Business Holiday Cards – Yay or Nay?

I just put my witch’s hat in storage for another year, my proverbial broom stays out just to keep the kiddies in check (enter your best witch’s cackle here).  I must change hats now because: 1) it is getting rather cold out, and 2) the season of giving is nipping at our heels.  It is now officially time to dig into our company holiday checklist.

Where do we start?  Holiday cards….

I am not sure about you, but we debate over this every year, do we send out client holiday cards or not?  I am still one of the very few people who sends personal Christmas cards by snail mail every year, so I cannot rely on my own judgement; I may be out of touch in my continuous search for authentic connections (yes, I send thank you notes too and no I am not 90; I am on the far edge of the millennial generation according to Pew Research Center.)  Since I wasn’t exactly sure if it is still a legit custom, I Googled it. Sheryl Brown, a financial and social media expert, in her article for Iris says yes, with a stipulation, “I write out every single holiday card by hand and have never used an automated card service.” But with everyone glued to their devices, wouldn’t an e-card be better?  Meredith Lepore, in her article for SkillCrush.com on the Do’s and Don’ts of Sending Holiday Cards to Clients says, “In nearly all industries, an e-card shows more thought than a straight email, and gets the “thinking of you” point across quite well.” However, she goes on to say that sending a physical card is better and that you should always include a personal message specific to your client. Make sure you include a personal message even in an e-card.

So, holiday card – check.  Make it personal, how?  Holidays are a bit touchy these days. There is a bit of etiquette when it comes to sending out holiday cards.

Religion 

It is pretty clear that you are supposed to stay away from religion in your holiday cards.  Not everyone celebrates the same holiday this time of year (I like to state the obvious)!  Well, what do you do?  Either wish your client a happy holiday specific to the one they celebrate or take the easy route and do a simple seasonal card (think snowy trees and idyllic cabins or beautiful city scenes in the snow).  One of my old firms used to purchase their cards from a non-profit. Every year there was some rendition of an elk in the snow.  We always receive a Happy Thanksgiving card from certain companies and intentional Happy New Year cards trickle in right after the others (along with the few straggling Christmas cards that didn’t hit the mail in time – I can’t judge, my personal ones vary in their arrival every year).

Order Early

To ensure you have time to be personal and your cards are delivered on time, Lydia Ramsey in her blog, What You Need to Know About Business Greeting Card Etiquette, says you should, “aim to have all your envelopes addressed before Thanksgiving.” And she means hand addressed, ladies and gentleman.  If you are designing your own cards, check out my last blog on getting the most out our your online printer. Hint: if you order early, you don’t have to pay astronomical prices for quick shipping!

Personalize

Your client list may be really long; I get it.  But if you are just sending a run of the mill, automated card, you aren’t really connecting with your clients, are you?  Start early and take a minute to look over your list and slim it down.  Maybe, do what my old workplace used to do and split-up the client list between employees and everyone signs it, but one person who actually “really” worked with the client writes the message.

Addressing

I read a lot about how you are supposed to address your clients formally with Mrs. and Mr., etc.; I am not so sure about that.  We are from Montana, so we like first names around here. It is something to consider though depending on your company and client relationships. Hint:  Please double check your client lists and make sure names are spelled correctly and addresses are up to date!  Print out your database so you know you have the most current client list.

No Sales Pitch

It seems like a prime time to offer a discount for your services, but holiday cards are about giving thanks to those who support your business. Save the sales pitches for your marketing materials.  That doesn’t mean you have to leave your brand off your cards.  In fact, it only makes sense to have it integrated.  If you design your own card, you can add a blurb to the back with your logo, company mission and the good your business does for the world you live in.  If you support a non-profit, go ahead and mention them, not only does this show your giving nature, it also spreads the word for the non-profit you support.  It’s a win win!