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December 3, 2012

Business Holiday Greeting Cards for Clients

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — Tags: — PDWriter @ 11:55 am

Cobalt Christmas Printable Greeting Cards by PaperDirectIt’s that time–holiday cards for clients and customers should be mailed out by December 15. If you’re trying to decide whether or not to send business holiday greeting cards this holiday season, we think it’s a great idea. Not only are holiday cards a tradition, but sending holiday cards to customers lets them know you appreciate them.

One thing to keep in mind when sending holiday cards to clients is to remember that not everyone shares your religion. If you don’t know all of your clients’ religious affiliations (and most business owners/manages don’t), it’s best to send a neutral “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.” Sending a Christmas card to someone who celebrates Hanukkah shows that you don’t know that person at all or indicates a bit of insensitivity to other people’s individual differences.Star Glow Printable Greeting Cards by PaperDirect

Business Holiday Greeting Card Tips

Here are some more suggestions for sending holiday cards this year:

  • Send business holiday greeting cards of high quality like the ones from PaperDirect. Sign each and every card instead of using a signature stamp, which can appear impersonal. Adding a personal message above your signature is a wonderful added touch that will mean a lot to the recipients.
  • Send tasteful cards as some clients will not appreciate an off-color holiday greeting, and you must maintain the business/client relationship even at the holidays. While you may find a card funny, your recipients may find it offensive. Keep with traditional themes and festive sayings to make a great impression on your clients.
  • Feel free to include your company information below your signature, and you can even include a business card inside, but if you do, you must include a personal, hand-written message. Simply including a business card with no note will look as though you’re just trying to get more business. You don’t want to appear to have an ulterior motive for sending out holiday greetings.
  • Try to avoid using computer-generated address labels as this looks tacky and appears as though the recipients are not important enough to have their own cards filled out. Even if you have hundreds or thousands of cards to mail, enlist the help of office staff to hand write the addresses, which is a nice, much-appreciated personal touch.
  • Use proper titles when addressing the recipients. For instance, “Dr. and Mrs. Brian Taylor is more appropriate than “Brian and Carol Taylor.” If you are sending a card to a couple with different last names, be sure to address the envelope and greeting as such. For instance, “Dr. Michael Thompson and Ms. Linda Arnold.” Traditionally, the man’s name comes first in the address if the couple is married and if not married, put the names in alphabetical order: “Ms. Linda Arnold and Dr. Michael Thompson.”
  • Send business holiday cards to the business address of the recipient unless you know the recipient on a personal level. If you send the holiday card to the recipient’s home address, be sure to include the spouse’s name in the address (if there is a spouse or partner).
  • Send your business holiday cards in time to arrive before the date of the holiday. Winters Glow Printable Greeting Cards by PaperDirectDecember fifteenth is the standard cut-off date for cards to arrive on time in the states. International cards should be mailed out sooner. Here is a table for suggested holiday mailings.

PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source for holiday greeting cards. Check out our huge selection and stock up today!

November 27, 2012

Do’s & Don’ts for Employee Christmas Gifts

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 9:18 am

Star Medallion Stone Trophy Have you been assigned the task of helping the boss choose employee Christmas gifts this year, or are you the boss and need to begin the process of selecting nice, affordable gifts for your employees. If you’re on a budget, you may be able to spend a certain amount on each employee, but even if you are limited in what you can spend on each employee Christmas gift, you can get great Christmas gifts at reasonable prices.

Tips for Employee Christmas Gifts

Here are some tips for giving gifts to employees (and bosses) this holiday season:

Gift giving in the workplace does not really have specific rules; it’s more of a common sense and good judgment issue. Business etiquette does not require you to give gifts at work at Christmastime, but in many companies, it’s a custom. Observe your office’s practices and when in doubt, to avoid making an embarrassing faux pas , find out from a close colleague or from someone in Human Resources what has been done in the past or what is considered acceptable when it comes to boss and employee Christmas gifts.

  • When buying a gift for workmates you should foremost consider the message you want Star Medallion Star Plaque to convey. Your gift allocation should be based on your budget, your past relationship with that person and their interests.
  • Giving gifts to the boss. In most work environments buying a gift for the boss is a not an accepted practice as it can be perceived as a way to get preferential treatment. It is also awkward to buy a gift for someone who has a great deal more money than you, if that is the case with your boss. Giving a gift to your boss will probably make him or her feel uncomfortable, and you certainly don’t want to do anything to tarnish your relationship with your boss. Your gift to your boss is doing a great job at work during the year and giving the company your all.
  • If you insist on doing something for your boss at the holidays, consider initiating a group effort. You can take up a collection from everyone in the office and discuss potential gift ideas, or you can let someone else organize the effort and you can contribute what everyone else. Don’t over contribute or under contribute if it’s avoidable.
  • For everyone in the office, a handwritten holiday greeting card is another simple, yet very effective, gesture that can go a long way in showing gratitude. Keep it simple and to the point. If you are not sure of the recipient’s religious affiliation, choose a holiday card versus a Christmas card.
  • When giving gifts to people you work with, avoid perceptions of discrimination and favoritism by offering similar gifts of equal value to all. Although you may not expect it, the reality is that some of your employees will compare their gifts to that of their colleagues.
  • A popular gift giving choice at the holidays, is a basket of treats the whole office can enjoy.
  • Take a department out for lunch before the holidays. This will surely show them how much you appreciate their hard work.

The Difference is You Mugs Keep in mind the importance of employee recognition at this time of year and throughout the year. You can show employees how much you appreciate their hard work by giving them trophies, plaques or motivational gifts like coffee mugs and water bottles.

