The Stationers Guild

For a couple of years, I have been a member of the LinkedIn group Greeting Card, Stationery & Gift Industry Gurus. For the record, I am not a Guru, – but I wish I were – and I didn’t join the group to become one.  I simply joined to exchange ideas on industry trends with fellow professionals.  When I joined the Gurus, I seem to recall that there were some 300 members.   I now think that membership is approximately 2,000.  Today, this group has one less:  I quit.

My reasons are quite simple, I felt the forum had been hijacked by “members” with an agenda.  Specifically, the expanded Guru membership consists of Chinese manufacturers pushing everything from radio-controlled toys to cheap writing instruments and from multilevel marketing evangelists to barter trade scam artists.  This was not the group that I had signed-up for and I finally got exhausted at dealing with the inane self-promotion and general idiocy which characterizes a forum without direction.  The Age of Social Media has arrived:  Those who speak loudest and more often determine the message.  It is an age where chatter is more important than relevance.

The instruments of social media provide a useful platform for people to promote agendas without substance and self-promotion artists posing as respectable business people.    This is not a group that has much future since it has become a support group for people without an identity and not much self-confidence.  I suspect that many other Gurus will soon jump ship if they haven’t already done so.

How reassuring that some people still write personal notes and are still able to express themselves eloquently in this abyss of mindless social chatter signifying nothing.

“Timing is everything” said one experienced individual and, indeed, there is no time like the present to order customized stationery, calling cards, stickers and ID tags from leading stationery artists.

Today through October 3, Printswell has a Summer Stationery Sale which will enable you to double up on your stationery order absolutely Free. Printswell is a world-class printing company and fulfillment center for such wonderful designers as Rosanne Beck, Stacy Claire Boyd, Little Lamb Design and many other artists.

Printswell stationery and their great collection of holiday photo cards are already reasonably priced, so this is an excellent opportunity to acquire custom-made flat or folded notes for the entire family. Printswell’s family of artisans has produced wonderful stationery for those who prefer a lighter touch. This is a good chance to introduce your children to stationery and also the correct way to say “thank you.”

When placing your order online, place the total quantity you want to receive in the online order form. The price shown already includes the discount. Enjoy the rest of your summer and save with Printswell stationery.

Sheila May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair and writes frequently about personalized stationery, and holiday photo cards.

“Timing is critical” said one knowledgeable individual and, definitely, there isn’t any time like the present to purchase custom-made stationery, calling cards, stickers and ID tags from leading stationery creative designers.

At this time through October 3, Printswell has a Summer Stationery Sale which will let you double up on your stationery order for FREE. Printswell is a world-class printing company and fulfillment center for such wonderful designers as Rosanne Beck, Stacy Claire Boyd, Little Lamb Design and several other artists.

Printswell stationery along with their great collection of holiday photo cards are already reasonably priced, thus, making this an excellent opportunity to purchase custom flat or folded notes for the whole family. Printswell’s family of artisans has created great stationery for many who prefer a lighter touch. This is a wonderful chance to expose your children to stationery and the correct way to say “thank you.”

When placing your order online, place the total quantity you wish to receive in the online order form. The price shown incorporates the discounted price. Have fun with the rest of your summer and save with Printswell stationery.

Sheila May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair and writes frequently about personalized stationery, and holiday photo cards.

“Timing is essential” said one savvy individual and, indeed, there isn’t any time like the present to order personalized stationery, calling cards, stickers and ID tags from leading stationery artists.

Today through October 3, Printswell features a Summer Stationery Sale that will let you double up on your stationery order for FREE. Printswell is a world-class printing facility and customer fulfilment center for such terrific designers as Rosanne Beck, Stacy Claire Boyd, Little Lamb Design plus several other artists.

Printswell stationery and their great collection of holiday photo cards are already reasonably priced, so this is an incredible opportunity to buy custom-made flat or folded notes for the entire family. Printswell’s family of designers makes wonderful stationery for those who prefer a lighter touch. This is a good chance to expose your children to stationery and also the proper way to say “thank you.”

When placing your order online, enter the total quantity you wish to receive in the online order form. The price shown includes the discount. Enjoy the rest of your summer and save with Printswell stationery.

