Hello!
With our rapidly growing and flexible content, we're thinking of clever ways to get more exposure.  Here's an idea that could be effective and at the same time support a good cause  
 
Please provide us your feedback/thoughts on this promotion by this Friday, May 4th.
 
For a limited time, GCUniverse and participating artists would offer a selection of "Support our Troops" cards at below cost pricing.  These cards would be priced at 50 cents plus postage, $2 below regular price.  Artists and GCUniverse would NOT make any money on these cards.  We would ship the cards to an organization that distributes to individuals in Iraq in need of a "mail call".
 
Here are some more details:
 
- You would design cards for this promotion and put them in Collections >>Support our Troops category
- You would NOT earn any fees on cards in this category for a limited time, perhaps 5/09/07 - 7/01/07
- We would issue a press release about this promotion listing participating artists
 
Please note that your participation or lack of participation in this program by no means would define your support or opposition of the war in Iraq.  We all support the men and women risking their lives on a daily basis.  These cards can be a small token to extend positive and encouraging messages to the troops.
 
We look forward to your feedback.    Here are some specific questions:
 
1. Do you like this idea and think we should move forward with it?
2. Would you create cards for this promotion/category?    If yes, how many cards?
3. We would need to spread the word.  Would you tell your network of friends & family about this promotion?
 
As always, thank you for your opinions!
Mindy

It sounds good to me too..  
I'm running out of town for personal issues and will most likely not be back before late friday.
How soon are you requesting we create the card designs?

I think it’s a great idea. Right now, I think they could use a morale booster...and it’s a way for us to do something positive, whether or not we subscribe to the politics. I would be willing to submit a few designs for the effort. I have a Mother’s Day card targeted to families with a "military mom".

You know, I've been thinking a little more about the troops campaign.  Could greeting card universe donate some cards for the soldiers to send home and write it off as a charitable donation?  I imagine for quite a few of the soldiers, having the opportunity to send a card home would be very appreciated.

Great idea - I would like to participate in this too.
 
Jen
www.gcuniverse.com/jencosgrove

Hi again - You asked some specific questions that I neglected to answer in my first reply, so here goes:
 
Ques. 2 - "how many cards?" >> I have created 3 cards for this card category and would like to create at least 2 more.  
 
Ques 3. "We would need to spread the word.  Would you tell your network of friends & family about this promotion?" >> Yes, definitely. I would also like to send a brief press release to our local news outlets -- something along the lines of "Local Artist Joins International Greeting Card Campaign to Support Troops." I live near some military installations, so I think there's a good chance it would get picked up.  
 
I'd be happy to run the text by GCU staff, of course, to make sure the release accurately describes the promotion and sends the right message. I wouldn't send it until you said the text and timing were right. Or if you all would like to provide us with a basic PR that we could personalize with our names and a quote or something, that would be fine with me, too.
 
Great idea - look forward to helping make it successful!
 
Jen
www.gcuniverse.com/jencosgrove
 
 

Good news, the Support our Troops promotion is a go!  Thank you for your quick, supportive and creative responses.  Many of you have already created inspiring cards for this effort, great job!
 
More good news, we will mail the completed cards from this promotion to Operation USO Care Package (http://www.usocares.org/) to be included in their care packages.
 
Here's the plan:
1. Create and add your cards to the Support our Troops category.  To be mentioned in promotional materials add your cards by 5/20/07.
 
2. If you have cards in this category and DO NOT want to participate, remove them from the Support our Troops category and instead use Collections >>Patriotic
 
3. Tentatively the promotion will run for 3 months, 5/21/07 - 8/21/07  
 
4. We will provide you with some promotional deliverables to help you spread the word
 
This is an exciting venture with great teamwork that should bring smiles to many  
 
Thanks so much for your participation!
Mindy

Hi,
We're on the verge of rolling this program out.  Still pinning down some of the details.  We're talking w/ some potential sponsors to possibly offer the cards for free vs 50 cents.
 
Yes, we will forward the completed cards to Operation USO Care Package.  They will include them into the care packages that they send out.  
 
Hope that answers your q's.
Mindy

Hi,
Yes the promo is in place although we're still putting some final touches on it.  I will announce more by end of today.  At that time we can all start making some noise about it.
 
Thank you for your patience and enthusiasm!
Mindy

The promotion is ready to go on GCUniverse as well as on our other BigDates sites.
 
