How To Make Someone's Day With A Greeting Card
Envelopes for mail and greeting cards. Thanks to Photo by Diana Akhmetianova on Unsplash for the image.
THE DILEMMA OF THE GREETING CARD
Leave it to the millennials to go retro and make something old suddenly fashionable and exciting. This time it is the greeting card realizing a stylish comeback. Once the staple item given for all milestones and holidays, in recent years greeting cards had been showing a bit of dust. But now the industry is experiencing new life thanks in part to younger generations.
As per the NPR story, “Greeting Cards are still a thing in the Digital Age,” the irony is not lost that the millennials, who grew up fully immersed in high-tech connectivity, have now shown a hunger for more traditional connections in their relationships. Through the practice of sending greeting cards, complete with a personal note, they are seeking to communicate with greater impact and purpose. They appreciate the opportunity of revealing more than they can from a text message, and using snail mail no less!
Perhaps you’ve noted the decline in traditional Christmas cards mailed to you in recent years as people have migrated to digital greetings to save time and money. A card found in the mailbox for milestones such as a birthday is especially noteworthy because it is rare to receive actual mail. And Indie greeting card companies have emerged with cards that feature beautiful art and crafted insights to cater to those who want to send the special sentiment that makes a difference.
And yet there is still the quandary of what to do with a card once you’ve received it and read it. It’s difficult to know how to treat it—tossing it after you have enjoyed it or keeping it because it represents a thoughtful effort. In the “olden days,” many people kept them forever until someone else inherited boxes of them to throw away. I’ve spared my family that detail by finally tossing cards that I had kept for decades.
THE SIMPLE AND INSPIRED SOLUTION WHICH RAISES THE THOUGHTFUL QUOTIENT
On a mission to maximize the “thoughtfulness factor” of greeting cards, we came up with a solution that increases the impact by extending the connection with an invitation. We are thrilled to unveil our first Storied Gifts Greetings© which will now be known as Birthday Series #1! This card features the simple and elegant work of artist Adriana Guerrero on the cover with an inspiring thought inside (think carpe diem kind of thing).
The next piece of the Storied Gifts Greeting is what transforms the card into richer connection, a perforated panel that turns into a postcard. Here is where you can flatter your recipient and ignite additional conversation; on one side you include your address in the return field (which we’ve already stamped with postage for you!), and the other side presents a question, meant to spark an answer. Flattered by your interest, they respond to the question and mail it back to you. From there we hope you’ve launched into future correspondence!
IS THERE GOOD MAIL ANYMORE?
Mail, the kind that made checking your mailbox worth it, has become a thing of the past for many of us. There was a time when, if you wrote a letter, you would get one back. I admit my letter-crafting skills have grown weak. That vacuous mailbox has become barren of personal mail and been taken over with bills and advertisements instead.
Think of what it means to receive a personal card that lets someone know you’ve thought enough of them to exert a bit of effort. And in return for your interest, the recipient replies with mail. Real mail! We think this kind of thing could catch on and thrill so many.
Our desire for authentic relationships in a digitally connected world is gaining interest. It turns out that sending notes and greeting cards is still a force, a simple, beautiful, and elegant step to making a significant statement and impact. Another incredible example comes from Hannah Brencher, founder of More Love Letters who has made it a mission to send letters to people who are in great need.
Over at Life Hack, Jenny Marchal provides several points as to why handwritten letters can help someone stand out, both professionally and personally. I would add that the writer of a personal note in a card or letter receives the benefit of a positive feeling as well by sharing their thoughtfulness.
BRINGING BACK TRUE CONNECTION
I’ve decided to re-initiate the habit of sending personal correspondence to friends and family in the hopes of making it an ongoing practice. For inspiration toward this new goal, I asked Adriana to design a few postcard templates that I can use for quotes. Here is one of them.
We’re so excited to offer the first Storied Gifts Greetings card and eager to hear from you when you send it to someone special. You may purchase the card here.
Thanks so much for reading and here is to making a rich impact for those you care about in your life!
Alexandra and Sherry, 2016