A card will always say more than words

You may have this debate every year. Should I bother sending Christmas cards or just drop an email over to my customers.

Maybe you decide to enhance the message. Something like we are not sending Christmas cards this year. Why? Because we are conscious of the environment and will be giving the money to charity.

But like most things at Christmas, have we missed the point here. This is the one time of year when people reflect. It’s also a time to celebrate. Be bold and upfront not timid. Don’t just tick the Christmas box but get out there and make a statement.

Stand out from the crowd and be heard

If you are sending an ecard to your contacts, it’s likely to be you and everybody else they deal with. In an already crowded inbox you are simply adding to the clutter. And if it does manage to get opened, it’s easily closed and never seen again.

A card that lands on a desk is a lot harder to ignore. And why would you. A personalised envelope containing a good quality card with a special message for you.

It’s almost rude to put this in the bin. You have a seasonal card that can decorate your desk, remind you what time of year it is. It might be one of only a few cards you receive. How great would that be. As a business you have managed to achieve pride of place on a customer’s desk, even a new prospect’s desk.

A lot of companies don’t really see the value in sending Christmas cards. Yet we all strive to achieve standout in our market-place. What better way to do this than send a card in an era where we all suffer from email overload.

What does it say about you?

If you flip this and make it all about you. What do you think your contacts will think about you when they receive a Christmas card? It’s not something they are likely to ignore. They will appreciate that it takes time and effort to organise. 

It will show them that you care about the relationship. You are important to them, enough to send a special message at a personal time of year. How good does that make you look and how valued do they feel.

Even just obtaining their business address. Let’s be honest, you probably communicate via email 90% of the time. An address is not something you need or use on a regular basis. Which means they are not expecting something through the post. A bit of a bonus in terms of a ‘nice surprise’ and they will notice the extra effort you’ve taken.

Make it as personal as you like

You can hand write a special message on a Christmas card. I guess you can do this on an email but it will be digitised rather than paper and ink. This will certainly make the message feel even more personal.

On your contact list you will already know the type of relationship you have with the individuals. This is the most important element for you. It will enable you to tailor your message to each and every one. And the fact you are going to hand write it will make this incredibly valuable.

It will take you a bit longer to send a Christmas card but that’s the whole point. You are personalising each and every one. Your contacts will appreciate this and because they are on the list it will make them feel special.

How to make more of a statement

If you haven’t sent a Christmas card to your contacts for a while then you’re in for a treat. Technology has moved on and you can now create even more bespoke cards. And if you use a printer who has invested in digital printing you will have even more options.

Rather than a usual seasonal image on the front. You could explore the world of die cut functionality to create a 3D image. Giving depth to your card and literally making it standout. A great demonstration of the value you place on sending this type of communication.

Why not go a step further and produce personalised mini chocolate boxes? Using the same technology, you can create a little box which will hold 3 or 4 chocolates.

A little extra to include with your Christmas card. Maybe something you would like to hand deliver and leave with your customer. Chocolate is a universal currency that increases in value at Easter, Christmas and any birthday or anniversary celebrations. In which case you may need to take several or people might be fighting over them.

When was the last time you sent a Christmas card or chocolates to your contacts? What was your experience?

PPS Print have a wonderful Christmas card brochure. Hot off the press and with all the latest designs. Just drop us a note and we’ll pop one in the post for you.

Link for digital printing

https://www.pps-print.com/luxury-window-cards-boxes