Sheila May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair and writes frequently about personalized stationery, and holiday photo cards.

A popular definition of “true freedom”  is when the kids leave home and the dogs die.  I’m not sure I agree with this definition because I miss my dogs – actually they were the kid’s dogs that I was obliged to look after.  True freedom or not, my mind turns to blogging to occupy my free time.   I will write about most anything that strikes my fancy, but mostly I write about stationery and the changing landscape of American towns brought about the digital revolution.

As a compulsive blogger, I was therefore pleased to see the launch of Blog Boutique at the National Stationery Show.  Blog Boutique is a blogging resource for time-pressed store owners who want to get their message out about fine stationery and custom imvitations.  Blog Boutique is the idea of the talented Holly Bretschneider, the owner of Salutations in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, NC.

Beginning on June 15th, Blog Boutique will offer some 150 articles complete with beautiful images that subscribers may use as articles on their own blogs.  I understand that Blog Boutique will be adding some 50 articles a month and paid subscribers can search the database for relevant articles to support their own marketing and informational campaigns.  In effect, it works much like a syndicated news service to save store owners the agony and grind of “creating” original content to keep one’s blog relevant.

The basic program permits the subscriber to download up to 4 articles a month for $40 or $10 an article.    This is a reasonable price to pay for original content and if you upgrade to the Plus or Ultimate subscription programs you may download more articles and the price per article becomes even less expensive.

Holly is on to a great concept:  Leading stationers in the United States need to write  frequently and passionately about the industry we love.  For those that already have blogs, Blog Boutique might be a useful resource to share the heavy lifting.    Those that are thinking about establishing a blog should carefully consider their responsibilities.  At minimum, a new blog requires at least 3 articles posted a week to remain relevant.  Unless you are willing to make that commitment, it is better not to start in the first place.

One of the issues that I always consider in publishing the same article on multiple websites is the issue of duplicate content.  Google doesn’t like to “see” the same information published in multiple websites.  Since the purpose of Blog Boutique is not to deceive the search engines, Holly believes that duplicate content is not an issue if articles are used to support good blogging habits. She forwarded an article that addressed the subject of duplicate content as it pertains to syndicated news articles.   In any event, I wouldn’t rely entirely on Blog Boutique for my Blog and would certainly pen a few articles of your own.  Also, I would suggest that you change the title and perhaps modify the first sentence of the article to give it a more personal touch.

Well done Holly!  Fellow stationers, let’s get blogging!

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

Every year at the National Stationery Show, I visit The Knot booth.  The Knot is considered by many to be the leading website for weddings.    In fact, many stationery stores advertise on The Knot and some have reported considerable success.  I became disenchanted with The Knot many years ago – not because I was a shareholder and watched their share price fall from $30 to $10 – but for The Knot’s lack of integrity and misrepresentation of local businesses and local resources.  To those charges I now add incompetence.  “Incompetence,” you ask?  Sure, take the The Knot’s application form at this year’s National Stationary Show.

I know, how embarrassing is this?  Nevertheless, I suspect that many stationers signed this application form in the hope that they would find the “promised” bridal couple and possibly more in their town or county.

I sincerely hope that fellow stationers will be rewarded for their advertising, but I suspect that your potential client will be hijacked by The Knot’s propensity to promote its national online fast food chains that masquerade that they are local businesses.   While The Knot could be a great asset for struggling local businesses, they have sold their integrity to the highest bidder and as a result, the consumer, the stationery industry, designers and artisans have been short-changed. 

Let me be as plain as possible:  Local stationery stores and other wedding-related local businesses that advertise on The Knot are simply subsidizing their own demise.  I wish The Knot would wake up and “do the right thing.”   Maybe a spelling class would also help.   Even the stock market might notice. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

I recently received an email invitation from XYZ Paper (which I couldn’t easily open given the security filters of my email provider)  inviting me to see their line at the National Stationery Show.  According to their website, XYZ Paper is a US-based ”invitation & stationery company that prints on recycled papers using soy based inks. XYZ is committed to producing the finest quality paper products in an ecologically sustainable manner. We believe in doing our part to make the world better.”