 

November 16, 2012

Christmas Cocktail Invitations for Home or Work

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — PDWriter @ 8:09 am

It’s that time of year–time to choose your Christmas cocktail invitation for work and home holiday parties. If you have the yearly task of choosing the perfect holiday cocktail invitation for your work crew or for a party you’re having at home, you have come to the right place. PaperDirect has a large selection of Christmas cocktail invitations for all tastes and styles.

Our Favorites:

[one_third]Snowman invitations [/one_third][one_third]Christmas Fantasy Invitations [/one_third][one_third_last]Twinkles Invitations [/one_third_last]

[one_third]Poinsettia Swirl Invitations [/one_third][one_third]Simpatico Invitations [/one_third][one_third_last]Cobalt Christmas Invitations [/one_third_last]

Types of Christmas Invitations

PaperDirect has a variety of Christmas cocktail invitation styles including:

Here are some suggested Christmas cocktail invitation wording to get your creative juices flowing:

Good friends & good cheer,Glee Tree Casual Invitations by PaperDirect
it’s that time of the year!

Please be our guest at a
Christmas Cocktail Party
on Saturday, December 21st
at 6 o’clock in the evening
The Green Hill Mansion
1214 Green Hill Avenue

Macy & Ryan Matthew
Regrets: 555-2010

_____________________________________

Dazzling Sparkle Casual Invitations by PaperDirectSet your sights on Christmas lights
and eggnog ‘round the tree!
Please join us for a night of fun at our annual
“Christmas Celebration”
Sunday, December 16th
6:00 in the evening
The Home of Lynn and Fred Banks
765 18th Avenue
Kingsport, Tennessee

______________________________________

The air is getting colder,
the holidays are near,
a time for celebration withPatriotic Christmas Casual Invitations by PaperDirect
those we hold so dear!

Parkson Construction
cordially invites you to join us
for a festive holiday celebration!

Friday, the seventh of December
two thousand eighteen
six o’clock in the evening

The Sandals Resort
4900 W. Cypress Road
Scottsdale, Arizona

_________________________________________________

Celebrate the Season

We’re planning a holiday party and please say you’ll be here.
Let’s celebrate the season
with good friends and good cheer!
Friday, December 8th
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Green Room
1265 Falling Leaves Lane
Falling Leaves, Maine

The West Leaves Insurance Company

Hopefully one of these designs, paired with one of the above wordings inspires you for your Christmas Cocktail party this year! Looking for the best Christmas cocktails to serve? Check out this list of 12 Cocktails of Christmas!

 

 

November 8, 2012

Christmas Mailings for Businesses

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — PDWriter @ 8:24 am

Golden Holiday Printable Greeting Cards by PaperDirectIf you are working on Christmas mailings for your business (or even personal mailings), here is some helpful information to ensure on-time delivery of all your mailings this Christmas.

Holiday mailing deadlines to ensure your Christmas mailings arrive at their destination within the United States before December 25th:

  • Letters and Cards (First-Class): December 20
  • Priority Mail: December 21
  • Express Mail: December 22
  • Parcel Post: December 15

Since many businesses conduct international business, follow these recommendations for on-time delivery:

Recommended Mailing Dates for Delivery by Christmas
Note: Airmail Letter-post is now known as First-Class Mail International.

 

Items addressed to locations in: First-Class Mail Priority Mail International Express Mail International Global Express Guaranteed*
Africa Dec. 2 Dec. 2 Dec. 10 Dec. 20
Asia and Pacific Rim Dec. 9 Dec. 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 19
Australia and New Zealand Dec. 9 Dec. 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 19
Canada Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 16 Dec. 21
Caribbean Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 15 Dec. 20
Central & South America Dec. 2 Dec. 2 Dec. 10 Dec. 20
Mexico Dec. 9 Dec. 9 Dec. 15 Dec. 21
Europe Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 15 Dec. 20
Middle East Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 15 Dec. 20
Holiday Mailing Date Guidelines for Military APO/FPO Mail

 

Items addressed to APO/FPO locations: 1st Class and Priority Mail Express Mail* Parcel Post Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL)** Space Available Mail (SAM)***
AE ZIP codes 090-098 (except 093) Dec. 10 Dec. 17 Nov. 12 Dec. 3 November 26
AE ZIP code 093 Dec. 3 N/A Nov. 12 Dec. 1 November 26
AA ZIP code 340 Dec. 10 Dec. 17 Nov. 12 Dec. 3 November 26
AP ZIP codes 962-966 Dec. 10 Dec. 17 Nov. 12 Dec. 3 November 26

Check out PaperDirect’s vast selection of Christmas cards and holiday greeting cards.

Cobalt Christmas Printable Greeting Cards by PaperDirect

October 29, 2012

Holiday Newsletters On High Quality Christmas Border Paper

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — PDWriter @ 3:09 pm

PaperDirect has a large selection of Christmas border paper for your holiday newsletters this year. The Christmas newsletter is a time-honored way to stay in touch with long distance friends and family members and let them know how everyone is doing. Many families have made the Christmas newsletter a yearly tradition, and with December right around the corner, it’s time to look at the various types of Christmas border paper you can order online from PaperDirect. Printing newsletters for Christmas is easy and fun when you use high quality, festive Christmas border paper that will surely brighten the holidays for all your recipients!

