The Stationers Guild

Yesterday, I received the following question from Lori London of Write Impressions in Royal Oak, Michigan:  “I’m a guild member.  I have a question that I wish I could pose to other guild members and/or maybe you can help me.  I took down my web site a few weeks ago as we are ready to launch our much improved web site by November 1st. Did other members provide links to stationery vendors … such as Crane, William Arthur, Checkerboard … even though some of these vendors sell directly to the consumer?  I am curious how other stores dealt with this.”

Please find below my slightly edited response to this most interesting question:

Very good question.  I will answer your question (at least try to) as posed, but then if you will stay with me a bit longer I hope to give you a “better” but slightly more technical explanation that might influence your decision. 
 
First, based on my research just under two-thirds of the 285 guild members currently listed in the StationersGuild have their own website.  Of those that do have a website less than 20% have outgoing links to vendor websites.  Those that do link to a vendor’s website do so primarily with companies where  they receive referral commissions (Sweet Pea or Printswell, Birchraft and Checkerboard).  Based on a cursory observation of member websites, I would say that very few Guild members (certainly less than 10 and probably less than 5) link to a vendor website that sells online unless they participate in a referral program.    
 
Now, as Paul Harvey would say “Page 2″:   While incoming links to one’s website are important in determining “search” relevancy, it is the quality and relevancy of  links rather than the number of links that determine whether one site will get a higher ranking than another.  Without trying to bore you, an incoming link from the Chamber of Commerce or a Trade Organization (StationersGuild for instance) is perceived by Google to be more valuable than a link from a paid listing such as www.1Wedding.com.  Authoritative links  from sites with a .gov (government) or .edu (educational sites) ending or websites with consistently high Google Page Rank are generally perceived to be “higher quality links” that will enhance the value of your website (or at least a specific page on your website).
 
The ThereseSaintClair website provides links to most of our vendors.  The reason is quite simple:  People who visit our website are interested in what brands we carry.  We provide them a lot of choice, give them convenient access (i.e. links) to many Fine Paper companies and then give them very strong reasons to shop locally.  In fact, the Therese Saint Clair and Stationers Guild websites have been designed to provide  buyers with  information in one location that would be difficult for them to find elsewhere.  It would be presumptous and silly of me to assume that that an online visitor found “Crane wedding invitations” through a visit to my website.    In other words, we help buyers research online without any aggressive sales pressure in the expectation that a discerning buyer has the common sense to shop locally.
 
Now, most people seem to think that one runs the risk of losing prospective clients by providing links to online suppliers.  You may lose a few, but I believe the risk is minimal.  In fact, Fine Paper companies would be far better served by providing hyperlinks to their dealer’s websites on their “Find a Dealer” page.  It would help their dealers build credible links and it would also help the Paper company promote their brand to customers looking for a local solution with an experienced stationer.  As long as the industry (storefront dealers and the fine paper companies whose lines they represent) fail to act on this simple premise,  companies like www.weddingpaperdivas.com will continue to disintermediate and eventually destroy the industry by substituting fine paper for fine technology.

Storefront stationers and the many fine companies we represent simply must do a better job of giving people the necessary information on whether they wish to shop locally or online.  Burying our heads in the sand and pretending that the consumer is in one camp or the other (online or store) is painfully naive and will eventually lead to an industry where toxic recycled waste paper from China with designs developed from pirated copies of PhotoShop will innundate the market under the pretext that these “beautiful” papers/invitations are “green” and “eco-friendly.”  This is not science fiction, it is happening today!  Furthermore, wedding portals, self-appointed etiquette specialists and “born-again” environmentalists are all tooting the same horn in merchanidizing inferior products on the internet in the hope of prying loose the “green” from your wallet. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

Just received a Blog posting from Paper Emporium in Coral Gables, Florida informing me that they will be hosting calligraphy classes during November.   Calligraphy remains an art form and for those anxious to delve more closely into the secrets of fine calligraphy, attending one (or more) of Paper Emporium’s calligraphy classes might prove useful.  If you are thinking of addressing your wedding invitations, brushing-up on your penmanship skills with modern-day calligraphy techniques may prove useful and save you a few dollars at the same time.

Paper Emporium has been a fixture in Coral Gables community since 1984.  Friends and now owners, Bonnie Pato and Lisa DeNunzio,  purchased Paper Emporium in 2006 and have both added their personal touches to this lovely store.  Call Lisa or Bonnie at Paper Emporium (305-445-7090) to register for your calligraphy class.  Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn more about  the fine art of calligraphy.

Many people have opted to purchase their birth announcements from online printing companies.   Sadly, many proud parents are overlooking the great possibilities to craft a truly memorable custom birth announcement.  Whether you are looking for a traditional birth announcement or something more contemporary, I strongly encourage you to shop at a store in your neighborhood to see the many splendid samples of baby announcements.   Online companies simply offer you a cookie-cutter solution, while an experienced stationer can help you create a unique announcement that is well within your budget. 

