The Stationers Guild

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.

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

The StationersGuild website went public on Halloween.  Using PRWeb, an internet-based news syndication service, the Guild news release was distributed to several hundred media distribution outlets and has already been reprinted in two newspapers.

PRWeb is an inexpensive and user-friendly alternative to distribute a news-worthy message to hundreds of potential eyes.  I strongly recommend using this web-based service over conventional newspaper advertising.  Nevertheless, it should not be used for promotional selling.  I suggest that you enroll in the excellent one-hour online tutorial to learn the basics before creating your first news release.

Richard May
Founding Member

Earlier this summer, I attended the Concours d’Elégance classic automobile exhibition in Greenwich, Connecticut. I was invited by Kenro Industries who were introducing their Bentley Continental Limited Edition of fine writing instruments by Tibaldi. This remarkable Bentley Series of fountain pens, roller balls, ball point pens and mechanical pencils were available in the five Bentley colors: Silver Tempest, Silverlake, Dark Sapphire, Cumbrian Green and Beluga.

As the owner of Thérèse Saint Clair, I have long been fascinated by writing instruments and fine papers. Reflecting on this exceptional exhibit of vintage automobiles and pens, I was struck with the thought that our lives as stationers would be a lot simpler if we only had to deal with the five Bentley colors. Upon consideration, I realized that color is only part of the equation and that paper stock and the printing process will have a considerable bearing on one’s wedding invitation, social stationery or business card.

To illustrate this point in more detail, I decided to run a simple experiment by comparing the outcome of using the identical ink color on the same paper stock but using two different printing processes: engraving and thermography. Found below is a comparison of the “Thérèse Saint Clair” logo printed on identical custom paper stock (Saint Clair salmon) using the same “green” ink, but using a different printing method:

Engraved Logo

Thermography Logo

Please note that these images have been scanned at a resolution rate of 1200 dpi and then configured to internet resolution standards of 72 dpi. While monitor and printer resolutions vary from monitor to monitor and printer to printer, there is an unmistakable difference between the two images. You might ask yourself, “How is this possible?” The simple answer is that printing processes are so different that even using the same inks and paper stock, the printing process transforms the surrounding environment. In an online world, I would hate to be ordering an online wedding invitation where I was convinced that the color green was “Engraved Logo” and get an invitation where the color green was actually “Thermography Logo.”

The only constructive way to truly see how your color of choice will appear on an invitation or stationery is to consult a color palette with your local stationer. There are situations where thermography is often the printing process of choice, but it is next to impossible to determine this without “seeing” real color samples in person. Approximation using an online printer may appear to be more convenient, but unless you can actually feel the paper and “see” the color and printing differences in broad daylight, you could well be disappointed with the outcome of your social or business stationery or wedding invitation. We recommend that you consult a Guild Member store in your neighborhood for more information on what printing process works best for your circumstances.

Over the last several months I have had several interesting conversations with Harriet Malmon, the vivacious owner of Francis-Orr in Corona del Mar, California. Ms. Malmon has some very definite ideas on the importance of business stationery and, in particular, the business card. Three weeks ago in New York, I had the opportunity to sit down with Harriet (“please, skip the ‘Ms. Malmon’”) to discuss business cards.

RM: Harriet, I know you have some definite ideas on business stationery. Would you care to share them with the StationersGuild?
HM: As an established stationer, we work with a number of local firms to design their business stationery. Many of these businesses have sought our advice because they were not entirely satisfied with their commercial printers. For the most part, the various components of their stationery didn’t work together – different fonts, design layouts, mismatched ink colors – and, in some case, their business cards were not even printed on a straight line. Our job, as a stationer, is to help the client develop a coherent design and select the paper and printing process that will lend credibility to the enterprise, regardless of its size.

RM: Do you consider the business card to be the focal point of business stationery?
HM: Most definitely! I know it wasn’t Shakespeare, but a phrase that has stuck in my mind is “that you never have a second chance to make a first impression.” That “first impression” of your business card tells your prospective client that your firm has substance, style and deserves a closer look. In fact, I consider business cards to be one of the firm’s most important public relations investments. I often ask my prospective client whether their current business card “belongs in the hands of their most valued prospect or in the restaurant fish bowl for the weekly free lunch drawing?”

A smiling RM: I guess your clients never get a free lunch?
HM: Quite the contrary. Our business cards even stand out in a fish bowl.

RM: What do you mean?
HM: With paper, you have so many design options that even a business card can have personality. For businesses that need to project a conservative image such as legal firms, accountants and wealth management companies we suggest increasing the paper weight from the standard 64# to 96# and even 220# or, perhaps, vellum. For firms that have an artistic bent such as interior design or body-sculpting, we suggest colored paper and, possibly a vertical orientation rather than horizontal.

RM: What about logos?
HM: Gosh, that is such a complicated topic that we need far more time. All I can say is that you should first see an experienced stationer, preferably a Guild member, before you engage a graphic design artist.

Thanks Harriet for sharing your insights with us. You certainly make a convincing case that there is more to paper than meets the eye.