Here are some popular paper designs to make your Christmas newsletter especially festive this year: 

Shimmering Frost Christmas Border Papers by PaperDirect

Merry Christmas Border Papers by PaperDirectCranberry Lace Christmas Border-Papers by PaperDirectChristmas Newsletter Tips

If this is the first time you’ve written a Christmas newsletter, you may need some tips.

  1. When composing a letter to loved ones and friends you may not see very often throughout the year, keep your audience in mind and think about what you would like to know as a newsletter recipient. By tailoring your news to your recipient, you’ll have a captive audience.  Think about who you’re sending your newsletter to. What should you include in a Christmas newsletter? Possibilities might include marriage, any moves/relocations, vacations, new pets, children’s news, graduations, new employment situations and any significant changes in your life. You really don’t have to go into great detail–be succinct and your audience will be more interested. Highlight the year’s milestones and joyous occasions.
  2. Be positive and festive in your tone, but don’t go on and on about how many wonderful accomplishments your family has experienced this year because it sounds like bragging. There is a difference between reporting good news and boasting. Be careful not to cross this line in your newsletter. Similarly, don’t include tragic news or tales of hardship you’ve experienced this year. This is Christmastime, when love, warmth and happiness are the focus. The goal of the holiday newsletter is to simply update long distance friends and family about your past year, so keep it short, to the point, and fun!
  3. Include a family photo if you like as this is a nice added touch.
  4. End your Christmas newsletter by wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and safe, healthy and prosperous new year!

PaperDirect is your online shopping source for Christmas border paper of many designs for your family Christmas newsletter this holiday season! Order online today.

October 24, 2012

Formal Tables Made Easy With Thanksgiving Place Cards

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: , — PDWriter @ 8:39 am

Fall Brilliance Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectAre you having a formal Thanksgiving dinner party and are panicked over getting everything together in time? With this wonderful holiday right around the corner, now is the time to think about all those little, finishing touches you’ll need to ensure the planning and dinner party go smoothly and as planned. Thanksgiving place cards from PaperDirect will not only help everyone know who’s sitting where, but they will add a touch of elegance to any Thanksgiving feast!

Adornment Folded Place Cards by PaperDirectHere are some of the most popular PaperDirect Thanksgiving place cards:

  • Adornment Folded Place Card
  • Fall Brilliance Folded Place Card
  • Swirls of Autumn Folded Place Card
  • Mahogany Rouge Folded Place Card
  • Symmetry in Nature Folded Place Card
  • Autumn Etching Folded Place Card

Thanksgiving Glow Deluxe Thanksgiving Greeting Cards by PaperDirectHave you made your Thanksgiving dinner list and checked it twice? PaperDirect is your online shopping source for other supplies you may need this holiday season. We have Thanksgiving invitations, Thanksgiving personalized napkins and even Thanksgiving greeting cards for loved ones and friends you may not see this year. Need suggestions on hosting a party? PaperDirect can help you there, too! Read some of these helpful blogs about hosting parties around the holidays:

 

October 17, 2012

DIY Marketing Tips That Won’t Break the Bank

Filed under: Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:30 am

Marquetry Letterhead Papers by PaperDirectWhen starting up a new business, whether large or small, it’s important to budget your money wisely because you will spend a lot of money quickly getting the business set up. Whether you’re starting a work-from-home type of business using the Internet or opening a retail store or restaurant, every penny must be carefully accounted for, and you must find ways to market your business in inexpensive ways. One mistake many new business owners make is over-spending on marketing their business; one way to avoid this is to take a look at some creative DIY marketing ideas that won’t break the bank.

Many new, inexperienced business owners don’t realize there are DIY marketing ideas/strategies that are inexpensive and require little, if any, experience. The DIY marketing ideas below will save you money and may help you to get your business off and running much more quickly than you expected. Wouldn’t that be nice? Imagine less stress, fewer dollars spent, and more business in the first few months you’re open!Garden Gate Business Cards by PaperDirect

Here are some DIY marketing ideas that have worked for large and small business owners.

  • Get your business listed in online industry directories.
  • Start an email campaign and be sure to target the demographic you are seeking as clientele.
  • Post client testimonials on your website.
  • Sponsor or participate in a local charity event or fundraiser.
  • Check reviews of your business regularly.
  • Join a professional organization and meet business men and women in similar situations as yours.
  • Use social media to promote your business as it’s not going away and it’s a great tool to get your business out there.
  • Choose eye-catching business cards and keep them up to date. There’s nothing worse than inaccurate contact information on a business card.
  • Show appreciation to customers through customer loyalty cards, discounts, coupons and other special offers.
  • Use direct mailings to show you appreciate your customers. Buy one get one free offers are a great way to keep existing customers and get new ones.
  • Start a blog on your website and post regularly. Make sure your blog’s content and tone match your business.
  • Spend time optimizing your website. Make sure web content is well-written and well-optimized so it gets ranked by search engines.
  • Make sure your website is user friendly by adding videos, if possible, and contact forms. If there is a comment section on your website, be sure to respond to comments and questions regularly.
  • Word of mouth does wonders for new businesses. Ask happy customers to spread the word about your new store or website and offer incentives for them to do so.

If you’d like to learn more about DIY marketing ideas from PaperDirect, please check out these blogs:

Hand Prints #10 Envelopes by PaperDirectRemember to shop online at PaperDirect for all your start-up business needs including business cards, letterhead and envelopes, and various business communication supplies.

