So we’ve come up with a simpler and extremely convenient solution: Placing your business cards on our site!

This easy solution solves several problems:

• It provides a centralized location for your business card artwork. No more losing track of files! Simply bookmark your business card ordering page, and you’ll always know where to find them.
• Your business card design is “locked down”. Consistency is assured. No one can take liberties with your fonts, colors or layout.
• Business card ordering can be handled by anyone within your organization, even employees themselves… there’s no need for special software or design skills.
• It’s extremely fast & simple… just type in the employee’s information, preview the new card onscreen in real time, review a PDF proof, and click “Order This Card.”
• We can even set up your ordering page so that you can order cards for up to 4 employees simultaneously!

We can provide any level of customization that your ordering page requires. For instance: Addresses can be auto-populated from a drop-down menu; different “versions” can be created based on an employee’s department; employees can upload their photo into their card (a great solution for real estate companies); and any field that you do not wish to be altered can simply be “locked down” in the design. There’s really no limit to the possibilities… in fact, it’s not just limited to business cards. We can create similar pages for virtually any of your organization’s printed materials.

We can have your business card ordering page set up in just a few hours. All we need is the original artwork and some simple instructions about which information needs to be editable. We charge a one-time setup fee of $150 for this service.

View a basic example of how it works.

To learn more about getting a custom business card ordering page set up for your organization, please contact Greenerprinter customer service at 866-978-8547 or email csr@greenerprinter.com.

At Greenerprinter we are always trying to make our ordering process easier and more streamlined, and the new Greenerprinter app is our next step. The app is perfect for our on-the-go clients with time sensitive deadlines. While away from your home or office you can see live order information, updates and even approve your proof, all through the convenience of your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Some key features include:

1. Access to live order status
2. Access to recent order history
3. Receive instant notifications when a proof is ready or an order has been completed and shipped
4. Quick customer service contact information in the event you would like to speak to us about the details of your order.

We will not stop here…

Upcoming versions will allow for easy ordering of our template-based business cards, postcards and greeting cards. You will be able to order, approve and track all with one mobile device.

At Greenerprinter we are known for high quality, 100 percent sustainable printing and great customer service. We are always looking for ways to improve our products and services and our new app is just one more example!

The Greenerprinter app is available as a free download from the App Store. If you have any questions about Greenerprinter’s services or our new app please drop us an email or give us a call.

About Green Globe

Green Globe Certification is an international company based in Los Angeles, California and provides sustainability certification, training & education, and marketing services reaching 83 countries worldwide. Partnerships have been launched in Mexico, Brazil and South America, South Africa, Middle East, the Caribbean and Europe. Green Globe Certification also maintains a global network of independent auditors who provide third party inspection and validation.

The Green Globe Certification Standard, the extensive checklist of environmental and socially responsible actions, is based on internationally accepted criteria developed during the 15 years of the Green Globe program. The Green Globe Standard meets and exceeds all the requirements of the Tourism Sustainability Council (TSC), which is the agreed international standard for sustainable operation, and management of travel and tourism businesses.

Green Globe’s Roots in Sustainability

The Green Globe program traces its roots back to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, where 182 heads of state from around the world endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of sustainable development. The Earth Summit was unprecedented for a U.N. conference, as it was the first time world leaders acknowledged, as a group, that consumption of non-renewable resources was leading to environmental degradation.

In the early 1990’s the term sustainable tourism was in its infancy. Pioneering tourism operators concerned about the effect their operations had on the environment and how best to measure that impact, were often categorized into special interest tourism. Green Globe was developed to provide a way forward for tourism organizations who were interested in measuring their environmental impact and then developing and implementing strategies to reduce those impacts.

