It’s not quite October yet, but it’s time to begin thinking about business holiday cards. If you’re a business owner, whether or not you should send out holiday cards to your clients and customers can be a difficult question. In this article we’ll be answering the who, what, where, when, and why — not in that order — of business holiday cards.

Why Should You Send Business Holiday Cards to Clients/Customers?

business holiday cards

There are three main reasons for why your company should be sending out cards this holiday season:

  1. It’s a great way to keep your brand in front of your clients.
  2. Your clients will enjoy receiving them.
  3. It’s a holiday tradition.

The number one reason for sending out business holiday cards is to remind your clients that your brand exists and is thinking about them. If it seems like your brand has forgotten about its clients, then why should your clients remember your brand?

And don’t worry about bothering your clients by sending them holiday cards. As it turns out, people still enjoy receiving physical cards during the holiday season even when e-cards are available. In fact, even Millennials — who notoriously ruin everything — love sending and receiving holiday cards.

Finally, sending cards is a holiday season tradition, so you might as well take advantage of it. People expect to receive cards during this time of year, so don’t miss out on this opportunity. It’s a free pass to get in front of your clients!

Who Should You Send Your Business Holiday Card To?

If your company is B2C then you should prioritize sending holiday cards to your repeat customers. After repeat customers come the new customers who you really want to turn into repeat customers. Everyone else comes after them.

For B2B companies, it’s a bit different because you likely have fewer clients and your relationships with those clients are more in-depth. This means that every one of your clients should be on your holiday card list by default. But who should you send holiday cards to within each particular company?

  • The owner of the company — it’s always a good idea to stay in front of the boss.
  • Anyone else you directly interact with — the sales representative, an assistant, etc. These are often the people your company interacts with the most, so don’t forget about them!
  • You could also send a business holiday card addressed to the company as a whole if you are unsure about who to include on your list.

What Should You Include in Your Business Holiday Card?

happy holidays card

There are four things to keep in mind when writing the contents of your business holiday card. You should have a personalized message, the holiday should be non-denominational, the sales pitch should be left out, and your message should match your brand/clientele.

Personalized message – Always address your client by their name. This can either be with Mr./Ms. (last name) or with their first name if you have a more personal relationship with that client. Additionally, add some personal touches within the body of the card. For example, if you know a client has two young children, you could mention them as well. Just remember to keep your message short.

Generic holiday – Sometimes you will know which holiday your client celebrates. In this situation it’s acceptable to mention that specific holiday. Otherwise you should play it safe with a simple “happy holidays.” This ensures that you don’t wind up excluding any of your clients.

No sales pitch! – Your business holiday card is not the place to mention a new deal or product your company is currently offering. This card is supposed to be all about the client and serve to remind them that you are thinking of them.

Matching your message to your brand – For some large, old companies, a formal message is what your clients may expect. However, if you are a small upstart with a laid-back attitude, feel free to express that within your holiday card message.

When and Where Should You Send Your Holiday Card?

holiday cards for businesses

If you know a client well, then it may be acceptable to send your holiday card to their home. Otherwise, sending it to their place of business is a safe bet. You don’t want to come off as too overbearing, which may be the result of a card sent to a place of residence.

When you send your card also has to do with where you are sending it to. Regardless of which location you choose, sending your card slightly early to beat the traffic is a good idea. The holiday season is the busiest time of the year for the postal service, so early cards are more likely to arrive on time.

However, if you are sending your card to a place of business then you’ll definitely want to send it early. Many people take off from work earlier in December. If your card arrives after the office has closed for the season, then it won’t be effective.

Conclusion

So now that you know why your company should be sending out holiday cards to its clients and customers, it’s time to consider the other questions. Who is on your list? What message are you going to include? Where are you going to send these cards? And, when do you want them to arrive? If you can answer those questions, your business holiday card will be a success.

Custom Business Holiday Cards from Safeguard

Once you know the who, what, when, where, and why of business holiday cards, it’s time to consider the how. How are you going to create all of these cards? Safeguard Premier Branding Solutions is the answer. We specialize in printing branded products — including holiday card — for every type of business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help make your holiday season a success!

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