October 15, 2012

Fall Border Paper For Your Special Event

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — PDWriter @ 1:29 pm

Fall border paper from PaperDirect is the perfect way to announce your special event by way of personal invitations or by posting around the neighborhood, local stores and schools. Fall border paper’s beautiful autumn colors like brights reds, rich oranges, vibrant yellows and a variety of subtle Earth tones add autumn flair to any special event you need to announce this fall. From hay rides to Halloween parties, fall border paper from PaperDirect is a great choice for event needs!

If you’re wondering what else fall border paper can be used for, the list is really boundless. For instance, you can use border paper with fall colors to create newsletters to announce family happenings or school events; fall border paper is perfect any type of invitation; you can craft greeting cards using the lovely fall border paper selections offered from PaperDirect; border paper can be also be used to enhance flyers–especially with the eye-catching colors of fall; and border paper is commonly used to send out announcements of various events.

Check out these examples of fall border paper that will liven up any type of message you want to get out to a lot of people at one time. Or, if you’re just having an small, intimate gathering at home (say, a dinner party), you can use fall border paper to craft a lovely personalized invitation to just a few special friends or family members.

Fall Freshness Border Papers by PaperDirectScrolling Maple Border Papers by PaperDirectFall Interlude Specialty Border Papers by PaperDirect

October 4, 2012

Creative Halloween Invitations

Filed under: Seasonal & Special Events Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 9:23 am

Haunted Hill Halloween Postcard InvitationsIf you are planning a Halloween party, PaperDirect has the creative Halloween invitations you need to impress your guests and set the mood for a ghoulish Halloween bash this year. With over 115 creative Halloween invitation designs to choose from, you’re sure to find one you love! Whether your party is for adults or children or both, PaperDirect’s huge selection of Halloween designs will create only one challenge for you: Deciding which one you love the most, and that’s not a bad problem to have, huh?

Invitations, Postcards, Border Paper and Banners for Halloween

Here are some of our most popular creative Halloween invitations:

  • Haunted Hill Casual Invitations
  • Smiling Jack Casual Invitations
  • Lil’ Monsters Casual InvitationsPumpkin Parade Border Papers
  • Halloween Masquerade Casual Invitations

You can also create your own creative Halloween invitation wording by selecting PaperDirect fall/Halloween themed border paper including these popular designs:

  • Pumpkin Parade Border Paper
  • Good Ghost Border Paper
  • Haunted Hill Border Paper
  • Spooky Lane Border Paper
  • Haunted Cemetery Border Paper

PaperDirect postcards can also be used to create your own Halloween invitations. Take Black Cat Capers Postcardsa look at these festive Halloween postcards that make great invitations that are easy to write up and inexpensive to mail out to your guests:

  • Spooky Lane Halloween Postcards
  • Black Cat Capers Postcards
  • Fright Night Postcards
  • Witchy Kitty Postcards
  • I Want My Mummy Postcards

How about PaperDirect Halloween vinyl banners that make create-your-own Halloween invitations?

  • Pumpkin Hayride Vinyl Banners
  • Haunted  Hill Vinyl Banners
  • Lil’  Monsters Vinyl Banners
  • Harvest Sunshine Vinyl Banners

The PaperDirect blog is a great place to read about creative Halloween party ideas, Halloween games and party planning tips. Here are some recent PaperDirect blogs that offer party planning tips (even for the novice) and other Halloween-related tidbits that you may find useful as you get ready for this very popular holiday for kids and adults alike!

Now that you have ideas for invitations and how to plan/organize your party, this blog has some fun Halloween party games to keep your guests entertainment.

 

 

September 12, 2012

Halloween Postcards Make Effective Direct Mailers

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

Black Magic Halloween Postcard InvitationsMany people consider Halloween to be the most fun of all the holidays, but it is one of the most commercially successful holidays. Don’t miss out on marketing opportunities for your small business by sending out Halloween postcards to market your products or service. You can be extremely creative with Halloween postcards to yield a “monster” return on your investment.

Here are some suggestions for using Halloween postcards for direct mail marketing:

  1. Offer a treat, not a trick, to those who come to your place of business or website and purchase something. Your postcard can include a buy one get one free offer, a discount, or can serve as a loyalty card in which repeat customers buy a certain number of items and get the ninth or tenth one free.Magical Pumpkins Postcards
  2. Advertise a midnight special sale with a Halloween postcard. Encourage employees and customers to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes and offer amazing midnight madness deals. Be sure to offer refreshments such as light snacks and beverages to encourage customers to stay longer. A well-fed customer is a happy customer.
  3. Postcards, due to their small size, are more likely to be read by recipients than longer newsletters. With eye-catching Halloween graphics, you’re sure to grab the recipients’ attention, prompting them to read your message.Fright Night Postcards
  4. Keep the content on your postcard brief and to the point. Be sure to include contact information such as the name of your business, address, phone/fax numbers, email address, website URL, your name and title (if applicable), and on the back of the postcard you can include directions from various locations. Be sure your special offer or whatever your reason for sending the postcard is clear on the front of the card. Choose font that’s large and easy to read. Some “spooky” fonts can be difficult to read, so be sure you don’t go overboard with difficult-to-read Gothic lettering.
  5. Consider your target demographic when planning your mailing list.

PaperDirect’s online store has the Halloween postcards you need to get the traffic you want!

