Over the last few years, due to a somewhat stagnant economy, many businesses have cut expenses and decided to forego sending Christmas cards to their customers and clients. This is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish. While eliminating Christmas cards from your company budget may save you a bit of money in the short term, the importance and long term financial benefits of sending company cards should easily surpass the anticipated benefit of any short term corporate belt tightening.
Part of the power of the Christmas card as a strong marketing tool lies in all of the positive feelings and good will associated with the holiday. When your customers or clients are in this festive mood, there is no better time to send them a token which reminds them of your business relationship. Sending these cards will also remind customers that haven’t thought of you in a while that your company is still around and going strong and that they may soon need to purchase whatever product or service that you offer.
When sending company Christmas cards, there are some important guidelines to follow to ensure that you make the most positive and effective impression. In order to not offend any of your customers, it is best to choose cards with a general theme. Since you don’t know the religious beliefs of most of the recipients, sending a card that reflects your own religion may irk some and instead of generating the intended feelings of warmth and loyalty, your gesture could end up having the opposite effect.
Make sure that you do not purchase low-quality cards. Doing so will send a very wrong message. It will signal to your customers that they are not important enough for you to go to any real expense on their behalf. If, for budgeting reasons, you absolutely have no choice between sending cheap-looking cards and not sending cards at all, it is best to opt for the latter choice. Cards printed on a thick sturdy paper stock with quality craftsmanship and foil embossing are the best choice.
The inside message should be simple, sincere, and to the point. Basically just thank them for their past business and wish them a happy holiday season and coming year. When possible, a handwritten signature adds an excellent personal touch. If you are sending a very large quantity of cards, you can order them with your name professionally printed inside. Perhaps you can reserve a few dozen for your biggest clients where you can add a brief handwritten greeting or signature.
Also, remember that timing is important. You should mail your business holiday cards sooner rather than later. Since your goal is to boost sales, you want to remind people of your organization before they do their holiday shopping. Immediately after Thanksgiving (or even 1-2 days before it) is the optimal time for mailing.
You should send these Christmas cards not only to generate extra business, but to sincerely thank your customers for their past patronage. If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to take advantage of all of the benefits that sending company holiday cards can bring.
