Planning an event can be fun, but stressful. Depending on your budget, timeline, and the number of guests, things can get pretty overwhelming. Having a party for 15 people, opposed to 150, is much easier for obvious reasons, like preparing food and drinks, finding enough space, and so on. If you have limited funds, you have to be much more creative with activities, entertainment, and decorations. If you can organize your event ahead of time, you will avoid some unnecessary headaches. The more you can plan, the easier and smoother everything will go.   It does not matter if you are planning for a child’s first birthday, a wedding, or a baby shower, because many of the same factors go into hosting any event. Although the answers will be different, you will still have similar questions, like the following:   Where will you have the party? When should the party be? (This includes the date, start time, and end time.) How many guests should you invite, and who are they? What should be on the menu? (This includes food, drinks, and desserts.) What decorations should you use? What kind of entertainment should be present? What type of party favors should...Read More
Your son or daughter’s birthday is just around the corner again. You want this year to be even more fun and special than it was last year. Maybe this year you have decided to let your child have a party with friends and family members.   You can get a piñata filled with delicious treats. Maybe it will be fun to play a version of pin the tail on the donkey. The entire celebration can have a theme. You can order customized stationery, like invitations, thank you cards, cups, plates, napkins, and more.   You will have to hand out goodie bags for the guests. Although getting party favors for the kids may seem like a minor, obsolete detail, it is actually crucial to the success of the day. After all, the children will have their favors to remember how good (or bad) the party was. With a little creativity, even on a budget, you can provide them with more than your typical cheap trinkets that nobody really plays with. So, this year, you can skip the dollar store items and, instead, get favors the kids will be raving about for weeks to come.   Gift Certificates — The kids...Read More
Creating your own business is difficult for several obvious reasons, from startup expenses to ongoing costs. Beyond funding, there are other obstacles you will face. In order to run a successful company, you need to get people to know about your goods and services. However, you do not always need to use innovative technology to draw in business. Sometimes it is the old-fashioned way of dealing with potential customers that works the best.   Customized promotional products become an ongoing tool that helps drive profits for companies, especially small, local businesses. According to a recent survey, 52% of people claimed that, after receiving a promotional product, their impression of a particular business was more positive. A staggering 50% of those interviewees noted that they use such products on a daily basis.  In fact, there are five specific benefits of using promotional products.   Increasing Brand Recognition Brand recognition is a main concept that every business, both big and small, needs to grasp. Branding your company will make it stand out from its competitors and allow your customers to connect with it on a more realistic and personal basis. This brand will remain rooted in the minds of your customers, and...Read More
Planning a birthday party for your child can be somewhat overwhelming. Getting a cake with some balloons is a relatively basic concept. However, what about customized napkins, plates, and tableware? What type of games should you have? Does it matter if the decorations match? How many decorations is enough? As the questions start rolling in, you may feel stressed out. Don’t worry; if you follow these simple steps, you can organize a phenomenal party that your child will always remember.   One to Three Months Before the Big Day You need to talk to your child about what kind of party he or she wants. What is his or her favorite cartoon, colors, or animals? Let your child help pick the theme. This theme should be a reoccurring motif throughout the party, from the color scheme to the decoration and activities. This decision will help shape the entire day. It will also really help you narrow down the selection of cake, games, and so on.   Next, you need to decide who to invite. Will it be just family members like aunts, uncles, and cousins, or will close friends be invited, too? Do you want to ask your child’s classmates?...Read More
Building a business from the ground up in the United States is not an easy thing to do by any stretch of the imagination. There are countless hurdles that you have to overcome to make your business prosperous and get your profit margins wider. Starting a successful business is not just about having the most innovative ideas, the most appealing products, and the best marketing team in the world. Commendable management is an equal contributor to the success of your business. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs who are running offices. The office environment has to be the most conducive onein which to work. That is the mark of good management skills. It has to be the kind of environment that your employees appreciate and love. Creating such an environment involves a lot of steps, one of which is keeping your employees supplied with high quality office stationery. Neglecting Office Stationery You will be surprised to know that most business owners in our country do not pay as much attention to office stationery as they should. From their point of view, office stationery does not really make much of a difference to the revenue and profits generated by their business....Read More
