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October 30, 2014

15 Thoughtful Holiday Card Messages for Businesses

Filed under: Designing Your Business Communication — Tags: — PDWriter @ 10:37 am
Merry Christmas

The holidays are the perfect time to express gratitude to customers, peers, vendors and anyone else who’s helped you reach your business goals throughout the year. Whether you have a list of 5 or 5,000, Christmas cards are an easy, inexpensive way to say “thanks” and to stay top-of-mind in the coming year.

While it seems that everyone sends holiday cards these days, the key to standing out in the stack is to select a high quality card and include a thoughtful, heart-felt sentiment.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Funny Snowmen Holiday Card
The perfect holiday card from your entire management team.

All of us send you warm wishes for a happy, peaceful holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Elegant Dove of Peace Boxed Holiday Cards

To our dear friends and valued customers,
May your Christmas be joyful
And your New Year be blessed.

From us to you…may your holiday season be filled with peace, happiness and hope.

Holiday Gifts Boxed Holiday Cards

Thank you so much for the gift of your business. We look forward to serving you in the new year.

Thank you for making us so merry. May your holidays be bright!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you this year.
Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Appreciation Holiday Card

During this season of reflection,
we pause to express our sincere gratitude,
and send you best wishes for a joyous holiday.

This is the most wonderful time of the year
to say “thank you” for your business!

Wishing you the very best of everything the holiday season has to offer.

Merry Christmas (3)

It has been our pleasure to serve you this year. Thank you!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The best thing about the holidays
is the opportunity to express our gratitude
for your continued trust in us.
May you have a beautiful holiday season and a happy New Year.

Your business is the best gift we could ask for.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Simple Wreath Holiday Card

Taking a moment to say thank you for your business
And wish you the most magical of holidays!

As we count our blessings this Christmas
You are among them.

Christmas Tripytch Boxed Cards
One of our favorite religious-themed holiday cards!

‘Tis the season to let you know
How much we appreciate you.
Best wishes for a magical Christmas!

Feel free to use any of these sentiments verbatim. Or use them as inspiration and add your own personal flair. The important thing is to keep your greeting warm and genuine. Recipients will appreciate the extra effort you took to let them know how important they are to you and your business.

October 27, 2014

Christmas Party Planning Tip #4 – Order Invites

Filed under: Christmas & Holiday Party Tips — Tags: — PDWriter @ 3:02 pm

It’s time to tell everyone about your upcoming Christmas party! Don’t take the lazy route and send a text message or mass email. Keep things festive and personal by sending paper invitations in the mail. Here’s three quick possibilities:

Send and Seal Invites

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Keep things simple and use a tri-fold invitation. These compact greetings come in several holiday designs, from elegant to whimsical. The tear off segment is perfect for RSVPing.

Holiday Bordered Papers

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If you prefer to type up a one-sheet invite, use bordered paper. This colorful option is a great choice when you need to include a map or lots of text in the correspondence.

Christmas Tickets

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Christmas tickets are a great alternative for invitations. You can use them to enter your guests into a raffle or hand them over for a free cocktail at the restaurant.  Use these Christmas tickets for your next party.

week4-7-onPlace your order for Christmas party invitations this week!

Get 15% off our Holiday Border Papers by using code WCRT1014B at checkout.

Then read our entire party planning guide. 

 

October 14, 2014

Thanksgiving Table Setting Guide [Graphic]

Filed under: Event Planning Tips — PDWriter @ 12:41 pm

While there are many ways to set a table for Thanksgiving, we believe there should be a nice balance between elegantly formal and excessive utensils. Below is a Thanksgiving table setting graphic to help guide you this Thanksgiving:

How to Set a Table for Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving Table Setting

As you can see in the above graphic, you’ll need a few things for a proper Thanksgiving including:

Dinnerware:

  • Serving Plate
  • Salad Plate
  • Bread Plate

Stemware:

  • Wine Glass (you can have more than one wine glass if you are serving both red & white)
  • Water Glass
  • Coffee Cup and Saucer (not shown)

Flatware:

  • Dinner fork
  • Salad Fork
  • Cake Fork
  • Soup Spoon
  • Teaspoon
  • Dessert Spoon
  • Dinner Knife
  • Bread Knife

Accessories:

Things to keep in mind:

1. Formal table settings take up room. If you have a small table, you may want to place the napkin on top of the salad plate or even beautifully bundle your flatware in a Thanksgiving-themed holder.

