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April 26, 2012

Save the Date Postcards vs. Save the Date Magnets

Filed under: DIY Invitation Ideas — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Verona Gold Save the Date MagnetsEverything you need to know about save the date events can be found right here on the PaperDirect blog. In addition to providing useful information about DIY (do-it-yourself) weddings and wedding etiquette, PaperDirect is also your one-stop online shopping source for DIY wedding necessities like wedding invitations, wedding reception cards, response cards, wedding thank you cards, and save the date magnets and save the date postcards.

Postcards vs. Magnets–You DecideHeart Serenade Postcards

You might know all the ins and outs of sending wedding invitations, but save-the-date etiquette is sometimes not so clear cut. Save-the-date postcards or magnets are typically sent to your wedding guests six to eight months before the date of your ceremony so that they can mark it on their calendars.

It’s okay to send your guests a wedding save-the-date by email, but don’t forget that this wedding card is really the first introduction your guests will have to your wedding, so a lot of couples thinking up unique ways to incorporate their wedding theme into their save the date reminder.

If you are looking for a more traditional reminder, PaperDirect has save the date postcards and save the date magnets; it’s really just a matter of personal preference which you choose. Look at our selection of both and see which one best fits your personality and style of wedding.

Seashore Scene Save the Date Oversized PostcardsYou don’t need to include as much information on your save-the-date wedding cards as you do on the actual wedding invitation, so be sure to read some tips for save-the-date wording tips before getting started on your wording. One thing to keep in mind about these wedding reminders is that they can be more casual than your formal invitations. Here are some more PaperDirect blogs about save the date wedding magnets and postcards:

 

April 19, 2012

9 Goofy Awards for Team Building

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: , , — Kristine Richards @ 8:00 am
goofy office awards

If you like the sitcom “The Office,” you may remember “The Dundies” that Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) awarded to his Dunder Mifflin employees during a ceremony at the local Chili’s restaurant.

Remember Pam’s “Whitest Sneakers” award? While Carell’s character did not use the best judgment when it came time to present goofy awards to his employees, you can make a goofy award ceremony for employees an annual occurrence to boost morale and have a little fun during (or after) the workday.

Why Host an Event?

Hosting some type of fun event during the workday is a  great way to keep employees motivated, show them you appreciate their hard work, and maintain a light, enjoyable work environment.

You know the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…” All work and no play in the workplace will create an atmosphere of drudgery, unhappiness, and lack of enthusiasm. One great way to motivate employees and create a light, fun atmosphere in the office is to give goofy awards in a company- or department-wide awards ceremony.

Recognition Certificates

PaperDirect has recognition certificates for all occasions and in all different types of styles, so there’s definitely something for all types of tastes. PaperDirect certificate templates assist you in designing and printing certificate layouts.

Our free desktop printable templates format your certificate automatically, with preset margins, borders, and tabs. Recognition certificates from PaperDirect make quick and easy goofy awards for team building efforts.

Goofy Award Ideas

Due to the sensitive nature of the workplace, you’ll want to avoid references to appearance or character traits that could potentially embarrass recipients. For office party settings, create funny awards that focus on humorous situations common to the workplace. Here are some examples of goofy awards that you can give to employees to motivate, inspire, and build a sense of camaraderie:

surfer award

The office is where many people spend almost a quarter of their time during a given week, and for some, it’s even more. Working in an office environment can be stressful and tedious at times. That’s where funny office awards come in handy!

These awards were created to provide office humor and entertainment by recognizing office workers for their entertaining gifts. These funny awards are perfect for company events and parties and are great for everyday office humor and jokes. Shop for the perfect certificates and other quick gifts, like Lapel Pins and Trophies, to showcase your goofy awards on PaperDirect today!

April 18, 2012

Employee Anniversary Recognition–Appropriate Gifts

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

Double Star Business Card Letter Holder Recognition of employees is something that supervisors, owners, and CEO’s must make time and effort for.

Why?

Because studies have shown that when employees feel appreciated and valuable, they tend to be more productive and are more vested in their company’s success.

