As the holiday season quickly approaches, it’s not only time to start gift shopping for friends and family on your list, but it’s also time to start thinking about the holiday greeting cards you will be sending to your clients and colleagues. One of the joys of the holiday season is the arrival of holiday cards. Opening these greetings of all sizes, colors and shapes brightens any business day, and it’s the perfect way to say “thank you” for your business for the year, or give a personal greeting that helps solidify a business relationship.
If you’re like many, you’ve left your corporate greeting card order to the 11th hour before and have experienced the mad scramble to ensure your cards reach their destination before the holidays. I am here to assure you there is no reason to fret and to provide some guidelines on how to maximize this truly special time of year. With that being said, I encourage you to begin the process early to ensure a stress-free holiday season. Here are five tips for writing corporate greeting cards that may be useful to you as you get started:
- Order Early – You are already ahead of the curve by thinking about your holiday greeting cards now. In fact, right now is the perfect time to order your cards, especially if you plan to include customization, company logos or special designs. Use the next week or two to select and design your cards, and get your order in by the end of the month to ensure you have them in-hand on time. In addition, it provides the opportunity to take advantage of the notable discounts various companies offer this time of year, sure to keep your finance office happy.
- Be Unique – You can, of course, just select a standard design from the card catalog, but why not try a different approach? You can create a very unique and memorable card that doesn’t have to break your budget. Some ideas include using the typically family-oriented photo card format to show a picture of your team, designing an opulent, foil embossed greeting card that exudes luxury, formatting an industry specific card that highlights your company’s specialization or selecting a humorous card to evoke laughter.
- Make It Personal – Your greeting card is a reflection of how much you care about and value your clients and colleagues, so be sure to send the very best. Never substitute email or social media for a card you sign and mail. It’s convenient but not as personal or heartfelt as addressing, stamping and mailing a physical card…or as fun to receive. Also, take this time to thank your clients for their continued business and support. Holiday cards present the prime opportunity to highlight the important part your clients have played in your company’s progress this year. Another elegant accent is the use of signatures by your corporate governance which adds additional flair and a unique personal touch.
- Remain Neutral – Be sensitive to other people’s religious beliefs and cultural practices. For business greeting cards, choose a design that is secular, subdued and tasteful. Save the cards that express your personality or beliefs for your personal list. Be sensitive to the message as well. If you’re not sure if your audience celebrates Christmas, choose a more generic greeting, such as “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.”
- Don’t Forget Other Holidays – Who says a holiday greeting card only has to be for the traditional holidays? Greeting Cards sent at any time outside the Christmas season stand out. Differentiate your business considering sending a Thanksgiving card or a New Year’s card to separate yours from the masses that only hit the mailbox every December. Your goal is to catch the attention of your recipients, and sending cards at unique times of year will do just that.