance to personalize the front of it with a personal message or company name. If your client displays their card, you’ll be getting a nice bit of advertising as well. Now that’s something to be thankful about!

Card Assortment Boxes Make Things Easy

Have you ever been at a work Christmas party in the past and people you did not think would give you a Christmas card…end up giving you a Christmas card?  How dare those terrible people do something nice that you did not expect!  I have been in that situation before being a veteran of many, many Christmases over the years.  Let me tell you this; I do not have that issue anymore.  I purchased a Holiday Assortment Box  and now I no longer have to fear the niceties of people.

Do not just stop there.  You can get yourself a Birthday Assortment Box as well.  Perfect for the office.  You do not want to give the same card out to people as birthdays come along.  It looks impersonal to do that.  Get a box that has multiple choices so you can vary it up throughout the year.  People will smile and you will smile in the back of your mind knowing that you cared enough to get that person to smile.  There is this thing called karma and you want to be on the right side of it as much as you can.  All in all these are two simple ways to make people happy and to get rid of the extra frustration that could creep up if you do not have cards handy.

I forgot…but should I Still Send That Birthday Card?

These days time passes us by with the blink of an eye.  Being too busy with work, school, family, just life in general – it happens to the best of us.  In fact we get so caught up in day to day that we even forget special occasions, like a loved ones Birthday.  There’s usually an inner debate in your mind, wondering…should I still send a belated Birthday card?  The answer is absolutely send one out!

These days there are so many options for those who need to send out late Birthday wishes.  You can totally make a joke about it, if the recipient has a great sense of humor. You could also be completely sincere incase the person gets offended easily. Actually, I find the belated birthday cards usually are the funniest!  If you choose to take a serious, more apologetic approach for your temporary forgetfulness, you can always write a personal message that has some humor. The best of both worlds!

Regardless if you forgot a friend’s, coworker’s or a family member’s special day, you will definitely win some points back by sending out a belated Birthday card.  Just like the saying goes, “Better late than never!”

Anniversary Card Your Way to Great Employee Relations

Cards are a great morale booster for your employees. Imagine how productive people are when they are happy. Now imagine how successful sending Anniversary cards on the start date of employment to your company will be to boosting morale. A great investment in your company is to have a cheerful and productive employee base.

In this age, how refreshing would it be to present an atmosphere of interest in the comings and goings of your employees. They are not just a number in your organization but rather an important asset to hold onto in the ever changing world of business.

When you give anniversary cards at work that are signed by the President, manager, and supervisor, a feeling of belonging to a great organization will be the immediate result. One of the greatest morale boosters a company can have is caring for their employees. It tells a person that they are recognized in a personal way and valued as a member of the company. Follow up the anniversary card with a personal visit and a congratulations and you have just hit a home run. How fabulous to work for a company where you can feel appreciated.

Happy Anniversary to you and many more years of great employee relations!

Why Branding Is Important To A Successful Business

As a small business, you may be competing against big brands with dedicated customers and limitless marketing budgets. That’s why you have to find ways to differentiate with a solid brand building process of your own.

We all know the Nike tagline: Just Do It. But do you know their mission statement? Nike’s mission is: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. You could see their mission everywhere. They focus on all types of athletes using Nike products to be try and help them be their best selves.

Do you remember Apple’s slogan back in 1997-2002? It was “Think Different”. This notion continues to exist, today. It is obviously not just another computer company. One of their key qualities is clean design, and a key benefit is ease of use. From unique packaging to their announcement events, Apple always reminds customers that its products can be used right out of the box.

Customers aren’t looking for another cookie-cutter company offering the same thing as everyone else. They are looking for an experience tailored to their needs, backed by sincere personal contact. Wouldn’t you want your company to be considered classy, professional and prepared?

This is what The Gallery Collection’s mission has been for many decades. The company strives to provide the best quality products that will leave a lasting impression on business partners, clients, or family; you name it. Whether it’s staying prepared for a business meeting with Presentation Folders or staying in touch by sending a Greeting Card, the Gallery Collection is there to help you achieve just that.

Thank You Cards: An Art To Be Encouraged

Why is it that the art of saying thank you seems to be in short supply? I was taught that if someone does something nice for you or gives you a present, you should say thank you. The best way was to write a note to the person with your sincere thoughts of thanks. Today it is easier, there are so many thank you cards available with a great variety of thank you sayings.

Thank you is such a basic part of my life and I find it sad to see that it is becoming less and less personal. Sending a text is okay but it can never replace the art or writing. When you take the time to choose a card, then write a note and address the envelope, you are showing that you were touched enough by that person to spend time selecting just the right card and saying.

Proper etiquette says that you should send a thank you within a month of receiving a gift or even having been invited to attend a dinner party. We should always remember that we are supposed to be practicing an elevated sense of propriety. Let me assure you if I am invited to your house, I will follow up my visit with a thank you card for the lovely evening spent with you.

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?

Resources to Help Your Business

When you own your own business, it is important to use all the resources available to you to help increase and maintain your clientele.

Presentation Folders are a great way to do that. You can imprint your logo on the front and add other information in up to 3 other locations. Customizable Folders are helpful when putting together proposals or just giving out basic information about your company. People will remember the thoughtfulness and organization a folder provides. You can also get up to two business card slots on the inside of your presentation folder.

Speaking of business cards, these are another great tool to get your name out there and to have your name remembered. When talking to someone, it is always great if they have a take away even if it is just a business card. I have so much trouble remembering names so I find it extremely helpful when I walk away from a conversation with a business card.

Another great resource to help your business is greeting cards. Sending your employees and customers greeting cards to celebrate milestones such as birthdays and anniversary will make you stand out above the rest. I also think the idea of sending calendar cards at the end of every year is a great way to keep your name posted at your clients’ desk.

Be sure to use all the resources available to you to help your business prosper.

Tips For Appropriately Closing a Business Greeting Card

When it comes to greeting cards, the most challenging part has already been done for you. The greeting and illustration is complete, now all you need to do is sign the greeting card. This is where it gets tricky because this sends a message to the receiver of how you feel personally.

Its always challenging trying to figure out how to close a greeting card. You think of all the possible salutations you can choose and still you can’t decide which is best. Is it too casual or too personal or if it just doesn’t fit what the body of the letter gives off.

Since it’s a business greeting card, this is where it gets confusing. Your sending this to people you rarely see or interact with on daily basis. So what can you say? Keep it professional at all times but not too stiff like “Sincerely” might too formal.

I think “best wishes” is perfect and “all the best” works good also. Both are equally acceptable. If it’s a client you plan on speaking to soon, you could always go with “speak with you soon.” You could also use “looking forward” as an ending. Another way, is to end it with the type of card it is like “Merry Christmas!” or “Happy Thanksgiving.” There are really so many options.