Green Printing and Sustainability

Green Globe Certification has been using Greenerprinter exclusively for all its print work for more than 2 years. Green Globe Certification’s key business is to assess and certify the sustainable operations and management of business, mainly in the tourism industry. As such, it is important that its own operations conform to reducing energy and water usage, while committing to recycling and green printing practices. Greenerprinter has been able to deliver through the supply of printing solutions (brochures, business cards and greeting cards) that manage to reduce Green Globe’s environmental footprint.

Many thanks to Bradley Cox, Director of Communications, Green Globe, for his assistance in providing this information.

Business cards may not come to mind very often, but they do have an interesting story of all their own.

The History of Business Cards

Business cards have a history dating as far back as the 15th century in China. First referred to as a “visiting card” or a “calling card,” these cards were a social convention that was bound by strict etiquette rules.

The visiting card so widely revered in China was introduced to Europe in the 17th century, and soon after evolved into what was called the “trade card.” Both cards were in use simultaneously, but trade cards directed potential new clients to a merchant’s location and usually contained a map and directions (critical during a time when the convention of street numbering as we know it did not exist). These early cards were printed by woodcut or letterpress, and were generally either monotones or contained a small amount of tint.

Gradually, the visiting card tradition vanished entirely while trade cards (known today as the business card) went on to become a business mainstay. Now, with the introduction of new materials for the cards such as plastic and magnetic backed cards, and the wide spread use of color, the business card industry has moved into the modern era.

Business Card Design: A Reflection of You

Business cards have evolved in innumerable ways since the days they were used as miniature city maps. Today they not only share key information such as your industry, business name and contact information, they can serve as your initial point of branding with new customers or clients. Your business card can reflect your personality, taste or sense of humor. They can communicate your creative passions or project your professionalism. Each of these characteristics – and more – can be expressed through design, putting a “human face” on your business that lasts well beyond first impressions made at a trade show, networking luncheon or chance meeting.

Business card design can range from a simple name, phone number and email address in 10 pt. font to anything your imagination can dream up. (Business cards with built-in USB drives or cards you can eat? Some people are doing it! ) Is it time to revamp your business card design to reflect the mission and personality of your work?

Greenerprinter Specializes in High-Quality Business Cards

Since the early days of woodcut or letterpress trade cards, printing companies have played a vital role in the creation of business cards. What puts Greenerprinter ahead of the pack? Just a few of the things you can expect when you order business cards through Greenerprinter include:

• Professional appearance - Each card is printed on FSC certified 100 percent recycled, 50 percent post-consumer paper waste 16pt Matte Cover. This paper is thick and substantial, giving your business a professional appearance. For an elegant look you can also request rounded corners. Or, for a really organic and sturdy look, select our 100 percent recycled, 50 percent post-consumer waste 20 point “Kraft” Board.
• High quality and consistent quality – The seeds of Greenerprinter were planted in 1988 by Mario Assadi, a life-long leader in the print industry. Over the years, Assadi has built up a team of top-notch professionals that are dedicated to producing the highest quality print materials possible. See for yourself: printing using recycled content paper and vegetable-based inks no longer means you have to compromise on quality.
• Environmentally-sensitive products – Sustainability is an ever-evolving process, and we will continue to hold ourselves to high standards and provide a more environmentally responsible product to our clients. Read more about our ongoing efforts toward sustainability in our sustainability policy.
• Eye-catching designs - Upload a design of your own creation, or choose a predesigned template from our business card page. To integrate your cards with your social media strategy, include a QR code and don’t forget to list your Twitter and Facebook user names!
• Price – High-quality business cards do not have to be expensive. Greenerprinter’s pricing is competitive: starting at just $29.50 for 250 cards.

As a B Corp, we have boldly stated within our articles of incorporation our commitment to being socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible in all our business activities.

To spread the word, the nonprofit B Lab which certifies B Corps, is running their first B Corporation National Advertising Campaign to share the great things B Corporations are doing for people like you all over the country.

The ads demonstrate why it is important to support a better way to do business by making B Corps like Greenerprinter a part of your business and home sustainability practices.