When it comes to employee anniversary recognition gifts, even those that are not expensive, are greatly appreciated. The smallest gesture can mean the world to hard-working employees, especially those who have worked for the company for several years.

If you’re struggling with ideas, here are some appropriate gift ideas to recognize a loyal employee’s years of service to your company.

Ideas:

Classic Appreciation

Certificates of appreciation, plaques, and trophies are very common anniversary recognition gifts.

These can all be personalized with the employee’s name, years of service and can be placed in the employee’s office for others to see.

PaperDirect has a large selection of employee certificates, plaques and trophies, and to jazz award certificates up a bit, we carry certificate holders and jackets, embossed certificate seals and frames to preserve their quality and make them last for many years.Premier Blue Standard Certificates

We offer award certificate templates to assist you in design and printing certificate layouts.

Our free desktop printable templates format your certificate automatically, with preset margins, borders and tabs.

We also offer a certificate template CD with certificate headings for professional results. Whether you need one or one hundred certificates, PaperDirect’s desktop printable templates make certificate creation extremely fast and easy.

Personalized Gifts

If you’re looking for something more creative, PaperDirect has many motivational employee gifts including clocks, paperweights, pins, banners, and personalized gifts including key rings, business card holders, and mugs.

Hobbies 

A great way to find out what gift to get your employees for their anniversaries is to learn a little bit about what they do in their free time.

For instance, if you know one of your employees is an amateur photographer, picture frames make a great gift. How about a gift card to their favorite restaurant or movie theatre passes for the movie buffs in the office?

Inexpensive Ideas

Employee anniversary recognition gifts that cost nothing, but that are greatly appreciated are “free” days off, long lunches, acknowledgement in the company newsletter, a small office pot luck luncheon, and public recognition at a staff meeting. Take your employee to lunch at his favorite restaurant or allow him to leave early on a Friday afternoon.

How about a work-from-home day, if his job allows it or a late arrival day? Employees loves little perks like this, and sometimes “privileges” are enjoyed more than a tangible gift such as a plaque or coffee mug.

Excellence II Deluxe Embossed Foil SealsWhatever employee anniversary recognition gift you choose, your employee will be appreciative, and the gift will show him that you recognize his contribution to the company.

There’s no need to spend a lot of money on employee anniversary recognition, but it is important that you make the time and put forth the effort to honor the loyal employees who have been with you for as little as one year or as long as twenty years.

There is no worse feeling than thinking you’re not appreciated at work, so find out when your employees’ anniversaries are coming up and make some plans to recognize their great work and continued loyalty to your company.

 

April 17, 2012

Use Flyers to Market Your Business

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

A well planned flyer can be a powerful marketing tool PaperDirect has a wide variety of flyer papers that can be used to promote your business.  Pass them out at events, place on doors, or partner with other local business.

Petals Border PapersBalloon Dreams Border PapersBuzz Border Papers

April 12, 2012

Baby Shower Ideas to Keep Guests Entertained

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

Teddy Bear Studio Photo CardBaby shower games are a traditional part of any baby shower, and while they are often silly and childish, they are fun, nonetheless. If you are hosting a baby shower, you may be struggling to come up with some baby shower game ideas that are not your run-of-the-mill, decades-old boring baby shower games.

Baby shower games at the shower can be one of the most memorable experiences for the mom-to-be. Part of making the experience a huge success is by thoughtful party planning and hosting fun baby shower games. Before starting the games, it’s good practice to go around the room as an ice breaker and have everyone introduce themselves and explain how they know the mother-to-be.

Now, let’s jump right into some popular baby shower ideas that will keep your guests entertained and involved!Purple Flowers Photo NoteCards

“Never Say ‘Baby'” 

Materials: Baby safety pins you can place on a string for each guest and string or yarn, enough for each guest to wear as a necklace.

Have each guest place the necklace with the baby safety pins around their neck when they arrive at the baby shower. The rules for this baby shower game are given out at the beginning of the baby shower. Whenever someone says the word “baby” during the shower, anyone who calls it out gets a pin from the other guest who said the word. At the end of the baby shower, the guest with the most safety pins wins!

Name the Most Baby Items

Materials: Pad of paper and pen for each guest.