Here are some highlights for this week:
o cards are 50 cents with no tax and no postage
o artists, keep adding new cards to the Collections >>Support our Troops category
o there's a promotional banner on the Support our Troops category page
o we're sending 50,000 emails to tonight with this promotional banner  
o we will issue our press release about the program before the end of this week
 
We have created direct URL's to the Support our Troops pages:
o www.greetingcarduniverse.com/cards/supportourtroops
o www.bigdates.com/cards/supportourtroops
o www.dateboxx.com/cards/supportourtroops
o www.reminderspot.com/cards/supportourtroops
o www.birthday-reminders.com/cards/supportourtroops
 
The program is scheduled to end on July 28th.
 
Feel free to spread the word.  Shortly we will have some deliverables to help you do so.
 
Thanks for your patience and participation!  
Mindy

Thanks!  We appreciate it  
Mindy

Quote from Picture_131439 on May 30^th, 2007, 1:01pm:

 
Yes, the clicks and sales should still show up in your account.
Mindy

Hi guys,
I notice when you click on the "Support the Troops" category, it tells you about the promotion going on.  I was just wondering if there was any other place on the acutal sites that this promotion was mentioned.  Also, has the press release come out yet, I don't think I have seen it mentioned? Can you tell us how the promotion is going, getting a good repsonse? Just curious.
 
 
Thanks, Christie

Mindy,
 
This is awesome. I really want to promote this program and have done a Squidoo Lens to get some publicity.  
 
http://www.squidoo.com/wesupportourtroops/
 
Let me know what everyone thinks!
 
I am going to push this program locally here in Clevaland too.
 
Thanks,
 
Bonnie

the cards i sent yesterday are not showing on my sales.

Quote from Mindy on Jun 18^th, 2007, 11:22am:

 
Stephanie,
Support our Troops promo cards reflect in artists reports WEEKLY (Fri).  We are bulking the printing & shipping of these cards weekly to minimize postage costs.  
 
Pls let us know if this is an issue.
 
Mindy

Mindy, the ones I sent (bought) around may 31st or june 1st/2nd aren't showing in my "cards sold".  I know the commission won't show since we aren't earning any, but I thought the cards would show somewhere so we could see which ones people liked most (so we could maybe add more similar ones).

Quote from Mindy on Jun 18^th, 2007, 2:57pm:

 
 
Yes, I checked right before I posted, when I read it would be updated every Friday.

Quote from Mindy on Jun 18^th, 2007, 5:26pm:

 
 
Lol, all the little kinks to a brand new thing.  No problem, I can wait  

Request for interview candidates  
 
Local reporters are writing an article on GCUniverse and the Troops program.  
 
I suspect they'll want one local artist (CA) maybe east coast and one outside of the US to interview early next week.
 
Please let me know if you are willing to be interviewed over the phone for this article.
 
Thank you!
Mindy

Quote from Mindy on Jun 21^st, 2007, 2:39pm:

 
 
I'm also available, after work (so about 2:30 pacific time).  I'm in NY.

If they want to interview an artist outside the US, we'll volunteer (Netherlands). But we're 10 hours ahead of CA time, so the reporter will have to bear that in mind.
 
Corrie
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/corrieweb
http://www.corrieweb.nl

The article ran today in a handful of local papers in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Here's a link to the online version:  http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/ci_6231620
 
Although not exactly what we had in mind, it's great exposure and tells a good story.  Apparently, as is typical in the media, much got cut in the editing room so to speak including our artists' quotes.    
 
Oh and "hi" that's me in the photo showing off some of your cards!  More photos with cards ran in the print version.
 
We've got Eleni hot on the trail of more media opportunities.  Remember to contact her if you want help approaching your local media.  Her forum topic's at:  http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/forum/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=pr
 
Thanks to all who offered to be interview candidates.  I will keep your information handy for future needs.
 
Mindy

Hi Teri,
Thanks for your comments and praise!  We appreciate it  
 
And you're right the exposure is great but sending our messages of support to our troops overseas is the real payback of this program.  No one is making money on these cards.
 
To answer your question, when you choose a Support our Troops card and move through checkout it's preaddressed to come to us.  We then reship in bulk to the USO where they get inserted into care packages and delivered.  All card messages should be generically addressed.
 
Hope that answers your question.
 
Mindy

That's great news, excellent job!   Enjoy being a local celebrity for a while  
Mindy