So, what’s a B Corp?  It’s a rigorous certification process that goes beyond looking at just our products — it looks at our whole company and the impact we have on our workforce, suppliers, community and the environment.

Think of a B Corporation as a certification for sustainable business like Fair Trade is for coffee or LEED is for green buildings.

You can learn more about the business practices that stand behind our products by checking out our B Corp Impact Report. B Lab publishes these reports for all certified B Corporations. Use the B Corp Impact Reports as a reference tool when looking for responsible businesses or to learn more about the hundreds of companies that meet the same rigorous, independent and transparent standards of social and environmental performance as we do.

By supporting these B Corps, you’re supporting a better way to do business!

You’ll be seeing the B Corp campaign in online communities like Care2.com and in magazines like Mother Earth News, Natural Home, Herb Companion, Utne Reader and Sustainable Industries.  And we hope you’ll tell your friends!

Greenerprinter makes it incredibly fast and easy to order personalized cards from the Web, and right now they’re on sale for amazingly competitive prices. Plus this year, there are over 100 new designs now residing on the site, with something for every taste and preference!

Our online templates allow you to add your own messages and photos to our holiday-themed designs. Or maybe you’ve already created your cards yourself… no problem, just send us the files.

Tell your clients that you appreciate them while also making your business holiday cards or corporate Christmas cards stand out from the pack. Each card and envelope you order will arrive printed on the recycled paper stock of your choice.

We’ve also discounted all cards to prices that might surprise you: Folded cards are currently 15 percent off and flat cards are 10 percent off.

At these rates, 100 flat cards are just .73¢ each and folded cards just $1.30 each. All are offered at the generous size of 5×7 inches, and many are full-color both sides at no extra charge.

About Eco-Schools USA

Eco-Schools International reaches 9.5 million students in 37,000 K-12 schools worldwide through the help of partnering organizations. In the U.S., the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the sole host of this program. Launched in late 2009, Eco-Schools USA is now helping to green the school buildings, grounds and curriculum in 366 schools in 41 states, including the District of Columbia. With over 4 million members, NWF is one of the largest conservation organizations in the country. Each of this nonprofit’s programs supports one of three priorities:  Addressing global climate change, safeguarding wildlife and connecting people to nature. NWF is headquartered in Virginia and has eight regional centers and 47 state affiliates.

Eco-School USA and Sustainability

As one of the largest green schools programs, we focus on sustainability as the reason we exist for K-12 schools. We look at sustainability from a conservation standpoint as well as an education standpoint. Our program is based on a seven-step framework that is hands’ on and experiential in nature. More specifically, we believe that sustainability can be learned when students conduct sustainability audits of their schools and present a “green report” of their findings. Teachers can link the actions and activities to curriculum, thereby increasing kids’ learning both by doing and by learning. It’s all about environmental literacy. On the state level, we are working on educational advocacy called “No Child Left Inside.” The goal of No Child Left Inside is to incorporate environmental education into state plans so that all communities can benefit.

Printing Green

Eco-Schools has been printing green since day one. And our host, the National Wildlife Foundation, publishes five magazines, all of which are printed green. NWF’s paper purchasing program is guided by an internal sustainability policy (adopted in 1986) that states that NWF will incorporate environmental responsibility in its printing and paper useage.

Green Printing and Sustainability

Eco-Schools uses Greenerprinter for our business cards, brochures and large-format displays. Our business cards direct people to the program’s URL, while our brochure (pictured above) provides more info about the program. We love the matte finish and the fact that Greenerprinter paper fits so closely with our sustainability policy. Greenerprinter also did our conference displays (pictured to the left) – something we have not had until only recently. We really like how portable they are, and that now all of our printed materials send people the message that we are a green organization. Finally, we are also delighted with the excellent customer service we have received at every step along the way. For more information on just a few of the Eco-Schools USA projects, please visit their weblog. 

Many thanks to Laura Hickey, Senior Director of Eco-Schools USA, for her assistance in providing this information.

