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April 28, 2011

Spring Celebration Themes – Golf Party Ideas

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Ball In Play BannerAfter the winter the country just went through, everyone is looking forward to spring. Warm weather, green leaves and green grass, no snow and even the flowers and birds will be a welcome sight. And no one is looking forward to a spring celebration more than those who love the sport of golf. Getting out on the links, in the fresh air and sunshine, ready to try out all the things they learned over the winter. Try these golf party ideas to show everyone a good time.

The best way to kick off a new year of enjoying the links is to throw a great spring The Fairway Casual Invitationscelebration party. It’s a great excuse to have a friendly get-together, dust off the grill and have an enjoyable time. Since it’s a spring party, and everyone is looking forward to a great game of golf, why not make the main theme of the party a golf theme? It’s easy enough to do and everyone will have a blast.

Having all kinds of spring foods, salads to go with the steaks, and even grass green colored punch sets the background. Getting golf party theme napkins and plates, green or golf party theme table cloths and even golf flag swizzle sticks just adds to the cool factor. There are all kinds of ways to add to the golf theme like having golf magazines all over the place, golf décor and even a banner that says “Happy Golfing!”

Front Nine Green PostcardsKicking off a new spring with a golf party is a great way to start the season with friendship, good food and good fun. Being able to get all kinds of great golf themed party items and party favors makes everything look great and everyone will get into the golf party atmosphere.

Check out all the golf party ideas and items and make your spring celebration into a golf party that everyone will talk about the whole year. Not only will they have a great time, but you’ll have a great time too. And spring is the best time of year to have that perfect party.

April 27, 2011

Corporate Award Trophies Help Your Business Celebrate Milestones

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

During a company’s growth, there are lots of times when it reaches a certain level. That first big sale, breaking sales records, reaching new production levels are just a few of the milestones that are well worth celebrating. Marking those milestones with an award trophy gives the company a way to visually keep track of where it’s been and gives new goals to reach.

There are all kinds of awards trophies available that are suitable for every kind of milestone. From inexpensive acrylic awards in the shape of the number 1 which can be etched to commemorate the first year of business all the way through lead crystal championship cups to celebrate some milestone which is truly spectacular like a million dollar sale.

Most awards are inexpensive. Acrylic awards cost in the $10 range but having them etched and mounted by an award company (usually done with a laser engraver) will generally push the cost into the $20 range. Many companies can take online orders and some even offer the capability for you to do the design and set-up online saving costs. There are glass awards available as well. They usually push into the $50 to $100 range depending on the size and type of glass used, but make for very nice awards.

Piano Wood Walnut Engraved Award PlaquePlaques and the traditional metal trophy cups make great awards as well. Engraving them with the milestone to be honored can either be done on a plate to be affixed to the base of the award or on the plaque or on the side of the trophy itself. This is usually handled by a trophy company on an engraving machine and makes for a very nice award.

Celebrating milestones for your company is important. Not only does it mark an important occasion in the company’s growth, but everyone in the company can look at the trophy or award and know that they had a part in making that happen. An employee that’s proud of their company and their part in it means a lot. It can even mean more than a raise or bonus even, because employees want to be able to see that companies appreciate their efforts. Being able to mark milestones with a tangible award gives all the employees a visible vote of appreciation.

April 25, 2011

Handwritten Notes Leave A Strong Impression In Today’s Electronic World

Filed under: Designing Your Business Communication — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Patterned Personalized Note PadsWith the speed of business in today’s economic world, it seems like every bit of communication going on is either by email, cell phone, Twitter or Facebook. Big business even uses their own in-house instant messaging and collaboration systems to make sure everyone is working off of the newest information possible. This need for speed has relegated the handwritten note to the Post-it note category, and depersonalized virtually everything. But a real live handwritten note can really make a huge impression on whoever receives it.

There are lots of occasions when you want to add that extra level of personal touch to a correspondence.  When it comes to reaching out to a potential client, or growing a relationship with an existing one, handwritten correspondence reaches a level that no email or phone call can. By having high quality, personalized stationery to add that special Stylish Specialty NoteCardstouch, it also means more to the recipient because they know you’ve taken the time and effort to become a bit more personal with your correspondence.