Have everyone write down as many baby products as they can name (bottle, blanket, pacifier, etc) within 5 minutes. Sure it is easy at the beginning, but towards the last few minutes, the women will start racking their brains for more. A prize goes to the guest with the most baby items listed.

Guess How Many Safety Pins (or Diapers)

Materials: Safety pins, jar, diapers, large container to house diapers. Pass around a jar full of baby safety pins. The one who guesses the closest wins a baby shower prize. Do the same with a large container of small diapers and at the end of the game, the mommy-to-be gets the containers!

Little Feet Pink Casual InvitationsBaby Trivia Game

Check out this blog for some great ideas for this baby shower game–Play Baby Trivia!

PaperDirect has everything you need for your baby shower from invitations to thank you cards and announcements.   Shop PaperDirect’s online store today for all your baby shower planning needs.

The PaperDirect blog is your information headquarters for information about everything from planning your next party to branding your new business. Make reading the PaperDirect blog part of your regular schedule. We offer fresh ideas and suggestions on many topics that are realistic and relevant to your life.

 

 

April 11, 2012

Unique Marketing Ideas to Rise Above the Competition

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

Electrician Oversized PostcardsIn tough economic times, marketing your business is crucial to keeping it up and running. With limited money to spend, consumers must be choosy about where to spend their hard-earned dollars. When it comes to getting customers to your door or to your website, the key is to promote your products and services in a unique way that will make prospective buyers put your company at the top of their list.

Here are some unique marketing ideas for businesses large and small:

  1. Compare your business to the competition and make it clear why yours is the best choice.
  2. Focus on small details like creating an effective logo, clever tag line and attractive business brochures.
  3. Offer specials deals and discounts, especially to first-time customers. The money you lose by giving discounts will be made up in the long run with repeat customers.
  4. Personalize communication with customers. Send Paint Cans Brochuresemails, direct mail postcards and other such communications to customers using their names. This creates a connection and makes the customer feel special.
  5. Keep your website up to date and post new information regularly. Blogs are a great way to keep your clients and customers informed of new products and services you’re offering and shows that you’re putting effort into keeping your business going.
  6. Post testimonials on  your website. Ask regular customers to write honest reviews of your business and show your appreciation by offering a coupon or customer loyalty card.
  7. Offer package deals. Some businesses may not be able to do this, but if the product or service you provide can be bundled, then offer customers more bang for their buck. Make it clear how much money will be saved by bundling, and the consumers will see the great deal they’re getting.
  8. Get your business involved in the community by participating in a charity event or fundraiser. If there’s a county fair, have a booth and offer giveaways and samples of your products.
  9. Support other local businesses. This establishes camaraderie with other companies and will get your face and company name out there in the community.
  10. Team-up with your weaker competitors to beat your stronger competitors.
  11. Beat your competition by giving away a similar product or service that they charge for or beat their price.

Need more unique marketing ideas? Check out these PaperDirect blogs:

Lawn Mowing Oversized PostcardsIf you need marketing supplies like banners, flyers and business cards, PaperDirect is your one-stop online source for all your business needs.

 

 

 

April 6, 2012

8 Anniversary Party Planning Suggestions

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

Love Birds Vinyl BannersAre you knee deep in anniversary party planning and don’t know know what to do next or even where to begin? If you’re hosting an anniversary party for your parents, children or even a friend or co-worker, these partying planning suggestions will help you take on this daunting task and host an anniversary party that will be remembered fondly for years to come.

Traditionally, many couples celebrate their 25th anniversary (silver) and their 50th anniversary (gold) in a big way. However, it is also very common and acceptable to have a party on any of the five-year milestones of a marriage (5th, 10th, 15th and so on) on a smaller scale. These anniversary party ideas can be applied to virtually any type of celebration you can think of.Anniversary Invitations