As readers of the Stationers Guild news are aware, the consumer and I have no way of knowing whether XYZ Paper is truly committed to “”producing the finest quality paper products” nor can I verify that they will do so in an “ecologically sustainable manner.”    Nevertheless,  the designs seemed interesting and I was about to jot down their booth number when I discovered that ZYZ Papers were selling their product on Etsy.  

This immediately raises the question:  Should a store front dealer represent stationery lines that are sold online? If so, under what conditions”?   These are questions that I have struggled with for several years and I suspect that, like others,  have simply rolled-with-the-punches and don’t really have any firm policies.  Opinions, yes; but convictions that lead to decisive action, no!

Now I plan to visit XZY Papers at the National Stationery Show,  but will do so with a far more hardened position regarding what bricks and mortar stationers should ”demand” in opening a new relationship a vendor.    I suspect that this “discussion” will not be easy for either party, but hope that it will lead to a more productive relationship for both.

1. I do not intend to open up any new personalized stationery or custom invitation line with a new vendor that sells directly to the public through their own website unless they have an affiliate program that is available only to bricks and mortar dealers.   Rationale:  Bricks and mortar dealers pay for the priveledge of marketing specific lines (the cost of the Albums) and it simply doesn’t make any sense competing against your own supplier. 
2. I will insist that any new dealer relationship offers a 50% commission on the retail price quoted in the Album.  Some premium vendors are now offering a 40% commission or sliding scale commission based on volume.   Rationale:  It is unfair to the consumer and other vendors to use the commission structure to determine which line(s) will be shown to the consumer.  Let’s have a level playing field to make sure that  the client gets the best value for his or her money without skewing choices based on profit margins. 
3. Establish which channel(s) the vendor intends to use to promote their brand.  With an entablished affiliate program, bricks and  mortar stores can cross-promote brands to attract buyers to their store and also provide internet  buyers with the option to make their purchase online.  Building brand awareness in multiple channels using vendor approved artwork can greatly leverage the brand visibility to an online audience and encorage interested buyers to visit stationery stores in their neighborhood.  

Integrated marketing strategies leveraging the touch-and-feel and service quality of bricks and mortar stores together with the reach of the Internet can greatly increase brand awareness for the consumer.  Stores and vendors that work in a coordinated manner to market a brand  seem to me to have the greatest chance of success in an increasingly competitive market.

Anil Jagtiani, the President of Crane & Co., has  “shared some thoughts” with its dealers in a recent communication entitled “A Look Forward.”  Seeking “to respond to consumer expectations with an integrated store and online strategy,” Mr. Jagtiani goes into great detail to explain how Crane & Co. plans to harness the energy of its bricks and mortar dealers with a more integrated online marketing strategy.  The new direction is the result of intensive conversations within Crane and its “partner” dealers.

Recognizing that both Crane and its dealers will “learn from the markets and may stumble for time-to-time,” “A Look Forward” provides a useful  explanation of Crane’s “emerging thoughts and actions” with regard to their multi-channel strategy. Among the more concrete action plans are the following:

• Crane.com e-mail promotional programs will strive to enable consumers to have the same pricing/promotions online or in stores.   In fact, promotional emails may include coupons that can be redeemed at Crane dealers.
• The retail store locator will be more prominently displayed on the Crane website.
• Crane will continue to run test programs with social media distribution channels to determine which ones may be of most benefit to the Crane family of dealers.
• Crane will launch an affiliate program for authorized dealers at the end of May. Further details of this program will be available shortly.
• Crane will explore the possibility of developing and sharing digital content with dealers to enhance websites and email campaigns of bricks and mortar dealers.

“Consumer behavior has changed” and one needs to connect with the consumer in whatever channel he or she finds more convenient to use.  While acknowledging that the “experience and service” provided by dealers is “unparalleled,” connecting with the consumer in multi-channels is critically important to promote the Crane brand and provide the consumer with the alternative to shop online or in a store. The objective  is to make Crane.com “an extension of your store.” Mr.  Jagtiani goes on to state that “we are approaching digital in a multi-channel way – as partners with you. Our objective as we work with you is to win in this changing environment together.”