 

September 7, 2012

Spooky Halloween Birthday Invitations

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

Spooky House Casual InvitationsPeople born on October 31, get to celebrate their birthday and Halloween, many people’s favorite holiday, on the same day. If your child is born on Halloween, you have many years of fun birthday/Halloween party planning to look forward to. If you host a birthday party for your child on Halloween, sending spooky birthday/Halloween invitations available from PaperDirect will set the tone for the frightful festivities. Some of PaperDirect’s best-selling Halloween invitations that can serve the dual purpose of inviting youngsters to a birthday bash on Halloween are:

  • Good Ghost Casual InvitationsLil Monsters Casual Invitations
  • Haunted Hill Casual Invitations
  • Black Magic Casual Invitations
  • Haunted Cemetery Casual Invitations
  • Spooky Lane Casual Invitations

For an added Halloween spooky touch, check out these Halloween Invitations and Halloween Border Paper, Halloween Postcards, Halloween Banners, Halloween Envelopes and Halloween Labels.

When you order from PaperDrect, you can also personalize your Halloween party invitations; simply tailor your message to create a unique Halloween banner with a ghastly message or a ghoulish welcome message. PaperDirect also has large vinyl banners Haunted Cemetery Casual Invitationsfor store windows or to announce a large birthday Halloween block party.

If you want to throw your child a combination birthday and Halloween party this year, check out PaperDirect’s extensive line of Halloween birthday invitations–great for adults too!

August 31, 2012

DIY Invitation Tools

Filed under: Designing Your Invitation — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

Willow Rounded Gatefold Pocket InvitationsDIY invitations are a fun way to create your party and wedding invitations while saving  money and giving your event your unique flair and style. PaperDirect can help you make do-it-yourself invitations that get noticed! Whether you’re planning a wedding shower, baby shower, birthday party, anniversary party, family reunion, wedding or graduation party, DIY invitations are fun to make and not quite as difficult as you may think. DIY invitations are truly one-of-a-kind, and your guests will be impressed that you made them yourself, infused with your sense of style and your personality.

DIY Invitation Tools and Tips

Handmade invites are invites with a one-of-a-kind sense of style and personality. With proper planning and a little know how you really can save a lot of money by making homemade invitations. Especially where weddings are concerned. By being careful and avoiding common DIY invitation mistakes, you can save yourself a lot of money and stress.Vintage Elegance Rounded Gatefold Pocket Invitations

Whether you’re a budding Martha Stewart, or a complete crafting newbie, homemade birthday invitations are a great way to add something unique to your party. Invitations set the tone of your event, so a wonderful, “inviting” invitation is a must!

Give your guests a fun and whimsical first impression by inviting them in style with something you made with your own hands. Your guests will really know you put a lot of effort into the invitation when they see you took the time to make it yourself.

To make birthday invitations using an invitation template is an easy way to get handmade invitations using your own printer. To create invitations with a template all you have to do is download one of PaperDirect’s printable birthday invitations, change the wording within the template to match that of your party, print it, and trim the paper. If you print on a heavy paper then there’s nothing else to it, but you can also take it further by attaching them to the inside of a pocket fold invitation, or layer them onto a colored card stock backing. Add some final touches with matching ribbon. The finished product is a lovely handmade DIY invitation that will wow your friends!

DIY Wedding Invitations

When times are tough and money is scarce,  brides look for simple, yet creative, ways to have the invitations they want without spending a lot of money. DIY brides can get the best of both worlds by creating one-of-a-kind designs without the custom made price tag.

Pocket Invitations

Heirloom Vine Specialty Pocket Invitation

When you send out your invitations for the next party, think of adding a touch of class with a PaperDirect pocket invitation. Whether you are planning an anniversary party or a birthday celebration, we have a wide selection of pocket invitations to choose from so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. Browse through the different styles of pocket invitations available including:

Anniversary pocket invitations
Party pocket invitations
Graduation pocket invitations
Save the date pocket invitations
Wedding pocket invitations

Our stylish patterns will compliment any theme you have chosen for your celebration, and the sleek look of our pocket invitations will elevate the elegance for all your invites. When your invitees receive their modern invitation they will revel in the amount of thought you have put into making them feel important.

At PaperDirect, along with having the largest selection of pocket invitations online, we also have printable pocket invitations available so you can save money and time. When you need to invitations fast, you can order the pocket invitation template from PaperDirect, so you can print the invitations on your home computer. Many of the pocket invitations available from the wide selection at PaperDirect is available in template form for your convenience.

 

 

August 27, 2012

Best Resume Paper to Get Noticed

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

Gilt Edged PaperIn tough economic times, job hunting can be a daunting task because of the sense of urgency that accompanies the job search, but with the right “stuff” and a stellar resume, you will get noticed by employers. Printing your resume on the best resume paper in the business will show companies hiring that you have got what it takes to be an asset to the team.

Best Resume Paper–PaperDirect

With so much competition out there in the job market, you really do have to stand out and make sure your resume gets moved to the top of the pile and not the trash can. While the type of resume paper you choose may not seem like a big deal, when all employers have is the resume to decide who gets the interview, yours must be the very best. PaperDirect is your resume paper headquarters and provides a huge selection of colors and everything from plain linen to colored parchment.

Some of our best sellers are the Perfectly Plain 28 and 38 lb letter paper, Linen 32lb Letter Paper and Earth Tones Letterhead Stock.

Arabesque Business CardsPaperDirect has so much more than resume paper to help get you prepared for the job market. If you need high quality envelopes, we have those, and if you need business start-up tools like business cards and such, PaperDirect has a huge selection of professional business cards for all types of budgets.

August 24, 2012

Now is the Time to Design Fall Newsletters

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

Swirls of Autumn NewslettersIs there an upcoming event that you’ve been asked to announce? Do you have a large number of people on a mailing list, and you want to save time and money? If you have been given the task of designing and mailing fall newsletters, PaperDirect can help! Newsletters are a great way to announce company business, family events or send out mass invitations. Newsletters are also a great way to simply connect with people and let them know what’s going on this fall.

