| Have you ever forgotten a Birthday? Overlooked | | | | # 4 Time spent by men finding a card: Minimum / |
| an Anniversary? Failed on Valentine's Day.....and | | | | First found |
| other important personal dates? | | | | # 5 Time spent by women finding a card: Hours |
| If you have, you are in good company! Many of | | | | # 6 Women that wanted a nice card not the first |
| us need to juggle busy lifestyles in the attempt to | | | | to hand: 74% |
| maintain a good work/life balance. In my busy | | | | # 7 Women that desired a card rather than other |
| corporate life I was always desperately searching | | | | greetings: 74% |
| for a greeting card and gift service that helped | | | | # 8 Men who believed a unique or personal card |
| busy people in business like me to achieve the | | | | was important: 1 in 10 |
| ever illusive work life balance through what would | | | | # 9 Number of men that do not have time to |
| be described as an innovative service. In this | | | | look for cards: 66% |
| article we look at a solution. | | | | # 10 Men funding a dinner date after forgetting: |
| You know, what I sought was an organisation | | | | 20% |
| that would provide an extensive, quick and easy | | | | Additionally, and whilst wandering around a recent |
| to use card library and extensive gift range all in | | | | exhibition for greeting cards publishers, I learned |
| one place but I did not find one. Specifically what I | | | | from a number of stall holders that the UK |
| yearned for was a service that would allow me | | | | greeting card industry is amazingly worth around |
| to select then forget as they took care of all this | | | | of £1.9 billion per year, that's more than UK |
| for me, and would:o make sure the greeting | | | | tea and coffee sales put together. Surprisingly it is |
| card(s) and gift(s) I selected were dispatched to | | | | the most successful greeting card industry in the |
| chosen recipient(s) in good timeo remind me in | | | | world with over 800 publishers producing in |
| advance, by SMS or email, so I was not surprised | | | | excess of 2.6 billion greeting cards per year for |
| to receive the appreciation of my chosen | | | | the greeting card hungry UK public. I also learned |
| recipient(s). A service where I could select, apply | | | | that the average number of greeting cards sent |
| my own personalisation and order as many cards | | | | per person per year is a whacking great 55 (see |
| or gifts as I wish, in one go, in advance, but only | | | | UK retail sales figures below in £m)! |
| pay just prior to dispatch. This would thereby | | | | Flowers & pot plants £1,409, |
| negate the need for 'revisits' triggered by some | | | | Greeting cards £1,155, |
| of the irritating reminder systemso give me | | | | Chocolate (counter) £1,048, |
| peace of mind and relieve me of any after the | | | | Chocolates (boxed) £671, |
| event heartache associated with forgetting to let | | | | Chocolate (blocks) £411, |
| someone know they are special and 'I' | | | | Fizzy drinks £1,290, |
| remembered 'them' | | | | Ice creams (handheld) £788, |
| It has long been apparent to me that I was not | | | | Crisps £740, |
| alone in my desire to find a solution to the | | | | Savoury snacks £611, |
| problem. Looking up some data in 2005 it was | | | | Nuts £124, |
| confirmed to me, and the men and women of | | | | Gum £211, |
| the UK (ditto the wider world), that the long and | | | | Batteries £265. |
| commonly held view, 'men particularly forget', | | | | During 2005 a small group of people teamed-up to |
| birthdays, anniversaries, valentines day and a | | | | develop a service, the type of which I had |
| variety of other special dates, really was true. I | | | | envisioned in this article, in a bid to help busy |
| have pieced together the following information, | | | | people, men but not only men, no longer be part |
| ten facts, on the subject which is tabulated below: | | | | of such statistics on forgetfulness. So, in future |
| # 1 Men who forgot a minimum of one special | | | | don't be a statistic, find an online greeting card |
| occasion pa: 19% | | | | company that enables you to quickly select cards |
| # 2 Men made to suffer by their partners as a | | | | and gifts all in one place for chosen recipients, in |
| result: 14.5% | | | | advance, and you will ensure that a reprimand |
| # 3 Women made to suffer by their partners for | | | | from a partner; family member or friend for |
| forgetting: 4% | | | | missing a celebratory date is banished to the past. |