Take a trip to your neighborhood liquor store or warehouse club, and you’ll be greeted with a dazzling variety of wine and spirits on the shelves. Look closer and you’ll see packaging designs and styles you might not have noticed before. The wine and spirits industry is shaped by consumers’ preferences. But one area these consumers may not think much about helps manufacturers and distributors stand out in a competitive market: packaging.

Can you remember a time when you didn’t receive a piece of mail directly to your home? Direct mail has been around for what feels like forever. In fact, the first evidence of it dates back to 1000 BC! Brush up on the history of direct mail with these ten fast facts.

The earliest concept of direct mail marketing, 1000 B.C. An Egyptian landowner advertised on a piece of papyrus—he was offering a gold reward for one of his slaves.1
 

“How can I be more productive at work?” continues to be a hot question for today’s workers. No matter your industry or role, everyone is looking for new ways to power through the day. And it’s no wonder—on an average eight-hour workday, more than two hours are lost to non-value added activities. These include:

20 minutes preparing to start work
15 minutes looking for tools and supplies
30 minutes retracing steps
15 minutes lost due to complexity of work
25 minutes lost to rework loops

Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging program is not only affecting Amazon sellers, but also other e-commerce and retail brands. All sellers whose Amazon-fulfilled packages are larger than 18" x 14" x 8" or heavier than 20 lbs. must meet certification guidelines or face steep chargebacks of $1.99 per unit. Brands such as leading toymaker Hasbro are certifying their packages to reduce waste, costs and damage, while making them easier for consumers to open.
By switching to Frustration-Free Packaging for their popular Baby Alive toy, Hasbro:

Did you know that 40-45% of Americans set a New Year’s resolution?* However, even with the best intentions, many don’t follow through. The reason for this lack of success varies, but one thing’s for sure: those who write their resolution on paper are more likely to accomplish it. And, they do it quicker and in a more direct way.
Here are some reasons why committing your resolution to paper provides the best chance for success.
Clarity

‘Tis the season of… paper! During the holidays, everyone loves to receive and open gifts covered in pretty and patterned gift wrap—but after the festivities are over, what can do you with the leftover paper?
Of course you should recycle the leftover paper, but before you do, why not get crafty? Believe it or not, gift wrap is ideal for many craft projects. Here are some clever and surprising craft ideas:

Wrap it. (Again). Wrap ordinary boxes in gift wrap and use them as storage and home décor.

If it only cost $10 to improve safety for your employees and customers, plus avoid paying $100,000+ in damages, would you do it? Most people would say, “Of course!” Yet this expense (the average cost of one bag of ice melt) is often overlooked or delayed.
Ice melt helps minimize slips, trips and falls in snowy or icy conditions. While there are other methods for de-icing, ice melt works faster and lasts longer than products like rock salt thanks to its mix of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride.

The equipment you choose can make or break your packaging—and even your product. So how do you know when it’s time for an upgrade? “There are key signs that indicate it is time to evaluate the situation,” says Julius Little, Director, Equipment and Load Containment Solutions with Veritiv.

Your equipment is antiquated and challenging to maintain, and may even pose a safety risk.
Your business is rapidly growing, and your equipment simply can’t keep up with demand or production needs.

When’s the last time you received a handwritten note, or better yet, wrote one yourself? Handwritten notes on printed cards seem to be a dime a dozen these days, but this just makes them more special to give and receive!
This is especially true in the business world. In fact, handwritten notes on printed cards can be a powerful marketing tool. If you customize them with your own commentary, they help you develop stronger customer relationships and perhaps even gain lifelong loyalty. And as a bonus, your sales may benefit too.
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Sickness can impact both personal safety and business productivity. With this year’s season on the horizon, now is the time to prepare to keep your employees and business healthy. 80% of germs are transmitted by hand-to-hand contact, so keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps to avoid illness and outbreaks in the workplace.* Here are four steps to reduce germ transmission and boost wellness.
1. Explain proper handwashing