The Stationers Guild

In a surprise development that has taken the stationery industry by storm, National Stationery Show spokesperson, Shirley Greenhouse, announced that the National Stationery Show would be “entirely digital” by 2012.  Ms. Greenhouse stated that “today’s consumer is embracing a new medium to express themselves and, quite frankly, paper is no longer considered Eco-chic, timely or relevant.”

While this will come as a shock to traditionalists and the many artisans who produce fine paper, it is a huge cost-saving boon to online resellers and printers who can now substitute paper invitations and stationery with online images.   Said one delighted CEO, who preferred to remain anonymous, “we can finally compete with the Chinese now that we don’t have to deliver the goods.”   For another anonymous executive,  it is a dream come true:  “Brides can now have digital stationery and invitations to match their wedding website.  To be quite honest, producing ‘real paper’ was just a distraction and got in the way of cross-selling other products and services to bridal couples.”

While Ms. Greenhouse, dismissed accusations that the NSS digital plan was a sell-out to online resellers who produce little of tangible value other than advertising revenue, many brick-and-mortar retailers were disappointed with the announcement.   Store-owner Elizabeth Long from Stillwater, OK remarked that she looked forward to visiting NY and catching up with the latest industry trends.  Says Elizabeth, “despite the over-priced food and beverages at the Jacob K. Javits Center, I will really miss rubbing elbows with talented designers and the beautiful papers they produce.  Quite frankly, I’ve never understood the ’save a tree’ mantra of online marketers since we only sell stationery made from cotton rag.  I guess it’s a generational thing.  If the new generation can’t spell stationary correctly, I suppose there is no reason for them to buy it.”

Charles Avery, a long-time distributor for many fine paper lines watched a lifetime of ”pushing paper” disappear in a cloud of low-resolution pixels.  While obviously distraught, Mr. Avery summed up the situation quite philosophically, “this adds new meaning to the expression that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’”   Even the “Twits” on Twitter were taken aback by this stunning announcement and were furiously text messaging the organizers for further clarification.  Fortunately for Ms. Greenhouse, the NSS email Server was down again, a regular occurrence that the GLM management company laughingly refers to as “turning a deaf ear to the situation.”

It is hard to believe that the National Stationery Show organizers would take such a radical step and turn the lights off on a 500 year-old industry spawned by the Johannes Gutenberg.  “Certainly, it is better than moving the Stationery Show to Las Vegas, but this is still rather extreme,” summed up one grizzled paper veteran.  Ms. Greenhouse offered no apologies for the decision, and deftly fielded many cynical questions with the curious sound bite “if we can rebuild Detroit without gas-guzzling cars, we can certainly build a better world without paper.  Long live the Spotted Owl!”   We are hopeful that the organizers will certainly reconsider their pronouncement on April Fools Day.

Smock Paper is offering free letterpress invitation envelope printing through December 31, 2009.  In a recent email message to their dealers, Smock felt that this would be a great opportunity for dealers to connect with their clients in today’s challenging economy.

Smock’s generous offer could save a customer up to $240 dollars for 100 invitation envelopes.  If you are looking for wedding invitations, Bar or Bat Mitzvah invitations or a baby announcement, we strongly suggest that you contact a Guild member store in your neighborhood to view Smock’s exceptional line of letterpress invitations printed on bamboo paper.

First seen at the National Stationery Show last May, Smock Paper is rapidly carving out a reputation for superior letterpress design on arguably one of the most interesting sustainable products for paper:  bamboo.  With this generous offer, Smock Paper may be impossible to resist.

In an email message to their dealers, Crane & Co. confirmed that they will shortly launch a full line of co-branded social stationery products with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.  According to the email, the Martha Stewart Stationery Weddings ensemble will debut at the National Stationery Show in New York in mid-May. 

Crane’s message indicates that the Martha Stewart wedding stationery will feature 24 invitation suites comprised of wedding invitations, save-the-dates, and response cards reflecting Martha’s “unique style.”  Crane & Co.’s association with Martha Stewart follows similar co-branding initiatives with Kate Spade and Disney.  Orders from Crane dealers will only be accepted electronically through Crane & Co.’s proprietary Personalized Design Studio (PDS).