Perhaps the most significant change to the existing guidelines is the FTC’s advice to marketers not to use general terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “eco-friendly.” The FTC is also proposing guidance on marketers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, claims for renewable energy.

Read more specifics on the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, a section by section breakdown with examples on appropriate use of marketing terms, here and here.

According to Environmental Leader, a quality online resource for green business news, the FTC has already brought to light seven environmental advertising enforcement actions under the Obama administration – including actions against Kmart Corp., Tender Corp. and Dyna-E International – for making false and unsubstantiated claims. In the case of these three national companies, they had made misleading claims that their paper products were biodegradable (all products, in fact, will biodegrade given enough time).

According to the Ecolabel Index, there are currently 349 seals and certifications for marketing green products in 213 countries worldwide. It’s not surprising then that the FTC has chosen to take on the gargantuan duty of tightening up America’s own regulations. These regulations are forcing green businesses to be aware of both current and proposed guidelines, and through them deepen their marketing messages by substantiating and specifying their green efforts, whenever mentioned in their marketing effors.

It is unclear how the FTC will be enforcing the new guidelines against small businesses, but it is always a prudent idea to follow marketing guidelines no matter what stage your business is in. Greenerprinter does this through transparency in our business practice communications, pursuit of multiple green and industry specific certifications, carbon offsetting of product materials via Carbonfund.org and freight rail shipping of our bulk paper orders. Our seven-point Sustainability Policy is even freely available online, which opens our doors to anyone interested in our sustainability practices and efforts.

The FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed guidelines through December 10, 2010. To submit your comments during the public comment period, please use the Federal Trade Commission Comment Form located on their website.

If you watch the local news broadcast, read your mail or listen to talk radio, its hard to escape the fact that the 2010 mid-term election is only days away. Greenerprinter is not in the businesses of political advocacy, but California’s Proposition 23 is one instance in which we knew we had to act.

Proposition 23 proposes to halt the implementation of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) until California’s unemployment rate drops from its current rate of 12.4 percent to 5.5 percent. What is AB32? This Act was passed in 2006 and holds polluters accountable to the air pollution they produce. It requires guilty companies to reduce the air pollution that threatens people nationwide and contributes to global climate change.

The proposed level of unemployment has rarely been achieved in California even in good economic times. And according to Prop. 23, the 5.5 percent level must be maintained for four consecutive quarters before AB32 can be enacted. Hence, the reduction of pollution could be put on hold indefinitely! Prop. 23 is funded largely by two goliath oil companies: Valero and Tesoro Corp. These companies’ oil refineries are among the top ten polluters in California.

Effects on the Environment

If Proposition 23 is not defeated on November 2, polluters will be granted a “Get Out of Jail Free” card on California’s clean energy standards, and keep us addicted to dirty oil. As emphasized by the NO on 23 Coalition, passing the proposition could, “result in greater use of oil in California and increase the risk of accidents like that in the Gulf Coast.” A scary proposition indeed!

But there’s even more at stake for the environment. The California election will be the first domino that could trigger a chain reaction in the national debate in 2011 about clean air and green jobs. How? Right now, the Environmental Protection Agency is deciding how to exercise its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions (part of the EPA’s tasks under the Clean Air Act). But before the EPA can act, some members of Congress are working hard to rob the EPA of its authority. The passing of Prop. 23 and subsequent repeal of AB32 will make the job of removing EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions much, much easier in the future.

Effects on the Green Economy

During the previous five years, green jobs in California have grown ten times faster than total US job growth. Approximately 500,000 Californians hold clean-tech or green jobs, and that number is only growing. But if passed, Prop. 23 will put an end to job growth in the green sector by discouraging expansion into alternative energy and remediation of dirty energy. Big corporations including Valero and Tesoro Corp. would be allowed to stymie competition and jobs from California’s clean technology companies. Furthermore, the reduction of clean energy policy could influence investors that have embraced the green economy as an economic growth sector to move their investments to other non-green sectors. This would have a devasting effect on California green job opportunities.