Whether it’s a handwritten thank you note to the HR manager who interviewed you for a potential job, the salesman who wants to add that personal touch to encourage a call or commitment,  all the way through the CEO who sends a personal note of congratulations for a job well done, when it comes to making someone feel like they are personally appreciated, nothing shows that as well as a handwritten note. Anyone who receives a handwritten note expressing appreciation and gratitude for who they are and what they do brings a smile to their face.

Dancing Daisies NoteCardsMaking connections in business is everything. Good products and great service are only one part of a much bigger picture and finding the ways and means to create and strengthen those connections is vital to the strength of a business. Handwritten notes can do that in ways that gifts and phone calls just can’t do because people appreciate the fact that a person takes the time to relate to them as a person. You really can’t do that in an email.

April 21, 2011

Very Cute Baby Shower Invitations!

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

What is more fun than a baby shower?  Make this day even more special by using cute baby shower invitations.

Little Feet Casual InvitationsLittle Feet Casual Invitations

Heaven Sent Casual InvitationsHeaven Sent Casual Invitation

Sweet Dreams Casual InvitationsSweet Dreams Casual Invitation

Pastel Green Casual InvitationsPastel Custom Colors Green Casual Invitation

Serendipity Casual InvitationsSerendipity Hot Pink Casual Invitation

April 20, 2011

Free Certificate Templates for Student Awards

Filed under: How to Design Certificates — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am
Reading Award Casual Certificate

When it comes to finding ways to encourage students and to boost morale in class, awards and rewards go a long way. But today’s school budgets leave little room for anything but what is needed to help teach your class, let alone anything to show students their efforts are appreciated. And some rewards like candy are being frowned upon because of the health implications. So what can teachers do to help the kids know their work is really good? One inexpensive way to do this is with certificate awards you can make with school certificate templates.

Honor Roll Award Casual Certificates

Certificate stock is very inexpensive to buy and the styles vary from the very fancy to specific themes, so finding certificates that will fit your school theme is a “snap.” Plus, certificates make a great award because it gives the student something tangible they can receive during an awards ceremony and/or take home to show their parents, friends, and relatives. Since they are inexpensive, even the tightest budget has enough room for them.

Creating the certificates is a “snap” as well. All you have to do is download our FREE school certificate templates for your blank certificates. These are available for your favorite word processor which makes creating certificates for your class very easy. Once you’ve downloaded the template, simply fill out what the certificate is for, place the graphic for the school on it if desired, put in the child’s name, and print it. It only takes a few minutes to make a great looking certificate that your students will appreciate! Templates also mean making changes is even quicker.

Fireworks Casual Certificates

It only takes a little typing and a few mouse clicks–along with our FREE certificate templates–to create certificates of appreciation and congratulations in a few minutes that look great and will make your kids feel great too. Check out all the great school certificate templates available and see which ones your kids will like best. Giving kids the encouragement to continue to progress in their education by studying harder is easy when you’re giving them rewards and awards for their efforts. Certificates created with certificate templates are a great way to do just that.

April 15, 2011

Wedding Invitations – Response Cards and Their Wording

Filed under: Wedding Wording & Etiquette — Tags: , , , , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Enchanting Response SetWeddings take a ton of planning and making changes to plans in order to have the wedding come off exactly the way the bride wants it to. This means attention has to be paid to every detail along the way. Perhaps the most important part of the wedding planning is the invitation because that is often the first indication to potential guests that the couple is getting married. And, a lot of planning is going to be based off of how many people are actually going to show up. That’s where the RSVP, or wedding invitation response cards are vitally important.

Including RSVP cards (RSVP is actually short for the French phrase Hint Response Set‘respondez sil vous plait’ which translates into English as ‘respond if you please’) with the invitation including a self addressed, stamped envelope will give you the knowledge of how many people are going to be at the wedding and reception. This helps planning immensely because you’ll know how many wedding programs you’ll need, how much food to have on hand and how large of a reception hall you’ll need.

In order to have response cards returned, you have to make it as easy as possible for the potential guest to send it back. While there’s not a ‘correct’ way to word a response card, there are lots of ways to determine if the potential guest is coming and how many will be in their party. Any variation of this…

The favor of a reply is requested by July 1, 2011

M____________________

(_) Accepts with pleasure and will have ____ in our party

(_) Declines with regrets

… will work quite well. The date needs to be far enough in the future to give them time to respond comfortably, but leaving plenty of time to finalize plans for food and other accommodations for the guests.