I was somewhat taken aback but hardly surprised that the National Stationery Show will partner with Get Married to produce a series of bridal theme displays.  The National Stationery Show is scheduled for May 17 through May 20 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

I must admit that I am not familiar with Get Married’s pedigree, but a cursory review of their website suggests that it offers little more than the myriad of online wedding sites that populate cyberspace.  What does Get Married have to offer that The Knot or the Wedding Channel or indeed a boatload of other wedding portals don’t have?  These hyped-up wedding portals are designed to sell, not inform.  Their value is largely determined by the all-powerful advertising dollar, not relevance to the consumer or the craftspeople and designers who make fine stationery products.

While I applaud The National Stationery Show planners for enlisting the help of a “wedding planner” to help showcase bridal theme displays, why did they select an online wedding website?  I view this as a sell-out to online resellers and online printers who are rapidly undermining the craftsmanship of fine stationery and custom invitations.  The National Stationery Show organizers should be chastised for promoting distribution channels rather than the artisans who make fine stationery and invitations and the experienced stationers who sell them.

Online wedding websites should be judged by their advertising sponsors, the products they promote and the distribution channels found on their website.  Specifically, I judge the integrity of wedding portals by the number of “true” local businesses that are listed under local resources.  For instance, Get Married, today listed six sources for local invitations and calligraphy in Connecticut on their website.  Four and probably five of these “stationers” are national resellers or printers.   Get Married is no different than The Knot or Martha Stewart Weddings who promote national resellers and printers as local resources.  How sad it is that these website owners have so little regard for the online buyer who may be looking for an experienced stationer in their neighborhood and invitation designers and fine paper lines who would never consider selling invitations online.

In an era when our public leaders quibble over the definition of  “is”, how can we expect website owners and search engines to agree that “local” refers to a business at a fixed location.  An 800 or 888 prefix is not a local business.  It is most unfortunate that online buyers searching for genuine local resources now have to sort through irrelevant, yes dishonest, search results that have been compromised by advertising fees paid to these wedding portals.

As a long-time visitor the National Stationery Show, I can’t wait to see the Eco-Chic wedding theme table promised by the organizers.  I suspect that the “Eco-chic wedding”  is just another questionable marketing ploy by the organizers to make us feel good about buying invitations that are produced from recycled paper and post-consumer waste.  Like the marketing spin on local resources, I suspect that this is simply   Greenwash spin that only serves to discourage leading craftspeople where concern for the environment is simply an integral part of their everyday life.

“dillie dallie” is the name of the new Lallie custom invitation and announcement album for babies, toddlers and teens and all their special events.  Whether you are announcing the arrival of a new baby, a christening, birthday, graduation or a Mitzvah celebration, “dillie dallie” is certainly worth a look.

Lalle Baby Collage

“dillie dallie” will be released in April to select Lallie dealers accross the United States.  If Lallie is your passion, schedule an appointment now with your neighborhood Guild member store.

The 3/50 Project grass-roots project has been launched to help preserve the brick and mortar stores in the United States.  The brain-child of Cinda Baxter, a leading retail industry expert, is a call-to-arms to encourage people to shop locally.  While this new website will evolve over time, Guild Members are encouraged to become a 3/50 supporter and spread the word to their customers and suppliers.

“You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”  I can’t remember who had this sage but practical piece of advice, but nothing could be more true in today’s electronic workplace.  With website page views clocking in at 1.8 seconds and a “twit” on Twitter limited to 140 characters, you’ve got to make a strong positive impression from the get-go.

With your social and business network persona on display 24/7, one might ask if the business card is still relevant?  Thank you, it is!  In fact, we are seeing a resurgence in consumer demand for tastefully designed calling cards and business cards.   Despite the down economy, customers at Therese Saint Clair are trading in their fast-print cards for more distinctive business cards.  Business professionals recognize that their non-descript business cards just may not make it to their recipient’s Rolodex.  Maybe it makes sense to invest in a little image-building.  One way of doing so is to have an elegant business card printed on fine paper stock.

While Crane & Co. has long been the company of choice for fine business stationery, many other companies are now introducing their own distinct lines of business stationery.  William Arthur has a good selection of business cards printed on 96# paper stock to go along with a growing selection of fine stationery.  Smock Paper has a stylish but somewhat pricey line of letterpress business cards printed on bamboo paper.  Lallie and Encore have some great designs for truly distinctive business cards.

