Times are tough and companies are watching what they spend. So how can you get them to part with some of their funds for the goods or services you are offering? First, believe in yourself, your company and your product. If you don’t believe, why should others?

For example, we know that at CardsDirect we offer the very best in quality greeting cards, selection and customer service. Sure, there are others out there who sell cards just like we do but they don’t have what we have and we know it! We truly believe in what we are offering and stand behind it just as you should stand behind what you are selling.

Keep focused on your main objective and customers will remain loyal. The better you treat your current base, the more they will in turn support you and drive new business your way. Focus on the positive, feel good about what you can control and get out there and smile! Life is good and what we do will only make it better!

According to a recent survey, 63% of Americans feel that sending a greeting via Facebook or Twitter is inappropriate with 19% believing it is downright tacky! There is simply nothing like a traditional greeting card to surprise someone on their birthday or anniversary or other special occasion. I remember when ecards first came on the scene. It was nice to be remembered but when receiving greeting cards I take into account the effort behind the thoughtfulness and an ecard just doesn’t take all that much effort.

Greeting cards are often kept as treasured memories and I have yet to knowingly keep an ecard or Facebook “wall” wish. 37% of Americans think that sending a thank you note through a social network is inappropriate. Given that a thank you is meant to send appreciation, isn’t it worth the effort to hand write a short note on lovely Thank You Cards and put a stamp on them or hand deliver them?

The next time you want to reach out to someone, do it with style. Some may call greeting cards printed on paper, signed and delivered old-fashioned, but I call it personal. The effort you take is sure to be warmly received and returned in kind. Which do you prefer, paper or virtual?

{Source: Kelton Research}

This just in– another Valentine’s Day survey that differs somewhat from the results found in my last blog posting. These results were shared by the independent marketing research firm IBISWorld and suggest that having the holiday fall on a Sunday this year plays a major role in how love is expressed.

According to the survey, Valentine spending will be up 3.3% this year. The holiday will be celebrated from Friday through the entire weekend with many choosing to celebrate by dining out or leaving town for a romantic getaway. Men buy candy, flowers and jewelry during the work week but may not go to that effort for a Sunday celebration, preferring a dinner out instead.

Florists will suffer most. The Society of American Florists shows Sunday as the worst day for Valentine flowers. Here are the projected changes in spending from last year to this:

Dining Out +8.2%
Romantic Getaway +2.3%
Greeting Cards +1.8%
Clothing & Intimate Apparel +1.8%
Candy -1.3%
Jewelry -4.6%
Flowers -4.9%
(Source: IBISWorld- 2.1.10)

Which leads me to wonder… are flowers meant to impress the recipient or the office buddies as well?! How will your Sunday Valentine celebration differ?

According to a recent National Retail Federation survey, Valentine’s Day spending will be down 6% from last year. No big surprise there but some of the survey results are interesting.

For example, men spend nearly twice the amount on Valentine’s Day as women with an average of $135.35 compared to $72.28 spent by women. This year practical gifts win out over jewelry and a fancy dinner out. Gifts will include sweaters, clothing and winter accessories. The traditional candy, flowers and Valentine greeting cards will remain popular choices.

The trend this year is towards personal and unique gifts that come from the heart rather than the wallet. Couples will spend less on each other and more on family, friends and even pets.

You can save an additional 10% now through 12/14/10 on Valentine’s and all Greeting Cards at CardsDirect.com! How will you be sharing the love this year?

Our goal at CardsDirect is to exceed our customer’s expectations before, during and following a sale. We’re delighted when our customer’s are pleased with their personalized and custom imprinted greeting cards and love to see those happy faces and compliments! Here are some of those unsolicited responses.

It would be hard to improve your service thus far– I spoke with a rep (Joey) who knowledgably and quickly answered the few questions I had.
Jack
Mills River, NC

I loved the ease of placing the personalized order.
Gail
Jackson, GA

Very easy site to navigate and create cards.
Deana
Columbia, PA

Very user friendly. I like to see what I am purchasing before I purchase it. I loved the tools!
Chasidy
Huntsville, AL

Have a compliment or suggestion to share? Comment to this blog post or email us at correspondence@CardsDirect.com. We’d love to hear from you!