The Halloween stuff is in the stores...time to buy Thanksgiving holiday cards!

I always know when it's time to pick out our company Thanksgiving cards.

The day I see the Halloween stuff on the shelves at my local Target (pronounced Tar je', of course!) is the day I need to get my act together and pick out some Thanksgiving cards to send to clients, customers, vendors and employees.

Why do I start so soon? After all, Thanksgiving is still a couple of months away. I start now, because between now and early November when I mail the cards out, I have to:

• Pick out a card
  
• Double check our address lists
  
• Come up with a total for the number of cards to order (and the extras to order for all those last minute changes and additions to the list!)
  
• Deal with employee schedule changes because of kids going back to school
  
• Decide on the signature for the cards
  
• Decide on the changed signature for the cards (no, these things never get done in one step...you know it's true!)
  
• Continue to do my regular job here at work
  
• Order the cards
  
• Pick out Halloween costumes for the kids (work/life balance, remember?)
  
• Address all the cards
  
• Make sure everyone's annual performance evaluations are on schedule (life at work goes on!)
  
• Add personal signatures to most of the cards (remember, signing by hand makes a big difference, especially to customers!)
  
• Mail the cards
  
• Deal with any card returns, including looking up new addresses and send out a fresh card (no re-sends, people!)
  
• Plan a Thanksgiving feast for 20 picky relatives (back to that work/life balance issue -- one brain, lots of tasks!)
  
• Send out the three or four dozen last minute Thanksgiving cards managers, salespeople and others forgot to request.

And all of this has to be done by a week before Thanksgiving AT THE LATEST!! Doesn't seem too early to start now, does it?

Gobble, gobble! Off to get started!

The new holidays cards are in!

I was just browsing at G. Neil and saw that the new holiday cards are up!

There are some really nice choices this year. If you like something classic and elegant, I saw a rich burgundy and gold one that would be perfect for clients or even employees.

Another reminded me of the deep winter snow I had at my farmhouse in Pennsylvania. Such a peaceful scene, especially on a 90+ degree summer day!

They had cards with flamingos and cards with penguins. Tradition Christmas tree Cards and abstract images of ribbons and lights.

I guess the point of this is that it's that time of year. So I'm going to be updating my posts on business holiday card ROI, etiquette, best practices and best choices. I'm going to be prodding you to get that Christmas card list done, and card order in. And I'll be reminding you why we send them.

So here, in the heat of mid-July, I wish you a very sincere, but very early, Happy Holidays!

PS..I'm getting the farmhouse one!

Saying it with chocolate

There are a few of them out there...people who don't like chocolate.

But for most of us, the rich flavor of a good chocolate makes any occasion better. Odds are, most of your employees and customers feel that way, too. So it only makes sense to treat them to the sweet stuff whenever you want to send a special message.

As a confirmed and unrepentant chocoholic, I am here to offer you some tips for slipping some chocolates into your thanks, congrats or invitations.

A gift of chocolate is perfect for:

• Saying thanks for a job well done
  
• Welcoming a new employee or team member
  
• Reminding employees about special events, such as Safety Month or a Customer Service initiative
  
• Rewarding new customers for their business
  
• Creating a memorable token for attendees to take home from conventions, meetings, grand openings or other significant events

In these days of tight budgets and vanishing perks, the sweet taste of a chocolate candy bar might be the sweetest way to tell employees or customers they matter to your business.