2. While you may think your guests will surely eat their pumpkin cheesecake with a fork, others may want to use a spoon. Try not to ax any of the flatware for this reason.

3. You can use a variety of stemware for beverages. These includes wine glasses, water glasses, flutes for champagne, or even mason jars for a playful feel.

4. If you’re interested in giving your guests something to take home, consider writing a heartfelt “Why i’m thankful for you” on the back of their place cards. This will give them a treasure they can keep until next year.

5. We didn’t picture a cup and saucer, though most formal settings include one. Towards the end of the meal when other plates and cutlery have been cleared, set a cup and saucer directly in front of your guests. This way they can enjoy coffee or tea with or after their dessert.

PaperDirect wishes all a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving. We hope this table setting guides you to creating a lovely dinner to share stories, while making new traditions.

October 13, 2014

Christmas Party Planning Tip #2 – Brainstorm

Filed under: Event Planning Tips — Tags: — PDWriter @ 9:22 am

Christmas Party Planning Tip #2

You have a budget in place. Your dream of having an amazing Christmas party is real. Now you need to find a place to host the event. Think through your list of friends and colleagues. Do any of them have connections at a local venue? Is there a location in your city that makes you smile each time you visit? Write them down.

While brainstorming potential party locations, you’ll need to keep a few logistical considerations in mind.

Keep in Mind:

  • What will the weather be like in December? Will I be able to use an outdoor venue?
  • Is the location easy for out-of-town guests to find?
  • Does the venue have services I may need, such as catering or a DJ?
  • What is the maximum occupancy at the venue?

Once you have the Christmas party location set, send festive Save the Date postcards to everyone on the guest list.

week2-onThis week, Paper Direct is offering 20% off all holiday postcards. Simply enter code WCRT1014B at checkout to get this great deal.

For more great tips, be sure to check out our entire guide on Christmas party planning.

 

October 10, 2014

5 Photos You HAVE to Include in Your Wedding Slideshow

Filed under: DIY Wedding Ideas — PDWriter @ 2:52 pm

Wedding slideshows are the perfect thing to schedule between cocktail hour and dinner. It’s a moment of relaxation and enjoyment where everyone can sit back and be entertained. While the basics of a wedding slideshow are pretty straightforward, if you want to successful slideshow that you can keep for years afterwards, there are some photos you MUST include. These wonderful pixels include:

Embarrassing Kid Photos

Middle School Photo

This one is a must, and we’re not talking about cute toddlers in diapers, but truly embarrassing middle school photos that showcase the “transformation era” of both the bride and groom. This will give your audience a real hoot and show how far you’ve come!

Family Members that Got You There

Include some thoughtful photos of mom and bride, brother and groom, kids from previous relationships, and even grandma! These close family members support you and your new marriage, so be sure to have some touching photos of them. This will remind you and them how far you’ve come.

Engagement Photos

Whether you choose to grab a professional engagement photo or an iPhone image taken immediately after the big question, include this type of photo in your slideshow. It showcases that special time in your family’s life and brings back fond memories before your wedding journey began.

engagement-photo

Candid

candid

This may be easy for some couples and difficult for others. The truth is that candid photos can be just as heartwarming and lovely as staged, professional photos.

If you’re finding that all of your slideshow photos are hand-on-hip type of photos, go out and get goofy!

Including these candid photos will show the connection between bride and groom in a different way than staged photos.

Hobbies

hobby photo

If the bride and groom both love to travel, include some destination photos. If you both love cooking, show some action-in-kitchen photos. Including these hobbies further shows the love and bond you share and can be a great talking point for your distant relatives you haven’t seen in a while.

Okay, are there any slideshow photos we’re missing? Please comment below and tell us the best slideshow photo you’ve ever seen!

Looking for wedding invitations and paper products? Shop PaperDirect for DIY weddings!