Purposes of Newsletters

Newsletters basically have three purposes:

  1. A promotional newsletter to sell something
  2. A relationship newsletter to communicate with family or members of the same group
  3. A professional newsletter sent to students, patients or church membersTurkey Time Newsletters

All three types of newsletters can take a seasonal approach, and fall is a great season to create festive, vibrant newsletters.

Direct Mail–A Lost Art?

PaperDirect newsletters come in two sizes: 8″X11″ two-sided or 11″X17″ for a four-page newsletter. The vibrant colors of fall such as oranges, reds, yellows, and browns will add a lovely seasonal tone to your announcement! You can send out fall newsletters announcing a special sale your business is having or a contest. Halloween stores can send out mass mailings advertising all the wonderful costumes they have in stock and other Halloween accessories like decorations for the house and yard. Maybe there’s a German restaurant in town that is holding an Oktoberfest celebration and is offering a buy one drink get one free. A Christmas Fantasy Newslettersnewsletter would be a great way to spread the word and get customers in the door.

Is your place of business giving away free stuff to people who come shop in costume? How about candy donations for underprivileged children who may not be able to go trick or treating. Costume donation drives can be announced by sending out festive fall newsletters.

Do you want to connect with distant relatives this fall and let them know about upcoming family gatherings for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Fall newsletters with all the necessary information will allow plenty of time for family to make plans to join the festivities.

Shop PaperDirect for all your business communication supplies.

 

August 22, 2012

Fall Themed Certificates for Seasonal Awards

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

Sienna Specialty CertificatesPaperDirect has a number of seasonal designs to make award certificates appropriate for the time of year. Fall themed certificates are designed with the lovely, earthy colors of Autumn such as shades of yellow, orange, brown, red and copper. When making fall themed certificates for students, employees, or family members, be sure to use quality stock paper from PaperDirect and choose a design befitting the season. Check out these beautiful fall themed certificates exclusively from PaperDirect:

Remember that PaperDirect will custom print your fall award certificates. Let’s take a look at some of your options when it comes to printing certificates from PaperDirect. Desktop printable standard certificates are 8.5″ X 11″, white parchment paper, full-color designs and come in boxes of one hundred. The paper is laser and inkjet compatible. Custom printed fall themed certificates come in seven different colors, and we will do free logo and photo uploads. You customize your layout, font and ink color. We produce professionally Decorative Specialty Certificatesprinted, folded and boxed fall-themed certificates for all types of awards.

You can order a sample from PaperDirect to see the high quality products we create. A sample is just a single piece of a paper product so you can see and feel the quality of our work. All samples are full size, and you may order up to eight different paper products per sample order for a $5 shipping charge. Ordering a sample is easy! Simply find the product you want and click “Add to Sample to Cart” or you can call PaperDirect at 1-800-272-7377 to place your sample order. Samples are shipped first class mail and usually arrive within 3-5 business days, depending upon your location. You can pay $10 for express delivery, and we ask that you pay a $5 shipping and handling charge, which you will receive back in the form of a $5 coupon off your next order!

Swirls of Autumn LetterTop CertificatesPaperDirect also has a Certificates Template Software 2010 CD for $34.99. This amazing piece of software is for the person who spends a great deal of time making certificates as this is a HUGE time and money saver! The software lays out your certificate for you and offers 25 different headings in three different styles. It even offers suggested wording for over 20 types of awards. The Certificate Templates CD is compatible with Microsoft Word® 97 and above in PC and MAC versions.

Looking for some certificate award ideas? Check out these blogs from PaperDirect:

August 8, 2012

Autumn Flyers Are More Effective With Fall Border Paper

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

Do you have a fall event you’d like to announce with a flyer?

Fall border paper from PaperDirect will jazz up your flyer and with autumnal colors like bold orange, earthy brown and sunflower yellow, your fall celebration flyer will surely be noticed!

Some of our Favorites:

[one_third]fall-freshness-border-paper[/one_third][one_third]

twigs-and-berries-border-paper[/one_third][one_third_last]harvest-border-papers[/one_third_last]

[one_third]maple-border-paper[/one_third]

[one_third]cute-turkey-border-paper[/one_third]

[one_third_last]autumn-maple-border-paper[/one_third_last]

Flyers are a great tool to announce a wide variety of events, from autumn festivals to small parties for the kids. If you’d like to design your flyer, then choose the fall border paper from PaperDirect that you love the most and get ready to do this at home or the office.

Flyers 101

Brochures, pamphlets and flyers are often the entrance point to your larger marketing efforts. The goal of a flyer is not only to educate a potential customer about your products or services but also to highlight that your company offers a better set of products or services than the competition. Our approach to flyer design revolves around these fundamental concepts while focusing on your wishes.

Fancy Foliage Border Papers

At PaperDirect, we know flyer layout, graphics and presentation. Our professional flyer templates afford you easy access and complete control over developing a high quality brochure, pamphlet or promotional flyer tailored exactly to the needs of your business (or personal uses for parties, weddings and the like).

With our specialized advanced flyer designs you can make a flyer with templates in minutes, from the comfort of your own office, home or chair. Our no hassle custom flyer development platform couldn’t be easier. Get started today and create award winning flyers at a small fraction of the expense of even modest basic flyer development and creation costs!

Moonlight Mayhem Border PapersDesign Your Autumn Flyer

When it’s time to lay out your flyer, you’ll want to use a type style that’s easy to read. Be sure to balance bold and regular type using the bold type to grab attention for the most important part of the message while small and regular type styles can be used for the details of your message. A flyer without graphics or arts is blah, so you will want to include some art work in your flyer. Perhaps the simplest way is to use a pre-printed background appropriate to your message.

How about a Halloween-themed flyer? PaperDirect has Halloween border paper that will work great for your Halloween bash or festival. Check out these Halloween border papers:

And so many more Halloween border papers from which to choose!

Nothing says autumn better than brightly colored, seasonal fall border papers from PaperDirect. Shop online today, and in no time at all, your new fall border paper will be at your door.

August 6, 2012

Improve Your Open Rate for Emails with These Tips

Filed under: Online Marketing Ideas — Tags: — PDWriter @ 8:00 am

If you’re sending emails as part of a marketing strategy, do you know what your open rate is? If not, and if you have never even heard of “open rate” for emails, let’s take a look at what open rate is and how you can improve your open rate to boost business. Open rate for emails indicates the percentage of delivered emails that are opened by recipients. You get credit for an “open” email when images are enabled or a link in the email is clicked.  A small one pixel by one pixel graphic is inserted into the email that you send. Then, each time the pixel is loaded, the email registers as having been opened.

Since recipients may open the email but not enable images or click on a link, this measurement can be inaccurate; however, for the most part, open rate for emails does give a business owner a fairly good picture of an email campaign’s performance.  The open rate is calculated by dividing the number of emails opened by the total number of emails delivered and is expressed as a percentage.

Open Rate Facts and Figures

Generally speaking, open rates for small email lists do better than larger lists. According to MailerMailer’s “Email Marketing Metrics Report,” the average open rate for the past nine halves for 25-499 members was 28%; 500-999 members was 22.3%; and for 1000+ members was 12.2%. Which industries did the best regarding open rate? In the lists with 25-499 members, Transportation 51.6%, Religious 37.3%, and Retail 33.3% had the highest email open rates.

In the email lists going to 500-999 members, Retail did the best at 36.2%, Religious was at 31.2% and Real Estate was at 30.7%. For the largest email lists of a thousand or more recipients, Banking fared best with 16.4%, Transportation close second with 16%, Non-Profit coming in at 15.8% and Small Business tying third with 15.8% open rates.

Open rates for email will typically peak the first hour after delivery. The peak is followed by a decline over the next 47 hours, and open rates fall to zero. An email marketer can expect about half of their opens to happen in the first six hours and 77% within the first 24 hours.

We mentioned above that the open rate metric can be inaccurate. One contributing factor is the use of smart phones (and other devices) to open emails. Users who open emails on their phone will only see the text version of your email, so with no images being loaded, it appears as though the email is unread, which is not correct. At the current time, an email open rate can be off from 11-35%, so careful! Even though it can be inaccurate, the email open rate percentage is a good tool to use to gauge whether or not your email campaign is working. Most small business owners are looking for an email open rate of 20% or higher.

Questions? Read some PaperDirect blogs about email marketing and learn more!

Would you like to try a free email marketing campaign? Partners PaperDirect and ConstantContact can get you started with a free email marketing campaign and coach today if you like.

August 1, 2012

Halloween Postcards Make Fun Party Invitations

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

Lil Monsters Casual InvitationsIf you’re looking to jazz up your Halloween party this year, try sending out Halloween postcards as your party invitations to mix things up a bit. If your friends, family or neighbors are counting on you to host the annual Halloween bash, you certainly don’t want to disappoint by sending out the same old boring invitations this year. Make it simple (and save on postage) by sending out Halloween postcards for party invitations this year. If you’re going the “open invitation” route, then you can use Halloween postcards as a mailer to everyone you’d like to be included in the spooky festivities.

PaperDirect has many of the party planning items you need for a great Halloween party this fall. Check out our custom print option and save time and money by designing and printing (or letting PaperDirect do it for you) your own Halloween postcard invitations today! Some of the best-selling PaperDirect Halloween postcards are:Haunted Cemetery Postcards

  • Pumpkin Parade
  • Haunted Hill
  • Spooky Lane
  • Fright Night
  • Witchy Kitty
  • Good Ghost
  • Magical Pumpkins
  • Black Magic

Since Martha Stewart is such a well-respected party/hosting expert, let’s take a look at some Halloween games for kids (and big kids) that will keep your guests happy and entertained:

Pop Goes the Pumpkin:  A Halloween version of the classic carnival game makes a great wall decoration, too. Simply blow up several orange balloons (fill some with candy and some with confetti) and put them up on a wall with some type of backdrop to protect the paint or wallpaper. Have one adult use a stick pin or dart (kept away from the kids, of course) and have the kids guess which balloon has treats, confetti or is empty. Start popping balloons and the kids will love the goodies that come out of the balloons that are stuffed.

Doughnuts on a String: Tie a length of rope between two trees. With kids standing under the rope, tie pieces of ribbon to the doughnuts (one per player) and then to the rope so the treats hang slightly above mouth level. Have players start on the count of three. Instruct each to eat an entire doughnut without ever touching it and without letting it fall off the ribbon. The first to finish wins. The prize? It’s already been eaten!

Pin the Pumpkin on the Face: Any child who has played Pin the Tail on the Donkey will be able to play this game. Cut out eyes, noses, and mouths from black construction paper. Stick a reusable adhesive, such as Blue Tack, on the back of each cutout, and give a set of cutouts to each player. Put a large pumpkin on a low table or a bench. With blindfolded players starting four feet away (little kids may stand closer), instruct them to walk toward the pumpkin and create a jack-o’-lantern face (without peeking). After each turn, take a picture of the player with the finished pumpkin.

Halloween Masquerade Vinyl Banners

PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source for all of your party planning needs this Halloween. You can order Halloween postcards, creative Halloween invitations, or Halloween banners everything you need for a great party.

 

 

 

 

July 27, 2012

Planning the Paper Anniversary – Tips for the First Year Party

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

Ardor Casual InvitationsMany married couples say their first anniversary (symbolized by paper) is the most exciting and most memorable. A first wedding anniversary is a great time to plan a celebration that gives the newlyweds many heartfelt memories for years to come. Paper Anniversary wedding parties are usually casual and inexpensive; after all, you have to save up for when you make it to your silver and gold anniversaries!

Paper Anniversary Party Tips

If you are hosting your own paper anniversary party or are hosting for a friend or family member, here are some tips to help make your paper anniversary party a huge success:

  • After deciding on your guest list, order your anniversary invitations from PaperDirect way ahead of the date of the party, so you have plenty of time to get them organized, Formal Engagement Casual Invitationsaddressed and mailed out. For a special added touch, include a wedding photo or a fun photo from your honeymoon or any experience in your first year (maybe a picture of your child or children?). In the invitation, include all the pertinent information the guests will need: reason for the event, location, time, attire (if it’s even necessary to mention this), and remind guests that the theme is “paper anniversary.” Include information in the invitation such as whether or not children and/or pets are welcome, if no alcohol will be served may guests bring their own and items of that nature.
  • If the party is outdoors, be sure the area is clean and safe; if there is a pool present, hire a trained lifeguard to protect your guests. While parents should always watch their children while at a pool party, you need a trained professional on hand because parents will look away, and tragic accidents can happen in a split second. If there is a pool that is off limits, be sure a gate or barrier of some sort surrounds the pool and that there is no way a child could get close enough to the pool to fall in.
  • Help your guests by including fun and inexpensive gift ideas related to paper such as paper products for house (e.g. paper towels, paper napkins, toilet tissue, paper plates and other practical gifts any new couple could certainly use).
  • Choose festive decorations that match the theme of the party if you have a theme in addition to the obvious “paper anniversary” theme. So, if you’re doing a Mardi Gras theme, order decorations from PaperDirect that will make your theme obvious to the Carnival Casual Invitationsguests. PaperDirect has a huge selection of vinyl party banners to choose from, so we’re sure you’ll find all the decorations you need at the best one-stop online shopping source for event planning and hosting–PaperDirect.com.
  • Plan the menu and beverages. Are you going to have it catered? Are you going to cook the food yourself or have friends and family help? As you plan your menu, consider food safety and how long certain foods can sit out in the sun (such as mayonnaise-based salads and desserts with cream/milk in them). Be sure to have enough food and be sensitive to food allergies your guests may have. Many people do not eat meat, foods with gluten or shellfish (due to allergies), so in the invitation, you can include a note asking your guests to please let you know about special food requests they have. Strategically place plenty of trash bins around the party venue, so your guests are not stuck holding dirty plates, cups and napkins.
  • Make sure restrooms are available, clean and well stocked.
  • If alcohol is served, be sure no one drives home after drinking. Either provide transportation via cab or sober driver or insist the intoxicated guest spend the night at your home or nearby hotel. You can be held legally responsible if someone is injured or killed in a car accident after drinking at your home.

If you are throwing a party, any type of party, PaperDirect not only has a lot of the supplies you’ll need, but the blog includes an entire section devoted strictly to all types of event planning. Here are just a few PaperDirect blogs that offer tips on throwing a really great party!

 

July 25, 2012

How to Design a Certificate for Student Achievements

Excellence Specialty Certificates

With the new school year just a few weeks away for many students in the United States, it’s time for teachers, other school personnel, and parents to begin thinking of ways to reward students for good grades, improved behavior, better attendance, a more positive attitude, and increased effort, just to name a few. There are a number of student achievements that can be acknowledged with a certificate that you can design and print (with a little  help from PaperDirect) in no time at all. Whether you want to print a single certificate or a large number at once, PaperDirect can help you produce lovely, professional-looking student award certificates for all types of school achievements for children of all ages!

Design Your Own Student Achievement Certificates

Festive Streamers Casual Certificates

Standard certificates are inexpensive, and PaperDirect has student achievement templates available to download allowing you to print certificates in a matter of minutes because the layout and wording have already been done for you. All you have to do is put the recipient’s name and date on the certificate and print it out! With the ease and convenience of designing and printing your own student award certificates, what, at first, may have seemed like a daunting task, is a breeze!

Templates for Student Certificates

PaperDirect has templates for virtually every occasion, and if you have a student achievement that requires a certificate of appreciation template that is not featured on our website, making changes to templates is easy. And the certificate design templates are  to the exact specifications of the paper so there they will come out perfectly every time.

Festive Starlight Specialty Certificates

To really jazz up student achievement certificates, you can order certificate frames for them. Not only do the frames look great, but they will preserve the quality of the certificate, so it can last forever. Low cost, ease of production and flexibility with the student achievements templates make giving student award certificates one of the best parts of a very challenging job!

PaperDirect is your one-stop online shopping source for all your student (and employee) recognition needs. If you need ideas on how to recognize students for a job well done, check out these PaperDirect blogs:

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