During this time of year it is great to give thanks to your colleagues and associates. How do you do this? Do you send them a gift? Do you send them a holiday greeting card with a special note in it? There are many benefits for sending holiday cards to them. Below we will discuss the benefits and how to send holiday cards so they get there BEFORE the holidays begin.
What are the benefits of sending holiday cards?
Sharing your appreciation.
Giving thanks is always appreciated. No matter what business you are in, people love to hear they are valued. If you are in a service industry, you particularly know how important it is when others know you value them. So, taking the time to give out cards is of value.
Reminding them of your service.
If there were some customers or associates that you haven’t worked with this year, sending them a greeting card is important to remind them that are still of service to them.
Show your brand.
If you recently rebranded your business. Sending greeting cards will show your clients and associates your new brand. If you updated your website, be sure to share the new website and services you may have added. Don’t be afraid to share your business.
Now, that you decided to take that plunge and buy greeting cards for your business, here are some additional gifts to help you make the process easier.
It’s time to determine how many cards you need and create a mailing list.
How to make a mailing list for my business’ holiday cards?
First, gather the names and addresses of the clients and associates you have. Most likely you can pull this information from each of the customer files. If you have QuickBooks Online or Pro, you can make a mailing list directly from QuickBooks. Visit this page on QuickBooks Support: How to create a mailing list using the Contact List report. Or you can create it from scratch and make a list in a spreadsheet app, like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. After you are done making your list, you can now print out the labels. Using the mail merge feature in Microsoft Word works nicely to match up with Microsoft Excel.
Now it’s time to shop for the holiday cards. Look for holiday greeting cards that are professional. They could have general Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings on them. If you know what religion the associate practices, you could get a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah card for them. You could also decide on a card that says something about peace, happiness, or prosperity. Make this message personal to your business industry. After you determined your card greetings you are looking for, you can now determine where to buy the cards.
Where can I buy holiday cards for my business?
There are many places you can buy customized greeting cards. Below are some of the places that you can find great business greeting cards.
What to write in a business holiday card?
Now that you purchased the cards and they arrived. Let’s talk about what to write inside the cards.
People love a good handwritten note or few personal sentences. Take the time to write a note in each card for each client or associate you particularly worked with this year. These people are your bread and butter so spending a few minutes to write a heartfelt message is an easy way to share your gratitude. Visit this post 15 Thoughtful Holiday Card Messages for Businesses for some inspiration.
Now, it’s time to mail them out. Be sure to allow at least five days prior to the holiday so it can get to them by the holiday. Sending them after the holidays is unprofessional.
Starting this process in November, will allow you plenty of time to get these lists set up, purchase the cards, fill them out, and mail them.
That’s it. I hope this helps you create your customized holiday cards process. If you want to give gifts to your colleagues or clients, check out our gift idea posts. Feel free to read these posts below for more tips:
5 reasons to send business holiday cards
A Guide on What Not to Do When Sending Business Holiday Cards
Why Your Startup Should Send Holiday Cards (And How to Do It Well)
Very helpful, especially the link to suggestions as to what to write in the card. I always struggle with that!