It is not necessary to send Christmas cards to business clients, which is why making the commitment is a way to set one’s business apart from its competitors. The Christmas card list should be selected by balancing the importance of each relationship against the time commitment for writing each card, since handwritten cards make a much bigger impression on the recipients. Businesses with a diverse workforce or clientele may wish to target more holidays with their greeting cards, or simply defer to a more generic holiday greeting card. The message should be brief, and avoid overtly commercial content.
Christmas Cards a Competitive Advantage
During periods of recession, holiday cards may seem like a good expense to cut. However, savvy entrepreneurs will recognize that as greeting cards become less common, they become a better competitive advantage. Typical business mail includes bills, checks, solicitations, and other documents that must be acted upon to keep the business running. Christmas cards carry no obligation; rather, they are passed around offices and displayed prominently by consensus. The employees that look at the cards will have one more positive association with the businesses that sent them.
Selecting the Christmas Card List
Creating a Christmas card list carries a certain level of commitment, since sending the cards creates a level of expectation that they will be sent again. This expectation will vary among recipients, and no rule of thumb trumps knowing one’s own contacts well. In general, though, it’s better to choose a smaller list at first, because cutting back from too large a commitment can undo good business networking. Consider different categories for relationships while building the card list:
- Clients
- Referral relationships
- Advertising partners
Mark McGregor, in Business Cards Are Good Business, includes some powerful list-building advice almost as a throwaway when closes with the remark, “And don't forget to send the assistant a business Christmas card, too. Never underestimate the importance of the assistant.”
Writing and Addressing Christmas Cards
Both McGregor and Susan Ward in her article Business Christmas Card Dos and Donts agree that handwritten cards carry the highest perception of value, and handwritten addresses set them apart from ordinary business mail. Some tips to consider when writing the message:
- Legibility counts. The value of a handwritten message is zero if nobody can read it.
- Make it personal. With a small enough list, it should be possible to include personal messages like “thanks for your help on the McWhirter deal” or “say hi to Neil and the kids for me.”
- Don’t sell. Christmas is a time of intense commercial activity, but don’t embrace that in your message. Focus on the relationship, not the money. However,
- Include contact info. Engrave it on the card and envelope, or include a business card in the Christmas card.
- Diversify. Christmas is celebrated in many secular ways, but it is still a religious holiday. If appropriate, send a card with a different holiday message or a “Happy Holidays” card. For a different angle, most holidays in late December have a theme about returning light – pick a card focusing on this common element.
Blues Traveler said it best: “If its Chanukah or Kwanza, Solstice, harvest or December twenty-fifth; Peace on earth to everyone and abundance to everyone you’re with.” Sending cards with such intentions will do nothing but strengthen business relationships.
Terence P Ward - Terence P Ward has a business writing website, but spends a bit too much time writing press releases, blog posts, and thought leadership ...
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