This is the first time in my experience that Crane has taken a pro-active role in engaging dealers in a frank discussion of the changes that are dramatically affecting our industry.  Some of his ideas may be controversial but, in my opinion, help bridge a credibility gap that was developing among dealers regarding Crane’s online marketing objectives.  While this blueprint of “A Look Forward” may not resolve all issues as we stumble through the rapidly changing digital landscape, I am certainly encouraged by Crane’s new direction.

With a heavyweight like Crane finally taking the initiative on a strategy to engage its dealers in an integrated online marketing strategy with the consumer, the landscape of digital self-promotion, hype and dishonesty will most certainly change. Crane has been making fine stationery for over 200 years and has the “real” credentials to provide online buyers with an alternative to the hundreds of disingenuous and insipid invitation and stationery websites that now dominate  internet search. The question that will soon be answered: “Is there a place for quality stationery on the Internet?” If the answer is yes,” I suspect that online buyers will be flocking to stores to see and feel the “real thing” rather than settle for a digital representation.

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

In yet another sign of the times, Borders filed for bankruptcy protection and will close some 200 of their 632  stores according to articles published today.  I am sorry that this is taking place, but others may think that this is only fair since the Big Box stores were responsible for putting so many small retailers out of business.   So creatively documented by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan  in You’ve Got Mail,  I suppose it is now somewhat ironic that Borders was itself brought to its knees by the Internet, which fueled Tom and Meg’s email romance.

While most business pundits seem to think that Borders will not survive the restructuring, it is interesting to note that most of its store closures are “super stores” and that Borders Express and the old Walden bookstores will continue to operate.   “Thinking small” seems to be the operative word these days and I suspect that the consumer is beginning to find the comfort and intimacy of smaller stores to be less intimidating than the Big Box experience with floor-to-ceiling products and cheap prices.

There are many parallels between what is taking place in the publishing industry to the greeting cards and  stationery industry.   It seems evident to me that the industry as a whole is simply digging themselves a deeper grave by throwing increasingly more product of cheap designs and low-quality paper into a market that is  already over-saturated and at prices that reflect the “real” value of the merchandise  (i.e. practically nothing).

Furthermore,we are aggressively marketing this compromised product to consumers that have already embraced alternative forms of communication.   This is not a good situation, but very few companies seem to have taken the lead and stated that  “I am not planning to run my brand into the ground and will, instead, create  a quality product that consumers, distributors, craftspeople and designers and my employees can be proud of.”

These are difficult times, but patience and clear vision will reward those who focus on excellence rather than growth or simply running with the herd.

Richard W. May
Founding Member Stationers Guild

I realize it has been a long winter, but the cold and snowy months of January and February are months for reflection and catching up on correspondence.  This thought came to me while Sheila and I were relaxing and catching a few “rays” between snow storms.

While most of our neighbors spend the winter in Florida, a few hearty (read “foolish”) souls grit it out in the northeast.  We are often so worn out by the holiday season, that we don’t get a chance to read Christmas cards and holiday greetings until early January.   For me, there are few things better than sitting down in front of a roaring fire and leisurely work through a mountain of cards from friends and family. 

“Catching up with the Jones family” may seem rather banal in today’s digital society, but I have found that reading a short note or the occasional letter to be a comfortable and reassuring form of communication.  Other than using exclamation points and the occasional hashtag or asterick, I have found it difficult to express feelings or context in a 140 character text message.  

As I read through the letters, I am often prompted to pick up my pen and dash off a short note congratulating new grandparents on the birth of their first granddaughter or offering sympathy to a friend who had lost a loved one during the previous year.   Frankly, there is something intimate and civil about using a handwritten note for those occasions.

Fortunately, many fine paper companies offer stationery promotions during January and February.  I still believe that Crane’s free die promotion is one of the best sales events of the season.  Simply order 100 personalized notes and cards and receive  free name and address dies (a $96 value).  Similary, William Arthur and Vera Wang will provide you with 25 free pieces of stationery with any order or 75 or more.  Writing those handwritten notes has never been easier or less expensive.  So don’t let the winter get you down and “cut yourself some rope” by getting personal with personalized stationery.

So hang in there and get busy writing. It can be infectious.

Richard W. May
Thérèse Saint Clair