Parents claim to find it “more convenient” to purchase their baby announcements online.   I find this surprising, since couples who purchase their baby birth announcements from a reputable stationer will often receive their envelopes and address them well before the baby is born.  Gosh, I wouldn’t want to spend the first few days with my new baby scrambling to address birth announcements.

Our family is very traditional.  In fact, for our two daughters, we have used the same Crane & Co. engraved birth announcement that was used by their mother and grandmother (Sample BC4021 in Crane’s Joy Album).

Crane Pink Baby Footprints

 While Crane & Co. has some more contemporary designs, there are a number of talented new designers who have created birth announcements rich in customization features.  Change the card stock, the motifs, ribbons, die-cut motifs to create a memorable baby announcement that will be cherished for generations.   Some of our client favorites are Lallie, Luscious Verde, Page and William Arthur.

William Arthur Giraffe Baby Announcement

Contact your neighborhood stationer now to create your custom baby announcement.   Don’t settle for low resolution images and template-based customization options:  Your new baby deserves a far better introduction to this world.

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

As Sheila and I walked the nearly deserted aisles of the 2009 National Stationery Show on closing day (May 20), we reflected on the significant changes that have swept over our industry during the last 7 years.  While overall traffic was clearly down, there was still plenty of good vibes, great design artistry and paper craftsmanship and, most importantly, shared chuckles with our fellow stationers, sales reps and the many fine paper companies whose lines we are privileged to represent. 

Emi Havas of Paperfolio in Summit, NJ suggested that the hardened stationery warriors were there to show solidarity with each other.   We certainly agree with Emi that there was a spirit of fierce determination among fellow stationers.   Nevertheless, the difficult economic situation, changing consumer behavior patterns and the overriding influence of the internet clearly threaten the industry as we know it.    We certainly don’t have all the answers, but established storefront stationers will soon be forced to make some critical business decisions. 

First and foremost, stationers must decide whether they wish to continue to represent “premium” lines that market aggressively through alternative distribution channels:  a corporate e-commerce website, home dealers, chain stores, non-stationery businesses, charitable and religious organizations.  Clearly, it is asking too much of indendent dealers to invest their time and money to represent lines that are mass-merchandized through alternative distribution channels.  This is not a business model that is sustainable over time and will inevitably cause experienced dealers to close or hibernate as home dealers.  

Just today, the parents we helped to select a birth announcement informed us that they had decided to purchase the identical invitation online.   Unfortunately, this trend is increasing as consumers are aware that a “validating touch” is clearly more important than a low-resolution internet image.  This is a “free” service that disgruntles most stationers and one which independent dealers can’t continue to perform if we expect to stay in business.   In effect, by freely giving our experience to merchandise for a third-party we are simply contributing to our demise.

Secondly, fine paper companies must clearly articulate a business strategy that makes sense to management and the distribution channels that carry their products.   The myth that the market is segmented into “internet buyers” and ”store consumers” is simply an urban legend.  Paper companies who promote this silly justification are simply deceiving themselves and expose themselves to the ridicule of their dealers.  If fine paper companies who sell online want to retain their dealers, they must make it financially advantageous for them to do so.  They can do so by providing their dealers a better margin, extended terms or totally unique products which are not sold on the internet.   It’s not reasonable to expect dealers to satisfy boxed product quotas when online buyers can simply buy personalized stationery and custom invitations online at the same price or even less as they can from cash-strained dealers.   While fine paper companies will do what they think makes sense to meet their financial objectives, the implications of these decisions are far-reaching and probably intractable.  Economics 101 suggests that a massive supply of undifferentiated products (i.e. 72 pixel images) will overtime result in lower prices.  In other words, only low cost producers can expect to survive.  If you want to mass-merchandize a premium brand, prepare your shareholders for lower and, most probably, unacceptable margins. 

And finally, we must all start doing a better job reacting to the false marketing claims, insipid sales arguments and, most importantly, the ludicrous marketing representations of online marketing companies, wedding portals, paid Tweeters and other BlackHat SEO strategies that will eventually bring the industry to its knees.  Make no mistake, these online companies are built on generating advertising revenue and commissions for promoting products that they don’t even manufacture.  They could care less about the industry we represent or the craftsmanship that goes into making fine paper.   While I have no problem with someone making a buck off someone else’s labor, these self-appointed online ”experts” are driving consumer behavior in ways that will eventually destroy the industry by turning fine paper into recycled waste paper.  As industry leaders, we have a responsibility to demonstrate to the public that the craftsmanship that goes into making fine paper, civility and proper etiquette still matters. 

For those who managed to sit through this “heavy” diatribe,  Sheila has asked me to give you some links to several of our favorite restaurants in NYC.  With the exception of Porchetta and Momofuku, all of these restaurants require reservations.  Nevertheless, the Mario Batali restaurants seem to like old people and we generally get seated within an hour without the mandatory reservation. 

Momofuku Ssam Bar:  Inspired food creations from David Chang
The Spotted Pig in the West Village
Porchetta:  The best porchetta that we have eaten outside of Italy (Umbria style)
Babbo:  Mario Batali’s flagship.  Always good and packed.
Lupa:  Another Batali restaurant.  Very good.
Esca:  Another Batali.  Our daughter’s favorite fish restaurant (Italian style)
Balthazar:  A favorite for breakfast or brunch.

