As the holidays approach, business owners and executives will plan to purchase unique business holiday cards. This season is a wonderful time to send thank you letters to existing customers or clients for past business and tell them you look forward to serving them in the New Year.
Why Send Holiday Cards
Most businesses plan on spending a certain amount of their budget on promotion. With the amount of competition in the business world today, good customer service practices are key to turning a one-time customer into a repeat one. If a customer doesn't feel that their business is appreciated, they will simply go elsewhere. Sending a unique business holiday card is a wonderful way to maintain that sense of goodwill that has built throughout the year.
7 Tips for Sending Unique Business Holiday Cards
1.Choose the best quality card you can afford.
The type and quality of card you choose to send tells customers a lot about you, your business, and how you see them. The card may well be displayed throughout the holiday season at your customer's office or job site, and every time he or she sees the card, they will think about you and your business. You want to make the best impression possible.
2. The image on the card should be a universal one.
Unless your business is specifically affiliated with a specific religious faith, choose an image that all people can relate to. These include:
- An Outdoor Winter Scene
- Cityscapes
- International Flags (if you have customers in other countries)
- Snowflakes
- Snowmen
- Winter Birds, such as Cardinals
3. Keep the greeting simple.
If you are not sure if your customer celebrates Christmas, Hanukah, or Kwanzaa, you are better off having a generic "Seasons Greeting" message in the card.
4. Make sure your mailing list is up to date.
Ideally, updating your mailing list should be an ongoing project all year long. If it has been awhile since you reviewed the list, do so before sending out your holiday cards.
You wouldn't want to have a valuable customer think they have been neglected at this important time of year simply because the card went to the wrong address.
5. Sign your card.
Even if you have your company name printed on the card, take the time to sign your name as well. Adding a personal greeting or a message is a lovely touch, and your customer will certainly appreciate the fact that you took the time to do that.
6. Address the envelope personally.
Holiday cards are not the standard business communication. They remind us of a time when life was a bit slower-paced. It may be quicker to use a computer program for mailing labels, but this is one thing that you may want to do by hand. Your customer will appreciate the personal touch.
7. Start early.
Preparing your business holiday cards for mailing early. The postal service gets extremely busy at that time of year and if you don't get your holiday business cards in the mail early, they may not arrive in time for Christmas. (Some experts suggest that the cards be mailed out by Thanksgiving.)
Unique Touches
Add a unique touch to your card by adding something special and different. A few ideas for business owners to make their cards stand out include:
- Sending a coupon or percent off certificate
- Offering a coupon for a free promotional gift or service
- Use unique materials or printing on the card itself, such as metallic finishes
- Order cards with your logo incorporated into a winter scene
Time Management Tip
Start with the envelopes first when you are getting your holiday cards ready to be mailed. This will be the most time-consuming part of the task. Once all the envelopes are prepared (addressed and stamped), then you can sign each card (adding a personal message), stuff the envelopes, and get them in the mail.
Where to Order Holiday Business Cards
The following websites have examples of unique business holiday cards:
