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It’s not too much of a stretch to suggest that the age-old tradition of sending greeting cards to your friends, customers, volunteers, clients, or employees can be something of a minefield. Anyone who’s hoping to spread a little holiday cheer this season may be slightly hesitant for fear of their message not being politically correct.

Not to worry, though! Here is a quick list of politically correct holiday greetings that will convey the joy and gratitude you feel without insulting anyone, regardless of race, creed, or religion. No matter what you need them for, we’ve got the perfect politically correct holiday greeting card and message for you.

Personal

• Here’s wishing you the fondest Season’s Greetings and continued Happiness into the New Year.
• Happy Holidays to a Big, Bright Spot in Our Lives. Wishing you all the best in the coming year!
• Hoping your Holidays are as heartfelt and joyous as you deserve!
• No matter where this holiday season finds you, here’s hoping you’re surrounded with love and good fortune. Happy Holidays!

To Employees

• Thanks for all your hard work in [Year], and here’s to keeping things chugging along in [Next Year].
• All the best to you and yours this holiday season and thanks for a wonderful year. We couldn’t have done it without you!
• For all that you’ve done to help make our workplace a better place, we say a tremendous Thank You. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for [Year]!

To Customers

• Season’s Greetings, Happy Holidays, and All the Best for a Prosperous New Year.
• Thanks for your invaluable partnership in [Current Year], and best wishes for a bright and happy [Next Year].
• Best wishes for a happy Holiday Season. We’ll see you in [next year]!

Another quick note: While you should absolutely get a set of holiday greeting cards complete with a universal message, it might also be helpful to include a personalized conclusion to each card. It doesn’t even need to be unique. You could use one of the above statements, and then write in, “To a One-of-a-Kind Soul” in each card. It takes only a little extra time and it can make a huge difference.

More than anything, you simply need to remember that no matter the occasion and no matter the recipient, your holiday greeting only needs to come from the heart. That might sound a little schmaltzy, but there’s no better time of year to get a little sappy and express yourself to the people who are most important to you. You’ll be happier you did, and they’ll be grateful you took the time to say so.

Business cards are often the first currency of a business transaction. You meet someone, decide to stay in touch, and exchange your contact details. But, in the digital age, what should you include on a physical business card? Just a hint: Fax numbers are out. QR codes are in. Now, let’s explore some options for what your business cards should include.

What to Include on Your Business Cards

The whole purpose of a business card is to remain memorable and initiate future contact. First, choose a card color and design that stands out and makes sense for your industry. Go beyond the classic white rectangle and pick a patterned rectangle, red circle or glossy metallic square.

Then, fill that teeny-tiny document with pertinent information. Here’s what we feel best showcases and keeps you top-of-mind with a new contact:

Pictures

Whether you choose a smiling headshot or an image of your key products for sale, visuals help jog the memory, making your conversation come to life each time the card is viewed.

Name

Of course, this one is obvious, but what you put after your name isn’t. Do include your job title and company. Your title should explain a bit about what you do, not just “Senior Executive” or “Owner”. For example, “Sami Hanson, Lead Photographer, Owner of Shutterbugs” is descriptive and accurate.

Social Media

Business connections on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are expected. Include your handles or profile names alongside the corresponding social media icon. If you handle document transfers often, include Dropbox, OneNote, or your cloud service.

Phone Number

Which phone do you use all day long? Include that number. It’s common for many professionals to have a dedicated cell phone and no office phone.

Email

This is probably the primary means of follow-up contact. Include your individual business email address prominently near your name and job title.

Website

The URL to your company’s website allows people to dig deeper and learn more about what you do. Don’t forget a logo if it’s a key branding feature of your business. Try implementing a QR code that directly links to your preferred online presence.

And don’t forget to leave a little breathing room. You don’t have to cover every inch of your business card with text or photos. Sometimes blank space makes an impact too!

What to Skip When Designing Business Cards

So, are you getting worried about what we didn’t mention? Don’t be. There are so many details that are auto-populated onto business cards that just don’t have the same impact they once had. For instance, when was the last time you received a fax that wasn’t spam?

So, get rid of:

• fax numbers
• physical addresses
• team email addresses
• unused landline office phone numbers
• maps to your physical location
• outdated social media including MySpace and messenger services

Is it time to update your business card?  Browse the styles and ideas at PaperDirect, add your information, and we’ll get them printed and shipped to your office!

Who are digital natives? They’re the incoming workforce who’ve been submerged in digital technology since the day they were born. Their childhood birthday parties were streamed via Facebook Live for friends and family to enjoy. Their toy boxes included touch screen tablets. They’ve never used a phone that couldn’t take pictures, and shopping usually means going online, not going out.

As this generation of digital savvy folk start applying for jobs, your office needs to be ready to woo and accommodate their expectations if you want to land the best-of-the-best in their fields. Consider implementing these office practices into your workplace based on the everyday habits of digital natives.

1. They expect constant, real-time feedback. Weekly brainstorming meetings won’t cut it for these folks. Instead, start a cloud-based document that everyone on a specific project or team can access to add ideas. Then, use your weekly meeting to finalize plans and offer direction.

2. They crave public display. Don’t be surprised to see a digital native live stream their thoughts on social media after a workplace seminar. Harness this enthusiasm and work with the young staff members to create marketing pieces to live stream on the business social media accounts. They can explain the benefits of a new service you’re developing or show off how to use a new product without being camera-shy.

3. They see technology as an extension of themselves. If your current employee handbook dictates no personal phone calls or Internet browsing, think again. Digital natives use technology for both personal use and work. Instead, revise your rules to explain what the use of office computers is for (like creating work documents, answering work emails) and when personal communication on smartphones is appropriate (such as quick texts).

4. They’re good with words and photos. Digital natives have figured out a way to be succinct and expressive in 140 characters or less, thanks to Twitter. Leverage this skill for writing workplace copy that needs to be direct and potent. And those selfie skills? They’ve learned a thing or two about lighting and angles, which can be used to take workplace photos for presentations and social media updates.

5. They want to work remotely. Gabbing about traffic jams is so 1990s. With the help of cloud-based software, email, video conferencing and smartphone apps – it’s possible that your staff can work from home or even a coffee shop. This entrepreneurial spirit keeps employees happier and cuts down on office expenses. Think of this: If your entire staff is remote, you eliminate brick-and-mortar rent and utility bills.

6. They need public validation. We all like to get a compliment every now and then, but the incoming workforce is even more performance driven. Set visible goals and reward them. For example, create a physical wall chart that shows growth toward a weekly sales goal or the completion of a project. When goals are achieved, take group selfies behind Instagram cutout frames by the chart or with fun achievement certificates and post about it to social media!

Get ready for the new recruits by stocking up on paper certificates and awards at PaperDirect. Take a page from your digital native’s book and shop online to have everything sent directly to your office!

Even if your facts and figures are right on the money, you’ll still lose points with your fellow employees and clients if your professional report isn’t executed cleanly and efficiently. You might be surprised how much visual appeal goes into the reports you file over the course of your daily duties.

If you’d like some tips on how to create professional reports, then you’ve come to the right place.

Smart Small, Think About Your Font

In all of the professional world — whether you’re preparing a report for a professor or some shareholders — there are exactly three acceptable fonts you should use: Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman. That’s it. Save the Comic Sans or Courier for your rough drafts if you must use them, but never turn in an official report that uses any font other than the approved three.

Think About Your Audience

You’re going to want to tailor your language to meet the needs of your audience. If you’re preparing an interoffice memo, for example, you can use industry jargon and possibly even make a joke or two without much fear of reprisal.

However, if you’re sending your report to a client, you’ll want to avoid industry terms (so as not to confuse or alienate your audience) and maintain a tone of authority about your topics. Don’t make jokes, don’t use slang; write succinctly and clearly.

How to Structure Your Report

It might be tempting to simply open your document, say what you’ve got to say, and then send it out. Instead, it’s likely beneficial for you to jot down a few notes considering what you’d like to say, then organize those notes before writing.

When writing, don’t try to get fancy. Every report you send out should read in the following format:

• An introduction that hits on each of your major points.
• Each of your major points separated into clearly defined paragraphs or sections. Be sure to include any charts or numbers as they’re mentioned in the text.
• A conclusion that sums up your overall point (no need to mention your points once more, just close it out).

You Can Judge a Report By Its Cover

Once you’ve assembled your info and added a striking, professional flare to the whole thing, it’s time to think about your cover. Remember, your cover is the first thing your audience will see, so there’s nothing wrong with impressing them right off the bat with high quality report covers from PaperDirect.

While Thanksgiving isn’t the most popular time to send a greeting card, it can be a great time to stand out among vendors or other businesses. Showing thanks and sending gratitude is easy; all you need is a simple card and a thoughtful message inside.

If you’re on the prowl for Thanksgiving holiday cards, let us assist you. Here are our favorite designs for 2016!

Thanksgiving Tree Holiday Card

Buy a 25 pack of this design here.

Thanksgiving Wreath Foil Card

Buy a 25 pack of this design here.

Thanksgiving Screen Cards

Buy a 25 pack of this design here.

Thanksgiving Leaves Card

Buy a 25 pack of this design here.

Swirls of Autumn Note Cards

Buy a 10 pack of this design here.

Each of the above designs comes with foil-lined or regular envelopes. You can also create a pre-printed message inside each card- saving your hand long hours of writing.

Stand out this holiday season and be top of mind come December. Sending a Thanksgiving card is the simplest way of doing just that!

Has foot traffic dropped off for your business? Trying to engage new customers to shop with your company? Banners are a great way to increase foot traffic to your business but unless you know what to say, the effort might be wasted. Use these business banner ideas to inspire your next marketing campaign to reach new customers and re-engage existing ones.

Take X% Off

Who doesn’t love a discount? Sales are a great way to encourage foot traffic to your business. Make sure your sale is a worthwhile effort by marketing it to passersby with an eye-catching banner that advertises the deep discounts available inside your shop.

You can create urgency with shoppers by noting on your banner “One Day Only!” This will get people in the store in a more timely manner, so you can better grasp the effectiveness of your marketing project.

Follow Us Online

List your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or most pertinent social channels on your banner so new customers can immediately check out what you offer before visiting your store. This means you have to bolster your digital marketing efforts to really show off the merchandise and/or services your company sells. This banner will help you engage customers online while enticing them into your brick and mortar location.

Brand New for You

People are excited about new things, from cutting edge merchandise to additional services. Share the latest and greatest additions to your business with a banner that boasts about it. Shoppers are always looking for the next best thing, and they are more likely to step inside your business if they know there’s something new to see and purchase.

We Can Help You

Everyone needs help sometimes. Let your community know that your business is there to serve them, whether it’s helping parents find the best deal on back to school supplies or caring for dogs with daycare services. Reaching out a helping hand to your potential and existing customers demonstrates your commitment to them.

Get the Best

Whether your business sells organic produce or offers house cleaning services, let your audience know that you have the best products/services on the market. If you have a high Yelp or Google review score, include that in smaller text on the banner, for example, “Five out of five stars from Yelp users!” 

For new customers, this banner will inform them of your company’s sterling reputation while reminding old clients about why they worked with your business previously.

Celebrate With Us

Take advantage of people’s interests. Host a special football season sale.

Hosting an in-store event? Opening a new store? Encourage everyone to attend with a banner inviting the community. Events entice curious shoppers, new and old, to peruse your business without feeling obligated to make a purchase, even though these individuals do end up buying during these in-store occasions.

PaperDirect carries pre-designed banners as well as blank canvases. Make your own banner and bring in more foot traffic this fall!

An employee newsletter is instrumental when it comes to motivating and educating your workforce. Most employees are keen to gain some insight on the inner workings of their company, whether they tell you directly or not. As such, a newsletter is an excellent way to disseminate information on a large scale. Even better, you can spice up your newsletter and use it as a means to help get your employees involved in the company culture.

After you’ve chosen the perfect paper, it’s time to focus on content. Not to worry, though, we’ve got you covered! Here are some helpful things to include in your corporate newsletter to get the most out of this all important means of communication.

A Note From An Executive

It’s a simple concept. Employees want to hear from their bosses. Even if you’re the kind of manager who maintains an open-door policy or regularly visits with your staff, you’ll still need a simple way to pass out information quickly and on a large scale. The internal newsletter is the perfect place to do that. A word to the wise, though, if you go with a note from an executive, make sure the note is filled with information, not just empty platitudes. Employees will catch on to thin content very quickly.

Personal Employee Highlights

Another benefit of the employee newsletter is your ability to help make your employees feel included in the company culture. Your employees want to be treated like individuals, of course, and a good way to let them know you understand is to celebrate the big events in their personal lives. Sure, you can include things like company anniversaries, but birthdays, wedding anniversaries, or birth announcements work even better.

Success Stories

Make sure that your employees know when your company scores a big sale or completes an important project. Your employees want to know that the company they rely on for income is expanding, growing, and thriving. Including regular success stories is the perfect way to let your employees know when something great happens.

An Employee Profile

Give your employees a chance to shine in your employee newsletter. Including a picture and a few short sentences about a random employee will not only help your staff get to know one another, it will make your employees feel valued on an individual level. While you should include stuff like the employee’s position in the company, you should also endeavor to shine a light on their personal interests and life outside of the office, as well.

Employee Editorials

Give employees a chance to relate a funny story or address a potential workplace concern with a few hundred words in your newsletter. Let your employees know that as long as they keep the content of the column respectful, then they have total freedom to speak their mind. Not only will your employees appreciate the opportunity to express themselves, but they’ll respect your ability to take honest criticism.

Something Funny

Take a few inches on the page to make your employees laugh. Maybe it’s an online meme, or an office in-joke. Whatever it is, just take a stab at lightening your employees’ mood. Even if you’re not totally successful, you’ll still earn some brownie points with your employees. Looking for inspiration? You’d be surprised how far you can get with a simple, silly kid’s joke. Why wouldn’t the bike stand up on its own? It was two tired. Hey-o!

Contests or Raffles

Take a little time to get your employees involved by including a simple contest or raffle. Contests don’t need to be anything with huge stakes. You can hold a contest to find a nickname for the copy machine in which the winner gets off an hour early, for example. Raffles can be for small gift certificates to local restaurants, or some other small luxury. You don’t need to break the bank to get your employees engaged and smiling.

Anonymous Company-Wide Polls

Everyone in your company has opinions, and likely on a wide variety of different topics. Why not give your staff the chance to sound off on those opinions while also learning more about the topics and issues that they hold dear. It’s best to keep these mostly work-related, but it might also be fun to ask simple questions, like “What’s the best show on TV?” 

Lots of Photos

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures. It may burn through a bunch of printer ink, but you should still make sure that your employee newsletter is filled with as many pics as possible. Don’t use stock footage, either; include as many employee photos as possible. Your staff will enjoy the small dose of attention, and personal photos will add an extra layer of intimacy to your newsletter.

Mix It Up, But Keep It Short

Whatever you decide to include, use your imagination and mix things up. Try not to include the same feature in two consecutive newsletters unless it’s extremely popular among employees. Including only a handful of articles from a rotating stable of features will lend every word on the page an air of importance. It will also help you reign in your length. As much as your employees love to hear some company news, that attention span will likely only last for about two pages (maybe three).

An employee newsletter can be indispensable when you’re trying to boost employee morale or find new ways to communicate with your staff. If you keep your news pertinent, entertaining, and concise, you should have zero trouble engineering the perfect newsletter.

Everyone loves Christmas, and your clients appreciate the sentiment behind your Christmas cards. But let’s face it- Christmas has been hogging the attention for far too long! There’s a perfectly good holiday mere days before December, and it’s getting the short end of the stick. You may know it as Christmas: Part 1; in more innocent times it was known as Thanksgiving.

We aim to take back Thanksgiving, and the first tool in our arsenal is the innocuous yet powerful Thanksgiving card. In a world saturated with Christmas hullabaloo, it’s a secret weapon for winning loyalty and sending a sterling impression.

Skeptical? After years of relentless yuletides, we wouldn’t blame you. So take just a moment and let us show you why the Thanksgiving card is the new Christmas card!

Something They Will See!

We’ve all seen so many Christmas cards that we’re becoming inured to them. Every trope, illustration, color scheme, and font feels like something we see like clockwork. Frankly, Christmas has become something of a routine.

The great thing about giving Thanksgiving cards is their unexpectedness, and that means people will really look at them. It’s a great moment to show off your company’s distinctive qualities and have them stick in your clients’ minds.  

Guileless Greetings

Let’s be honest- Christmas has a huge agenda. The relentless complaint is how commercial it’s become, and not without reason. Companies spend months crafting their holiday campaigns because their success or failure literally rests on a single month! And while that hustle is necessary and justified, the oversaturation of commerce burns people out. People just like your clients…

On the other hand, Thanksgiving isn’t trying to profit from anything. Its whole agenda is to celebrate blessings and the people who make them possible. Once again, people just like your clients…

When you send a Thanksgiving card, you’re telling your clients “I’m stronger because of you.” That’s a message that will resonate with them well past the holidays.

Freedom of Expression

So what does a Thanksgiving card look like? That’s just the thing- it’s an undiscovered country!

While Christmas may have become bogged down in the same tried-and-true forms, Thanksgiving cards are a perfect canvas for experimentation. It’s fine to rely conventional symbols- autumn colors, turkeys, and cornucopias. But if you’re feeling more jaunty and artistic, it can be an excellent opportunity to give your gratitude some creative expression. There are a million things to be thankful for, and there should be a million ways of illustrating it.  

With such an untested medium, the prospect of finding your own style may seem overwhelming. Just relax and reach out! Paper Direct is here to walk you through every step of the process. Whether your tastes run to traditional imagery or a more custom look, we have everything you need to make giving thanks its own reward!

Before you know it, there will be sleigh bells ringing and glistening snow blanketing the streets. That means the time is now to make your Christmas business plans, for example, special holiday season sales or a greeting card mail campaign. Whatever your company’s paper needs are this season, our 2015 holiday cards for businesses along with our festive stationery will help you spread holiday cheer this winter.

Greeting Cards

‘Tis the season of giving so give your clients, vendors, and staff a reason to smile this holiday season. With a selection of over 200 options to choose from, our 2015 holiday cards for businesses are beautifully designed and are easily customizable for your needs. Some of our favorites this year include Colorful Snowflake, Chalkboard Christmas, and Timeless Holiday Photo greeting cards.

Invitations

Warm up this particularly cold time of year by inviting your customers, employees, and other business associates to a holiday party. A Christmas party serves many purposes such as improving employee morale and bolstering important relationships. Whether you’re hosting a fun-filled holiday bash or classy cocktail soiree, our variety of holiday invitations will convey the message you want to send.

Newsletters

A great way to communicate with your company’s clientele during the holiday season is with an end-of-year or Christmas newsletter. Share exciting business achievements, fun employee stories, and 2016 updates in your newsletter, and make it stand out even more with seasonally-themed newsletter paper.

Banners

Maybe your business is hosting a large end-of-year sale or a holiday event open to the public event. Get the word out with a Christmas banner! Add your custom message to one of our vinyl banners and share your company’s holiday cheer with the rest of the world. A particularly fun banner we offer is the Whimsical Wonderland one.

Brochures

Special holiday season products, discounts, and other related information shouldn’t be printed on plain ol’ white copy paper. Instead print it on one of these festive Christmas brochures. Our Luminous Holiday or Traditional Plaid 3-Panel brochures will transform your printed marketing materials into eye-catching literature people will be interested in reading.

Calendars

It’s almost a new year, which means people will need to replace 2015 calendars with 2016 ones. Send clients and vendors a branded magnetic calendar so they remember your business throughout the coming year. This simple but useful gift will keep your company top-of-mind with the people who matter most. We also offer calendar cards you can opt to send out instead of magnets.

“Many people overlook the value of having a professional business card that accurately reflects your brand image, yet this small piece of paper can be an important part of your collateral package,” writes Entrepreneur contributor John Williams. “It’s often the first item prospects receive from you, so it’s your first opportunity to make a strong, positive impression on them.”

Whether you’re a small business owner, the CEO of a national corporation, or a dedicated employee of a company, business cards are an essential piece of marketing collateral. In a digital age, you might wonder if paper business cards are worth the investment, and in fact, they are, as business cards help potential leads, clients, and employees develop a personal connection with a person at your organization. Use the following business card checklist to design effective on-the-go promotional material.

Business Name and Logo

A business card helps spread the word about business. Be sure to include your company’s name and its logo on your business cards. This helps to forge a connection between your business and the people you give your cards.

Individual Name

Business cards should be printed for everyone in your business. That means creating cards that are personalized for every employee. You never know when a lower-level worker might meet someone who can bring new revenue streams to your business.

Job Title

Each employee’s job title should be included on their business cards. While you don’t want your business card completely covered in information, including a person’s role on their customized cards provides a level of detail that others consider relevant and important. Ultimately, including a job title establishes credibility while giving people outside of your company a small glimpse into its inner workings.

Social Media

Highlight the social media channel your company uses to tell its story, whether it’s Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, or Twitter. People are more likely to engage with your brand on a social media network to learn more about how your business can serve them.

Pertinent Contact Information

For many companies, their brick-and-mortar address isn’t as important as their website address. Shrewdly consider the contact information you’ve considered printing on your business cards. In most cases, a phone number, web address, email address are enough.

High Quality Design and Print

Business cards is not an area to cut corners. Cheap paper, generic clip art, and bargain bin printing will set your business cards apart from the pack in a very bad way. You’ll immediately see the value of high quality business cards when you hand one to a potential client and they are visibly impressed. Investing in high quality business cards is an investment in marketing your company.