Polka Dot Design, a Fort Worth-based online personalized invitation, stationery and party supply retailer, is taking their slogan “celebrate everything” seriously and throwing a different kind of party—one to communicate recent success and details about their company. Polka Dot Design’s “Party in a Box” aims to share information in a way that’s as fun as it’s been to grow the company, according to Polka Dot Design president, John Cockrell, Jr.

Since purchasing the enterprise from its founders in 2010, Mr. Cockrell, 32, has led his young, creative corporate team as they revamped the brand, punched up the vast product inventory and invested in innovative e-commerce tools that are quickly taking the new kid in the Cockrell Enovation printing family of companies to the head of the class.

“We needed to retool, refresh and reinvigorate an already commanding presence in this area of online retail,” he said recently. “We had to start with the customer experience. In doing so, we realized we have a pretty cool story to tell about Polka Dot Design. And true to our brand, we’re doing it with a party…in a box.”

The “Party in a Box” corporate information tool will be both a digital iteration online at pddpartyinabox.com and in print. The printed, physical form is a hot pink box with a party hat, noise maker, music and the company’s icon, a Ladybug, all a festive way to contain details about the company, its track record, history, people and products.                            

“Our products appeal to hundreds of thousands of customers across the country,” he said. “Since we’re all about helping our customers celebrate with birthday invitations, kids’ party invitations, themes for wedding showers, baby showers, birth announcements, graduation announcements, everything—it was natural to consider a ‘party’ vehicle to talk about the new baby of our 50 year old multi-generational Texas family business. We wanted to tell our story in a unique way.”

The “Party in a Box” is being delivered and shipped to hundreds of reporters, editors, event planners, community leaders and influentials across the country.

Polka Dot Design’s U.S. popularity has soared. According to the company, visits have increased about 30 percent in each of the first three months of 2012, just 45 days after launching a new website designed to facilitate transactions and make the customer experience even better.

Polkadotdesign.com has had over 2 million visits annually since 2010. Polka Dot Design statistics suggest that over half of visitors become customers on their first visit. As well, nearly three quarters of January through April 2012 transactions were from returning customers, a loyal base. States with the highest concentration of Polka Dot Design loyalists include Texas, California, New York and Florida, with New Jersey, Illinois, Georgia and North Carolina nipping at the heels of the top four.

“Customer service teams on the phone field calls, help those new to customizing their own invitations and fulfill the personal attention that’s been a key to Polka Dot Design’s success,” noted general manager Bill Lorimer. Among the executives working to direct the company with Mr. Cockrell and Mr. Lorimer are Colleen Shutt, creative director; Madison Nguyen, marketing manager; and Kristen Alexander Thornton, operations manager. The company currently has 14 employees at its Fort Worth office located on the top floor of the Cockrell Enovation corporate headquarters and plant facility at 218 W. Broadway Ave. in Fort Worth.

“We’re blown away by the loyalty of our satisfied customers,” said Mr. Cockrell. “They tell us our paper goods become keepsakes for their life events. In this digital age, it’s an interesting intersection of the electronic and the enduring. It's easy to let milestone occasions pass by. Yet, through the efficiency and speed of internet commerce, people can continue the treasured formalities of a simpler time through printed invitations or notes. We’re honored to be a part of everyday celebrations everywhere.”

About Polka Dot Design 

Dedicated to celebrating all of life's occasions, Polka Dot Design is the leading online destination for personalized invitations, stationery and party supplies. From its home in Fort Worth, Texas, Polka Dot Design manages a web-based boutique that sells, prints and ships festive paper products across the country, items created so their customers can share life’s remarkable experiences through everyday correspondence and special occasion invitations, greeting cards and party supplies. Easy-to-use tools, step-by-step instructions, typesetting services and hundreds of stylish products from dozens of respected stationery brands make Polka Dot Design the ideal source for a highly personable shopping experience and the finest quality products to suit every taste and whimsy. Visit the online store at http://www.polkadotdesign.com. The media room information portal is http://www.pddpartyinabox.com, call 877-816-0884 or email media(at)polkadotdesign(dot)com.         

Polka Dot Design is a part of the Fort Worth-based Cockrell Enovation family of companies, dedicated to print ingenuity that produces outstanding communications through advanced, web-enabled technology, mailing, fulfillment and distribution systems. Soon to celebrate 50 years as a third generation Texas business, Cockrell Enovation is one of the largest full-service commercial printing companies in North Texas. They are on the web at http://www.cockrellenovation.com.