Are you ready to rumble . . . or at least score some big savings?!  This Sunday, prior to the Super Bowl, Salutations in Charlotte will be holding a Super Bowl Sunday sale with 40-75% off select stationery, invitations and gift items.  Bring a friend and join us between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. for fun and savings {kick-off isn’t until after 6 p.m., so you won’t miss any of the action or festivities ~ or TV commercials!}   And, while you’re in Ballantyne Village, you can score big savings at I.C. London lingerie and Her Therapy clothing boutique.  They are offering 60-75% off select items and a $1 rack of bargains!  Jesse Brown’s Outdoors and Sure Fit Shoes are also having sales on Sunday.

If you’re not in the Charlotte area or can’t make it on Sunday, check out the hundreds of items on sale on our website!

I am excited to tell you that I am competing in the 2009 Leading Moms in Business competition sponsored by Ladies Who Launch and StartUp Nation.  This Spring, the top 200 mom-run businesses across America will be selected based on the number of votes cast.  Being the proud mother of two children (ages 13 and 11) and three businesses (ages 7, 3 and 1), I felt compelled to enter!

You may cast your vote(s) through March 31, 2009, once a day if you’d like, so please vote early and often!  You are not required to open an account or do anything other than click a button.  If you feel so compelled, there is also a link to share my Salutations profile with a friend.

I have clearly found our most effective form of advertising to be you, our fabulous customers, and the nice things that you say about Salutations.  In fact, many of our new customers have come to us because of the great reviews we have on Charlotte Citysearch and Triangle Citysearch!  While I’m on the topic (if I may be so bold), I would very much appreciate it if you could click on “Write a review” in the upper right of our Citysearch profile if you’ve had a great experience with Salutations.  These reviews really increase our star rating, visibility and credibility!

The Christmas tree is out at the curb. The menorrah is packed neatly away.  Now, ’tis the season for expressing your gratitude for all of those wonderful and/or heartfelt gifts you received.  While the thought of writing thank-you notes can be daunting in this age of email, it is much easier than you think and so much more appreciated than an email.  Without further ado, sit down with some beautiful stationery and show your gratitude.  Here’s a quick how-to to get you started. . . .

1.  Greet the Giver - although an obvious one, the “Dear Aunt Jane” line is often overlooked.

2.  Express your Gratitude - without any unnecessary lead-ins, simply say “Thank you so much for the fill in the blank.”  If the gift was money, thank them for their generosity but do not directly mention money.

3.  Discuss Use -  say something nice about the gift and how you will use it.

4.  Mention the Past, Allude to the Future - let the giver know how they fit into your life.  {”It was great to see you at Jenny’s birthday party, and I hope to see you soon.”}

5.  Grace - express your thanks one more time.

6.  Regards - Simply wrap up the note using whatever sign-off feels right to you (love, yours truly, etc.).

7.  Get it in the mail - address the envelope, stick a great stamp on it, and post it.  Think of the sense of accomplishment you will feel, the way your giver will feel appreciated, and the continued stream of gifts you will receive from a happy giver!

For a little more help and inspiration, check out our selection of books on writing notes.  And, of course, if you’re in need of stationery, we have a fabulous assortment of great items!

In need of some wonderful stationery to inspire you to write those thank-you notes?

Through February 28th, receive free return address printing on orders of 100 or more notes, correspondence cards, or letter sheets from William Arthur.  January is the perfect time to refresh your stationery wardrobe, and William Arthur offers a wide array of designs and options to choose from.

Go to our online Photo Gallery of William Arthur stationery for a sample of some of the many options available to you.  Our friendly and helpful stationery designers can work with you in one of our stores or we can work with you by phone and email from any location.

Through February 17th, receive free custom engraving dies (a $96 value) OR free thermography of your envelopes (a $58 value) when you purchase 100 or more Crane’s notes, cards or letter sheets plus envelopes.

Crane’s annual Signature Event is the perfect opportunity to create your signature style through your choice of paper, ink color, typestyle and monograms.

See our Photo Gallery of Crane & Co. stationery for many examples of items offered by Crane.  Our pleasant and professional stationery designers can work with you in one of our stores or by phone and email no matter where you are!