  1. First, try to establish some sort of planning committee. Enlist the help of anyone capable who offers; it may not seem like you need that much help in the early stages, but once you get going, a handful (or more) of people helping out will be much appreciated.
  2. Establish your budget and then from there, you can create your guest list. Whether you’re hosting a huge anniversary bash for two hundred or a small intimate dinner party for ten, it’s important to stay within your budget and not over spend. It’s also a good idea to leave some funds set aside for those last-minute expected problems that could turn your bash into a bust. Caterers not showing up, bartenders being late and an unpredicted rain storm can all force you to make last-minute changes that will cost you money. Be sure to have a little bit set aside to cover these costs.
  3. As you develop the guest list, it’s important to keep in mind the comfort level of the anniversary couple and what they would want if they were planning their own party. Are they comfortable around large groups and a festive atmosphere, or do they prefer smaller more intimate gatherings? As you create the guest list, it’s always important to keep in mind the wishes of the anniversary couple. Only invite friends and family you know they will be comfortable around.
  4. Order your anniversary invitations online from PaperDirect today!
  5. If the party is not going to be at your home, then you need to decide on a venue and make reservations. This is all dependent upon the number of guests you’re inviting and the size of your party. You may be able to reserve a small room in the couple’s favorite restaurant, or you may need a larger space like an old community theatre, recital hall or the like. You absolutely must know how many people will be attending before you can reserve the venue. What if you reserve a huge space, but only half of the invitees respond they’re coming? The space will feel empty and cold instead of warm and inviting.
  6. When deciding on the day and time, try to get the party date as close to the actual anniversary date as possible. But you must almost keep in mind your guests’ work schedules and travel plans. You certainly don’t want to have a party in the middle of the week if most of the guests are still working full time and have to get up early. If most of the guests are at retirement age, then you can be a little more flexible with the day of week and time.
  7. Plan your party theme and menu (if you are doing the food yourself). Hiring a caterer or having the party at a restaurant eliminates this huge task, and you can rest easy knowing the food and drinks will be provided. If you are doing the cooking yourself, be sure you have everything you need well in advance and some helping hands. Prepare as many dishes before the day of the party as you can. This will prevent a lot of rushing around the big day. Why not just hire a caterer so you don’t have to worry about any of this and you can relax a bit more?
  8. Send out your invitations and then start getting all the decorations and other supplies ready for the big day. If you’re hosting the party at your home, you’ll probably have a lot more work to do than if you hired a party planner, but in the long run, it will all have been worth it. The happy couple will have wonderful memories of this special event that you hosted in their hearts and minds forever.

Anniversary InvitationsPaperDirect has everything you need for your anniversary party from invitations to thank you notes. Need some more party planning tips? Check out these PaperDirect blogs:

 

 

April 4, 2012

Field Day Sports Certificates

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

Good Sport LetterTop Certificates

Who doesn’t remember your school’s “field day” toward the end of the school year–the day the whole school competed in a variety of outdoor competitions like the egg toss, three-legged race and relay races? If your principal were cool enough, you may have even gotten to have a dunking booth with your teachers in the hot seat. Field day is a day that both students and teachers look forward to because it’s a way to celebrate the end of a great year, teach sportsmanshipand just have fun outside of the classroom.

If you’re getting ready for your field day, you will need sports certificates to award the winners and for those who participated but may have fallen short of first, second or third place. PaperDirect is your online shopping source for award certificates to fit just about any occasion and any age group.Fantasy Stars Casual Certificates

PaperDirect has certificates for just about every accomplishment, so the only problem you may have is choosing which design you like best. Want to design and print your own? We can teach you how to make do-it-yourself award certificates for all occasions. All you need to provide is the computer! If you want to create your own professional-looking sports certificates, PaperDirect has award certificate templates to help you design and print certificates, and you will be amazed at how easy it is. Our free desktop printable templates format your certificate automatically, with preset margins, borders and tabs. We also offer a certificate template CD with a variety of certificate headings so you can make as many certificates as you like whenever you like.Athletic Award Casual Certificates

If you would like a pre-designed desktop printable certificate, we offer free individual certificate templates. Simply find the certificate design you wish to purchase and click “Choose a Template” on the product page of our website. Then select either a Word or Publisher template. PaperDirect will email a certificate template right to you at no charge.

Award certificates are fun, and with added features like certificate seals and certificate jackets and folders, they can last forever.

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