Greeting Card Association announces virtual line up

The Greeting Card Association (GCA) is offering 24 sessions designed for greeting card makers during its two-day Virtual Workshop & Retreat to be held November 12^th and 13^th. While the greeting card category is experiencing resurgence at retail during the current pandemic, the many unexpected challenges are causing publishers to pivot and approach doing business in new and innovative ways. “The Workshop is designed to bring the industry together not only to celebrate greeting cards but to impart tangible strategic lessons that help publishers solve problems unique to our industry,” according to Dave Phipps from Avanti Press, 2020 Virtual Workshop chairperson. “We surveyed our membership and built sessions based on their feedback to provide insights into the industry but also training in technology, collaboration, social media, and more.” Sessions from Hallmark, the United States Postal Service, Paper Source, Faire.com and Brandwise will help attendees build a well-rounded view of industry trends and future directions.

Other highlights include:

• behind-the-scenes pivot stories from publishers
• a virtual tour with an independent retailer
• a conversation on diversity, inclusion, and marketing
• working with sales representatives
• the sustainability of greeting cards
• digital to print
• e-commerce, and more.

To maintain the community-focused “Retreat” aspect of the annual event, attendees are also invited to share networking opportunities include a cocktail mixing class and restorative yoga, plus an optional, add-on virtual cheese-tasting (with real cheese!). A special edition swag box will be sent prior to the Workshop to all publishers who register prior to November 3^rd. Founded in 1941, The Greeting Card Association (GCA) is the non-profit U.S. trade association serving the greeting card and social expressions industry. GCA represents nearly 200 American and international publishers and industry partners by promoting the tradition of sending greeting cards, helping members grow their businesses, recognizing creativity, and serving the industry and citizen mailer as a voice for media, leadership, and advocacy on industry issues.