The Green Chamber of Commerce hit the nail on the head in their recent blog post on the issue. They wrote, “Prop. 23 would kill competition from California’s newly emerging clean energy businesses – wind, solar and other renewable energy and clean technologies.”

Effects on Public Health

Every year, air pollution contributes to 19,000 deaths in California and contributes to the alarming rates of cancer, asthma and other diseases. By removing accountability from the companies that cause air pollution until unemployment rates drop, the health of everyone will be put at risk. Prop. 23 is strongly opposed by the American Lung Association, the Union of Concerned Scientists and the California arm of AARP.

Greenerprinter and Prop. 23

As a committed green company Greenerprinter embraces all efforts toward making the world a more sustainable and healthy place for our selves and future generations. A No vote on Prop 23 is vote for supporting a growing green economy and a better world for all.

How can you take action? If you are a registered voter in California, please vote no on Prop 23. If your friends or family members are California residents, please share this blog and urge them to vote no on Prop. 23.

Thank you!

First and foremost, the most important task is to choose the right show to attend. What are the can’t-miss events in your industry? Which events will your potential new clients be attending? If there are multiple trade shows you would like to attend, how will you prioritize your time and event budget?

So far this Fall, Greenerprinter had the pleasure of both sponsoring and exhibiting at three Bay Area events: The Ki on Treasure Island, Bioneers in San Rafael and the California Sustainable Tourism Summit in Tahoe. Each event was unique in its offerings, audience and purpose. And each was a solid platform on which the message of moving toward the triple bottom line (people, planet, profits) through environmentally conscious and socially responsible printing could be communicated.

Once you’ve identified the shows that will be a good platform for your company’s message, you’ll need to contact the event organizers and go over the logistics. Just a few considerations for this task include:

• When do reservation forms need to be submitted?
• What are the requirements for shipping your exhibit materials and setting up your booth?
• What about adding the ability to sponsor events so that logos and company mentions can be seen in the programs. Can your company participate in helping the conference via expertise trades or product trades?
• Have you created a checklist and calendar to keep track of deadlines?

Next, organizing your booth materials can never be overlooked, and banners are a must-have for any booth. We offer two banner materials for both indoor and outdoor use: A bio-banner made of PVC-free material and a canvas banner, both of which are printed to your specifications using water-based latex inks. Banners with stands are also a great choice (pictured here).

If a banner or two will not suit the presentation style you’re aiming to create, try bio-degradable poster boards instead. Poster prints can be mounted on 3/16 inch 100 percent bio-degradable foam board, 1/4 inch recycled paper honeycomb or 1/2 inch recycled paper honeycomb. Your design; your choice!

Stocking up on good giveaways for your booth is important as well. There is an almost unlimited number of giveaway options, from eye-catching but pricey items, such as branded travel mugs, to ordinary schwag that most people will toss after the conferences (after all, who really needs another keychain or refrigerator magnet?).

We strongly recommend green giveaways that people will be excited to use. For example, a recycled paper notepad printed with your company logo is something that people can use to take notes during the show as well as when they return to the office on Monday morning.

Recycled paper bookmarks are also handy giveaways. Often at conferences, people are already carrying tote bags full of collateral and conference materials, so they can be reluctant to pick up something else to add to their burden. A bookmark is lightweight, useful and will keep your company in front of the client long after the expo has ended. This is a favorite Greenerprinter giveaway as it is functional yet give lends enough marketing space to include contact information and product and service offering.

Lastly, round out your trade show efforts by following up new contacts and potential leads. Schedule a time immediately after the event to send thank-you cards and personal emails to those you had productive conversations with during the show.

Today we have taken just a quick look at how to approach marketing your business through trade shows. Based on your past experience, what other tips and suggestions would you recommend?