[Photo via]

October 8, 2014

What to Give your Boss on Boss’s Day (October 16)

Filed under: Recognition & Motivation Ideas — PDWriter @ 2:45 pm

Happy Boss’s Day!

If you enjoy working for your boss, why not show it with a gift this October 16th?

After all, being the boss can be tough. Here are some simple ideas that won’t blow anyone’s budget, but are nice enough to show you put some thought into it:

Engraved Star Paperweight by PaperDirect

Personalized Gifts

A personalized gift could include a small clock, business card holder or paper weight engraved with your boss’s name. You could also have a certificate printed that shows how many years your boss has been with the company, praises a milestone or just says Happy Boss’s Day.

Bluetooth Mini Keyboard

This is the ideal gift for the diligent professional who is always working, even after hours and on weekends. The Bluetooth keyboard connects to any late-model Android or Apple devices. The keyboard makes it easier for your boss to send emails, without hurting their thumbs. The best part about this gift choice is it’s not personal or too expensive, nor does not appear cheap.

Food or Drink

If your boss has a coffee obsession, get their favorite brand. Same goes with soda or beer. Better yet, if your boss is always munching on a certain snack, get a Costo-sized tub of it and gift it with a big bow.

Something Fun

Mini Plinko Game by PaperDirectThere are many games you can get your boss that are ideal for an office setting. A few ideas of this type of game is a dart board and darts, a desktop skee ball machine, a mini plinko game, or any other appropriately sized game that will fit nicely in an office. This gift will show your boss that it’s okay for them to have fun too, and it gives them a great way to wind down after a stressful day.

Office Decor 

If your boss’s office is drab and dreary, spruce it up with some sleek office decor. Some ideas:

  • Modern Clock
  • Potted Plant
  • Framed Photo of Boss+Employees
  • Sports team memorabilia
  • Clever sign

For all your motivational certificates, gifts, and invitation needs, be sure to shop online at PaperDirect. We offer a wide variety to gifts that will fit every holiday and event, ensuring you can find something perfect for any occasion.

October 1, 2014

5 Ways to Celebrate Customer Service Week

Filed under: Recognition & Motivation Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 2:27 pm

Pristine Specialty Certificates by PaperDirectYour customer service representatives are the face of your company. They smooth out issues when mistakes occur. And, because every 2% increase in customer retention can be equal to 10% in cut costs, they can even save your company money.

During Customer Service Week, let your customer service staff know how appreciated they are. Five ideas for celebrating:

1. Recognize a different customer service representative each day of the week.

Happy customers tell 4 to 6 people about a good customer service experience, which means your reps can be your best marketers. Did one of your representatives go above and beyond to solve a customer’s issue? Did someone, through acts of excellent service, increase sales? Take the time to publicly praise those whose contributions keep your business running smoothly.

2. Give tokens of your appreciation to your employees.Excellence Recognition Coin by PaperDirect

Small perks and bonuses make your customer service team members feel appreciated. Offerings can include small boxes of chocolate, vouchers for a longer lunch break or small motivational gifts they can keep at their desks.

3. Send daily email tips.

Has a member of your customer service team discovered a way to solve a common problem? Share the information with the rest of your customer service staff. Be sure to credit the resourceful employee who discovered the solution.

4. Hold a customer service idea contest.

Employees are more motivated when they feel their ideas are valued. For Customer Service Week, hold a contest and have your employees submit their best new customer service ideas. Be sure to publicly thank all participants. Provide a small but meaningful prize to the employee with the best idea. Be sure to stay in communication with the employee to talk about how her idea is being implemented to improve your business.

5. Host an employee breakfast.

Swirly Stars Casual Certificates by PaperDirectInstead of the usual employee luncheon, bring in bagels, donuts, fresh fruit, specialty coffees and other breakfast foods to treat your employees. They will appreciate the morning break and the chance to enjoy a treat together.

Your customer service staff helps your business all year long. By taking the time to provide special perks each day of Customer Service Week, you can be sure that they know how much you appreciate them.

PaperDirect knows how important your customers are to you. Come to us to find paper products that make your print communications stand out.

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