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Share the Joy with Custom Holiday Cards

custom holiday cardsHoliday cards are the perfect way to connect with customers past and present. Done right, your holiday cards are a powerful marketing tool that can strengthen business relationships, remind customers of your service, and reinforce your brand. However, proper execution is key. Done right, you can strengthen existing relationships and reconnect with customers of yore. Done wrong, you may lose customers past, present and future.

PLAN AHEAD

Advance planning is the key to a successful holiday card campaign. A “Happy Belated Holidays” card doesn’t carry quite the impact of a card received before December 25. Ideally, your clients should receive their holiday card at the beginning of December, if not sooner. Our recommendation is to begin your holiday card planning in early October.

In your planning, be sure to factor in time for the design, printing, and delivery from the print house. If you don’t have the time or staff to stuff, seal, address, and post your holiday cards, consider using a fulfillment house. If you are a DIYer, factor in time for all the previous activities as well as the time it will take the postal service to deliver the cards. Be sure to check out the USPS Holiday Mailing Deadlines guide.

MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE

The devil is in the details and sending a card to an employee who is no longer employed or, worse yet, misspelling a name, is a cardinal sin. It’s right up there with (gasp) printing your card on cheap paper. Building and checking your holiday mailing list should begin early – think early August, not late November.

CUSTOMIZE, PERSONALIZE, INDIVIDUALIZE

Remember, with your holiday cards you are building new relationships and reinforcing existing ones. Custom cards allow you to integrate your company brand into your greeting—off-the-shelf is NOT in your vernacular.

Addressing your holiday cards to clients by name adds a touch of personalization and is a simple, yet often overlooked, nuance. This can easily be accomplished with personalization tokens in the data file you send to your design house that will address each card to the exact recipient. Also, choosing an authentic digital handwriting script gives the impression that you sat at your desk to jot a personal note in each card. Lastly, employing the use of variable data printing allows you to craft a variety of messages for different clients and industries.

Most critical, don’t exclude support staff and administration, or the bosses who write the checks. Remembering those in support and power positions show that you appreciate their business from top to bottom.

QUALITY ABOVE ALL ELSE

custom holiday cardsCheap, flimsy cards that were printed in bulk are equivalent to putting a lump of coal in a stocking and throwing it through your client’s window. You’re offering diamonds, not dirty rocks.  Take the time to work with a professional designer who can deliver rich graphics, quality card stock, and a design that will WOW. Avanti has been delighting customers since 2013. Reach out to see how our staff of professional designers can help you.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MESSAGE

A good rule of thumb when choosing a business holiday card theme or message is, safe is best. The last thing you want to do with your holiday greeting card is offend or alienate the recipient by not considering their personal and religious beliefs. This is not to say that your message must be boring. We understand that “Seasons Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” cards can get tiresome. So get creative! Incorporate a bit of your company’s personality – or better yet, your brand – into the message.

GIVE THANKS AND SHARE JOY

The bottom line is this: the holidays are about giving thanks and sharing joy. Above all else, your holiday cards should express thanks to your customers for their business, their loyalty, and their support over the past year and the years to come. They should share your joy of a successful year and their contribution to that success. So thank you to all the Avanti clients who have made this such a wonderful year!