By including the SASE, you’re removing one more barrier that can keep people from responding. It’s easy enough to say “I’ll send it in, but I have to get an envelope and a stamp” and forget to do so. By including the SASE, all they have to do is fill out the card, stick it in the envelope and drop it in the mail.

Pristine Response SetThere are lots of great invitation and matching response card blanks available so you can make your own and word it exactly how you want. With all the great blanks available and the matching templates for your favorite word processor, you can create exactly the invitation you want and the RSVP card as well. Not only will this save you money, but it’ll save you time and help your wedding planning as well. Check out all the great designs available. You’ll definitely find at least one you’ll fall in love with.

April 13, 2011

Safety Recognition

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Safety is a concern for all companies, if you’re an office or a manufacturer you will want to keep safety fresh in the minds of your employees.

Safety Designed PaperFrames Border PapersSafety Border Paper

Safety is a Bright Idea Recognition PinSafety is a Bright Idea Recognition Pin

Safety Casual CertificatesSafety Casual Certificate

Safety First Vinyl BannerSafety First Vinyl Banner

April 11, 2011

Job Interview Thank You Note – Choosing the Right Response

Filed under: Designing Your Business Communication — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Patterned Thank You NoteCardsRead on to learn how to write your best job interview thank you note. In today’s tight job market, we have to do everything we can to ensure we’re noticed. Human resource departments are inundated with applications and resumes every time a job opening is available, so doing things to stand out takes a little extra effort. Not only do you need to use high quality paper for your resume and cover letter, but you have to really hit all the bases just right simply to get a job interview. If you’re lucky enough to get that job interview, one way to continue showing that you’ll be an exceptional employee is to respond with a job interview thank you note.

As with the resume and cover letter, you have to be very careful with your thank you response for job interview. Simplicity Personalized NoteCardsWhile you do want to express gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the job interview, you don’t want to overdo it. Nor do you want to appear too anxious to get some type of response from the prospective employer. Keeping that careful balance between showing appreciation and wanting to become an employee without being overbearing is necessary.

Using phrases like “I appreciate the opportunity of the job interview” and “looking forward to the challenges and opportunities working for your company presents” are good. These show you do appreciate the time and effort they’ve taken during the job interview and that you’re thinking ahead about the job that’s available. But you don’t want to overdo it.

Royal NoteCardsAvoid going overboard with an excessive show of gratitude. While companies know you need a job, coming across with a sycophantic attitude won’t get you the job. Neither will wording that shows you assume you’ve got the job either. Being aggressive or arrogant won’t win you any Brownie points and may actually cost you the job in the process.

Some interviewees won’t bother to send a job interview thank you note at all. While sending one is definitely appropriate, keep in mind that balance has to be the main priority when writing it. A well worded job interview thank you note can be the key to getting that great job. But a thank you note that goes overboard can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Products shown above

Patterned Thank You Rhubarb Note Card

Simplicity Personalized Note Card

Royal Notecard

April 6, 2011

Plaque Awards Your Employees Will Appreciate

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Victory Star PlaqueEmployee recognition has become one of the most useful tools that a human resources departments has in its arsenal to build employee morale and improve employee retention. In today’s economy, bonuses and raises can be a little difficult to build into a budget, so alternative methods for rewarding employees for their efforts and accomplishments have to be put in place. One great way to show employees how much they’re appreciated is with a plaque award.

Plaque awards come in a couple of styles. The first style is a full plaque. These are very nice Gold Rising Star Awardfor special presentations and when the employee needs to have a special honor bestowed on them. The prices for these plaques can be in then $10 to however much money you want to spend range, and makes for a very nice award. However, if you have quite a few employees that need recognition, this can get very expensive, very quickly.

The other type of plaque awards is an expandable one. These have a main plate with the award title on it, such as employee of the month, with space for additional, smaller plates to be added. This means that the plaque can be awarded multiple times and displayed in a prominent location like the reception desk where everyone can see the award. Not only will the employee know they’ve received an award, but everyone who sees it can know that their efforts have been appreciated.  Having their name on one of those smaller plates and receiving a certificate or small plaque to go with it gives them a sense of satisfaction on multiple levels.

Perpetual Award PlaqueFinding the ways to let employees know the company does appreciate their work and effort isn’t as easy as it used to be. With bonuses pretty much out of the budgetary question, the alternatives have to be ones that will show that appreciation in an economical manner. Plaque awards are a great way to build employee morale and to boost retention and you don’t have to break the budget to do it. Check out all the great plaques available and see just how they can work into a recognition program in your company.