Sheila and Rick May
Therese Saint Clair

The effervescent Emi Havas of Paperfolio in Summit, NJ provides these insights for the 2009 National Stationery Show: 

It was evident that the National Stationery Show was smaller this year and attended by fewer buyers than usual.  Nevertheless, the mood was upbeat and positive, especially at Kickoff party Sunday night at the famous Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center.  Overlooking a dazzling New York skyline, buyers and vendors enjoyed gourmet cuisine and danced to the music of a fantastic DJ. 

“No one deserves this party more than us,” quipped a woman from the Midwest in line behind me at the appetizer bar and how right she is:  It’s not just us that are attending the stationery show who are feeling the economic pain.  All retailers are experiencing tough times with the economy, low consumer confidence and the growth of online shopping.  Nevertheless, everyone I spoke to was here because they believe they are going to survive.

You can’t sell it if you don’t have it and selling it pays the bills.  After a day of looking and buying, what better way to say we are moving forward than to have a party.  This was more than just a party . . .  this was a celebration of a renewed sense of success.  It was a positive action against all of the negative.  A demonstration of our commitment to the industry that we love and will certainly not let fail.  And it was, above all, a heck of a lot of fun!

Emi Havas
Paperfolio of Summit, NJ
Founding Member Stationers Guild

Editor’s P.S.  Emi advises me that the young woman dancing in the photo is not her.  Actually, it is a photo copied from the Rainbow Room website.   

Sheila May, the owner of Therese Saint Clair, writes that “business stationery is the simplest, most obvious and  cost-efficient advertising, marketing and public relations vehicle your business will ever use.”  Sheila goes on to say “Hand someone your business card and you are handing someone your brand, your identity and your professional credibility.  What you are on paper is what you are instantly perceived to be in business.”

In his book, The Etiquette Advantage in Business, Peter Post writes “business stationery is a form of public relations.”  We often say that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and many business relationships begin with the simple exchange of business cards.  Says Sheila, “it’s surprising to see how little time business people spend on designing a proper suite of stationery.  They are often shocked to see the difference that fine stationery can make:  it’s like giving your business a fresh coat of paint.”

While Crane & Co. remains a popular choice for business stationery, many fine paper companies have greatly expanded their business offerings.  In particular, we have noted that a number of fashionable invitation designers now have now expanded their calling card and business card lines.  We recently received samples of letterpress business cards from Oblation that are simply stunning and quite well-priced.

If your business stationery could use a facelift, we strongly recommend contacting a Stationers Guild store in your neighborhood.  Also, we would encourge you to consult the Stationers Guild website which has some excellent advice on designing your business stationery.

Emi Havas and Deidre Karner, the talented stationers at Paperfolio in Summit, NJ, have taken a very important step to promote their bricks-and-mortar store on the Internet:  They have claimed their business on Google.  Emi reports that “claiming my name (store) on Google was the easiest thing I have done on the computer other than turn it on.  And now we’re even going to add some photos.  It’s easy, fun and free and there is no reason not to do it immediately.”

Experienced stationers like Emi and Deidre have discovered that buyers have migrated from the Yellow Pages to online search for stationery services such as custom wedding invitations, fine business and social stationery and distinctive invitations.  Stores such as Paperfolio have a huge competitive advantage over online resellers.  Unfortunately, online buyers often cannot locate an experienced stationer in their neighborhood to discuss paper options, printing processes and to see a wide array of fine papers and designs that are simply not available on the internet.  As more and more experienced stationers take advantage of the local search capabilities provided by Google, Yahoo and MSN, discerning consumers will soon have an opportunity to reconnect with fine paper and the stunning designs that are simply not available on the internet.

This is a story worth following and I will keep track of their efforts to upgrade Paperfolio’s presence on the internet.

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.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Bar and Bat Mitzvah invitations score a 10 in terms of originality, color and unique design.  For 32 years, Therese Saint Clair has been helping families create custom Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitations that are truly memorable.  Sheila May, the owner of Saint Clair, says “designing a Mitzvah invitation is truly a family affair with everyone pitching in with his or her opinion.  No two invitations are alike.  The spontaneity and creativity is something that every stationer relishes since you know you are creating a work of art.”

While several fine paper companies such as Encore, Luscious Verde and Checkerboard have albums dedicated exclusively to Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitation designs, most stationers will use samples of social invitations, wedding albums and other fine paper sources to create a truly custom invitation.  Rich colors, layering, and the use of vellum and ribbon often come into play when designing the invitation.  “Nevertheless, tastes are so varied,” says Sheila, “that you never know where you are going to end up.  I tend to look at each invitation as a blank canvass with my client supplying the paint and design.  My job is to make sure that they have all of the artistic tools at their disposal.”

While Crane and William Arthur have often proved popular for classical Bar Mitzvah invitations, these two companies have great customization capabilites to create truly unique invitations.   If you are planning a Mitzvah for your son or daughter, we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a Guild stationer in your neighborhood.  These stationers have helped hundreds of families create truly memorable invitations.