Are you looking for a one-of-a-kind gift? If you are searching for the perfect personalized item or a customized stationery set, it can be hard to find just what you want. You essentially have two options when it comes to shopping: brick and mortar stores, or online access.   When you are browsing your local retail shop, you get to see exactly what is available. However, you may have to wait in long lines, and deal with crowded parking lots and pushy people.   On the other hand, online shopping can be peaceful as you purchase items from the comfort of your own home. However, you may have to pay extra costs for shipping and handling. Both brick and mortar stores and online merchants have pros and cons.   Benefits of Brick and Mortar Shopping As mentioned before, when you are physically out and about shopping, you have the ability to see and touch your potential purchases. Depending on what you are buying, it is beneficial to be able to hold the item. You also have instant gratification when shopping in public. You buy your products and take them with you immediately. This type of satisfaction cannot be fulfilled by...Read More
business writer
  Business correspondence may take place through email, Twitter, and all sorts of other electronic means, but the art of the letter is far from extinct. In many ways, the hand-written letter is more important today than it was 100 years ago, because fewer people possess the skills it takes to pen a truly great business letter, or even a thank you card, by hand.   Think about it. When was the last time you received a personal thank you note on beautiful card stock? When was the last time you received a hand-written note thanking you, reminding you, encouraging you? Chances are, if you have received one, you remember it. You may even have it on your refrigerator, desk, or bulletin board.   If you’re a business executive, you have likely received more hand-written notes and official cards than most others. Business etiquette at higher levels demands this sort of personal service and flair. If you don’t have it, you can bet your competitors do, and who can afford to give an inch in this day and age?   For those who are newer to the world of business etiquette and note writing, here is a quick primer:  ...Read More
stationery
You have gone to great lengths to get where you are in life. Your family, your name, and your position are causes for pride and celebration. Consider personalizing your surroundings with items that highlight this love. Not only will personalized accents stand out, but they will make an impression on everybody who sees them.   In times of old, a family’s heritage was proudly displayed on a coat of arms passed down from generation to generation. Many families also possessed a seal which was used to authenticate documents, letters, and other correspondence. In many parts of western Europe, these symbols of tradition are still used to this day.   Monograms go back to hundreds of years BC. Used as signatures by artists or craftsmen, a monogram is an overlapping combination of letters usually representing the initials of a person or business. The traditional 3-letter monogram has a person’s last name in a larger font that is centered. The first name initial is usually to the left, with the middle initial to the right. Monograms of this type are often used on towels, clothing, and luggage.   Class and elegance didn’t die with the Renaissance, they just faded into the background...Read More
In days gone by, a properly written thank you note was not just a point of etiquette. It was an expectation. The idea that one could receive a gift and not respond politely was unheard of, as was attending a job interview and not following up with a hand-written token acknowledging the job seeker’s appreciation of both the employer’s time and opportunity. Today, the world is a different place. Gifts are selected over the internet, wrapped by a third party, and drop shipped to an address without ever being seen or touched by the giver. Job interviews are often held over the internet via Skype or some other video platform. When interviews are held in person, they often are not very personal.   Complicating things even more, in today’s electronic society, most everybody is wired 24/7, and international messages are no more than a button push away. Communication is instant, and social media ensures we “see” everybody we know all the time, whether we want to or not.   Are Thank You Notes Still Viable in the 21st Century?   Surprisingly, the answer is not just, “Yes,” but a resounding, “Yes.” That said, there are a few things that should...Read More
stationery
  Can the paper you use make a difference in your business? In a world often dominated by electronic media, websites, and insta-this-and-that, is there still a place for business letters, notes, and cards?   According to Forbes (Jan 2013), “In this day and age, when sadly we’re getting fewer and fewer letters in the mail, a handwritten thank you note or well-crafted on top-quality stationery, will make a candidate stand out from others who chose not to take that extra, personal step.”   The April 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review explains why personal notes and great stationery are so important. “Written notes mean more because they cost more. Emails, tweets, texts, or Facebook messages are essentially costless. They’re easy to write and free to send, and you and I produce hundreds of them every day. A recent study indicated the average corporate email account sent or received more than 100 emails per day, and Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 now send or receive nearly 100 texts per day.”   Handwritten notes are also valued because of their place in our lives. How many emails do you have taped to your refrigerator or pinned up on...Read More
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