April 5, 2011

Business Card Paper Stock – The Right Look, The Right Weight

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Cruise Ship Alaska Business CardsWhen it comes to business cards, the choices seem endless, but that should be seen as a positive–not a negative. The vast selection of business cards at PaperDirect will amaze you, and we’re sure you’ll find one that perfectly represents you and your business.

There’s a bit more to business cards than meets the eye. Yes, we want them to look professional, have an easy-to-read font and eye-catching images, but there are some other decisions that must be made when it comes to choosing your business card. Have you ever thought about the weight (or thickness) of your business card?

Weight Information for Business Cards

As mentioned in the title of this blog, business cards are printed on some form of “paper stock” whose visual effect, method of printing, and cost will vary. When you choose a business card design from PaperDirect, you can click directly on that card and get weight information. For example, a traditional business card that is standard size (2″ X 3.5″) comes in custom printed weight (you customize online and we print) and desktop printable weight (you print on our designed paper). Here are the custom printed specifications:

  • New heavy stocks (111 lb)
  • Premium white stocks and super glossy (130 lb)
  • 80 lb white stocks and super glossy
Here are the desktop printable specifications:
  • 65 lb cover stock
  • 8.5”x 11” sheet
  • 10 cards/sheet
  •  2” x 3.5” business card

Paper with a heavier weight, especially with rag bond edging or embossing will add that level of quality and feel you get from high quality business cards.  Regardless of how great the design is or what is pre-printed on your cards, the real first impression your card will make is the way it feels when someone is holding it.

Save Money on Your Business Cards

One way to save a lot of money on business cards is to make them yourself. There are lots Crane Business Cardsof templates available for popular word processing and graphics design programs that make lying out and designing your own cards a breeze. All you have to do is put the company logo or graphic you want on the card, set up the text with names and company info and print them off on business card paper stock. You can actually layout and design business cards in a matter of a few minutes and make changes in seconds.

Coffee Beans Scoop Business CardsMake sure your business card makes a good first impression for you. It may cost you a few pennies extra per card for heavier, higher-quality business card paper stock, but that first impression will be priceless.

PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source for business cards and other necessities for business owners and managers. The PaperDirect blog often has suggestions for business card designs and business cards as a networking tool. Have a comment or question? We’d love to hear from you. Simply click “Leave a Comment” and let us know your idea or question!

April 4, 2011

April 1, 2011

Wedding Envelope Seals For The Best Invitation Presentation

Filed under: DIY Wedding Accessories — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Scalloped Deluxe Embossed SealsFar back in history, kings sealed envelopes with wax and an imprint of their ring to show that the envelope and the message inside were from royalty and shouldn’t be tampered with. Since the seal was wax, if it was tampered with, the recipient would immediately know it, and whoever did the tampering would feel the wrath of the king. While seals today are purely ornamental, using them takes your invitation takes it to the next level, especially when you’re using them as wedding envelope seals on your wedding invitation.

Historically, seals signified royalty and importance. Today, although the royalty factor isn’t there, one could argue that on a wedding day, the bride and groom are royalty for a day, so using a seal on wedding invitations can still have that historical relevance. While a simple seal doesn’t mean nearly as much as it did, it still adds a definite touch of class to the invitation.You're Invited Clear Embossed Seals

The invitation is perhaps the most important part of the wedding as many times, it is the first notice someone gets that a couple is getting married. Having an RSVP card inside ensures the couple knows who is going to be in attendance. The bride and groom are anticipating the wedding being a very happy occasion, and by sending out invitations, they are expressing a desire to have the recipients in attendance, and sealing the envelope with a wedding envelope seal shows everyone just how important the couple feels about the occasion.

Whimsy Heart Deluxe Embossed SealsWeddings are perhaps the most important moments in the lives in the bride and groom, so being as formal as possible, covering every detail like wedding envelope seals is essential. During the planning process, every other detail like place cards, menus, wedding programs and the RSVP in the invitations is touched on, and wedding seals, for lack of a better way to put it, seals the deal. Check out all the great wedding seals available and see which ones will fit the theme of your wedding. You’ll be amazed at how nice they are and your guests will be impressed with the added level of class they add to your invitations.

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