If you feel your stationery is not making that right “first impression” then perhaps a visit to a Stationers Guild member store is in order.  There you can work with experienced stationers to custom design a business card of your choice.

As stationers, we are often asked what type of stationery is appropriate for college students and graduating seniors.  In an era of online applications, networked college communities and the largely “in-your-face” but impersonal world of social networks,  stationery may seem to be a relic of times past.  I am pleased to report that the handwritten note is back in fashion and, according to some college recruiters, often a deciding factor in selecting among college applicants.

The handwritten note is a sign of civility, good etiquette and maturity that often distinguishes one talented graduate from another.  In selecting one’s stationery, one must consider the type of stationery to be used in each situation.  For instance, the fold-over note or correspondence card are often used for less formal occasions.  Specifically, a fold-over note might be used say “thank you” to a fellow student, college counselor or the parents of friends who have bestowed a favor.   A half-sheet or monarch sheet might be used in more formal situations such as job interviews or a follow-up letter after meeting a college admissions counselor.  While these forms of correspondence are often  inter-changeable, I have always preferred using  correspondence sheets for more formal situations.  Nevertheless, any form of handwritten note is preferable to none or the insipid email.

When selecting your stationery, there are many cost-saving options available.  While engraved stationery or letterpress stationery is certainly beautiful, it is often beyond the budget of most students.  Guild stationery stores generally carry several lines of boxed stationery from Crane, William Arthur, Vera Wang and other fine paper companies.  Personalizing this boxed stationery with your name or monogram can generally be done within 48 hours.  Avoid pre-printed thank you notes, since they are so impersonal and appear to be ”last minute”  or commercial.   Personlalized stationery can be used in many situations and remains a relevant if not vital form of communication in today’s society.

Browershots recently showcased the StationersGuild website as an example of superior design incorporating CSS style sheets and user-friendly navigation.    Browershots listed the website in their CSS Gallery along with other website designs which incorporate state-of-the-art design features that comply with web standards.

This is not the first time that the StationersGuild website has been cited by web designers.  Inguna Trepsa of Ante Meridiem Design is responsible for creating this exceptional design for the StationersGuild.  The focus was on ease of navigation, speed in loading relevant information for the online user and a simple “search” feature incorporating Google Maps to help buyers of fine stationery and custom invitations locate qualified stationers in their neighborhood.

Richard May, a founding member of the StationersGuild, notes that “it was a pleasure working with Inguna and aside from her inspired design for the Guild website, she managed to keep the site efficient and easy to navigate for the online visitor.”

I’ve got a beef (or “tofu” for vegetarians out there!):  I hate to be lied to by wedding portals and “local” search engines that favor their advertisers to the detriment of their search audience.  Specifically, when I type “wedding invitations” and a “zip code” into a search bar, I expect to find a brick-and-mortar stationer who sells wedding invitations in the general vicinity of my zip code.  Unfortunately, your search result is likely to return a slew of silly-named national printers that “service” your local market.

Companies such as local.com, the Knot or the many varieties of online Yellow Pages should know the difference between a “local business” and a ”national business” serving local markets.   I have spoken with many representatives of these firms and most will tell you that they recognize the shortcomings of the search function.  Nevertheless, to paraphrase a recent conversation with a local search company representative, ”we can’t do anything to alienate our advertisers since they are paying for that particular zip code or geographic area.”  With the possible exception of Google (and they too have their faults), your online “wedding” search results are largely determined by advertising dollars and not relevancy, let alone competence.  Is there something wrong with this picture or am I just naive?

It is largely in response to this online playing field of false expectations that the StationersGuild was established.   On this website you can locate qualified stationers in your neighborhood and research fine paper lines without too much editorial commentary.  Buying fine stationery and invitations or  buying flowers for your wedding is personal.  It requires a connection at that most basic sensory level. 

We can only hope that wedding portals and “local” search engines will begin to rethink their strategy of putting the all powerful advertising dollar in front of honest search results.  Personally, I believe that a balanced approach to local search marketing would be helpful for the public, the search engines and wedding portals that sponsor true local businesses. 

Richard W. May
Founding Member Stationers Guild