Exciting new cards coming soon!!!

Fun, different, new, not-your-everyday business holiday cards will be hitting mailboxes soon! If not yours, then stay tuned for a link to our website.

So what's it gonna be? Thanksgiving, Christmas, Happy Holidays or all Three?

It's almost time to pick out your company's holiday cards.

Oh, don't give me that look! Yes, I know it's June and it's 90 degrees outside. But I'm serious! The holidays are 6 months away (or less, if you include Thanksgiving) and it's time to get cranking on those company Christmas cards...or whatever kind you're sending this year.

So in honor of it being THAT time of year (again, with the looks?!), here are some links to the info you need to get started on your holiday card season:

What holiday to choose?

Sign them or print them?

Making a business holiday card list

Why the cards you choose matter

Employee holiday cards

When to send them out

Fa-la-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la...making my list, checking it twice....

Following up on your company Christmas cards

Handwritten holiday card image courtesy of Write On Results 

By now, you've probably ordered, signed and addressed your company Christmas cards. Good job! (What? You haven't? Do it today, people!)

So once those cards arrive from the printer and the envelopes are addressed (remember, no labels! Hand address them,) you're done, right? You can just stuff those cards into the envelopes and let the postage machine do it's thing.

NO!!!

Now is the time to review....

1)Hand address those cards. Yes, it's a pain. And yes, it matters. So get out those nice gel writers and get everyone with really nice handwriting addressing those company Christmas cards!

2)Write a personal note in every card addressed to someone who matters. What? Everyone you're sending a card to matters? Then stock up on the hot chocolate and get busy. A personal note, especially one that references some business the customer or client had with the company scores big in the "Standing out from Crowd" department. And that is WHY you're sending cards in the first place. Just make sure that if you farm this task out to others in the company, you assign them by gender. Women and men write differently, so a note supposedly penned by Sarah Goodman should not look like it was written by Josh or Dave.

3)Sign 'em. While you're writing, sign it. First name, first and last, first-last-and-title...your choice. Just add your John Hancock there, even if you've had a signature printed. Again, a pain, but one that pays off.

4) Watch for returns. If a card comes back with an address correction, pull out another envelope and resend to the new address. If it just says something like "Forwarding Order Expired", do some research and try and find a new address. A note that I should NOT have to write but do because I have SEEN this...if the card has been damaged, bent, torn or mangled in the first round, WRITE A NEW CARD! No one will believe it's the Post Office's fault when the envelope arrives in perfect shape and the card inside looks chewed.

And one more thing, update your address database as you resend these cards.

5) If you sent a coupon or special offer, track the results. There is no use sending offers in your company Christmas card if you don't know what works and what doesn't. Hopefully, unless you have a tried and true offer, you did some testing with different coupons to different people. Keep track and use that info to improve future mailings.

Last chance for company Christmas cards!

It's December already! So where did the time go? And where are your business Christmas cards?

Opps! There are only 23 days until Christmas, but it's not too late to order holiday cards today! Here are some tips for last minute business Christmas card orders.

1) Keep it simple. Now is not the time to design a custom verse, create a new logo or fret over the format of the signature. Get your orders in with a minimum of custom work and you have the best chance of getting the cards done right and on time.

2) Overnight your paperwork. Now is not the time to trust regular mail or lower-cost three or five day package delivery. Spring for the first thing in the morning delivery, then follow up to make sure it was received.

3) Opt for e-mailed proofs. Forget seeing your signature and logo on the card itself. Time is short, and you want those cards delivered on time. Opt for an e-mail proof, then double and triple check spelling, verse and layout. There's no time for reprints!

4) Order from a company that understands business needs. While there are lots of quick and cheap printing companies online, many have never dealt with a large or critical corporate order. They are just not B2B professionals. With time as a critical factor, go for one of the B2B specialists with a long history in the business like G.Neil or HR Direct. They understand your needs and your schedule, and have the experience to get you what you need.

Don't discount affordable business cards as a powerful marketing tool

It's almost Thanksgiving and the business forecasts are abysmal. Sales are down, defaults and foreclosures are up, credit is non-existent. The New Year is looking grim.

So what can you do? If you're in a business that has competition in the same area -- like a dry cleaner, restaurant, insurance agency or computer repair shop -- one powerful and inexpensive tool is the company Christmas card. That small token of seasonal good cheer can mean the difference between being just another store in the strip mall and becoming a destination.

Best of all, affordable business holiday cards are still available, even this late in November. A smaller format company holiday card can carry all the punch of a larger card, but at a much lower price per card.

It's not too late to get your business holiday cards -- but it will be soon!

It's just over a month until Hanukkah and Christmas, and you're still on the fence about ordering company Christmas cards? The economy is in the toilet, your customer base is hanging on to their dollars like they're the last flotation device on the ship, and your employees are spending more energy focusing on how they can afford to fill their grocery cart than on that new project.

And you're waiting? Considering NOT ordering cards?

Studies have shown that sending holiday cards works well to establish and support customer loyalty and name recognition. Other studies have found a link between little things like company holiday cards and employee identification as "part of the team."

And yet, you might pass up this inexpensive and powerful tool, saving maybe a few hundred dollars and missing out on many times that in loyalty and impact!

If the budget is so tight it squeaks, (and whose isn't?), choose more affordable business holiday cards. Skip the foil lined envelopes and oversized format in favor of a more modest silhouette and regular envelopes.

The impact isn't in the size of the card, or the suede finish paper...it's in the name at the bottom, and the personal notes and signature you add. It's in the hand-addressed envelope instead of a computer printed label. It's in the thoughtful verse, and the timely delivery -- all the things we've talked about in this blog.

Make the most of the holidays for your company. A card is best way to let them all know you care.

Thanksgiving cards can help you beat the Christmas rush

Before you know it, the holiday season will be here. You're already feeling rushed. But I'm going to suggest you start even sooner!

What?! Sooner??

In fact almost a month sooner. Because I'm going to suggest you start the holiday season with business Thanksgiving cards. Cards of thanks. Cards of gratitude for business transacted or hard work performed. Cards that do not require thoughts about religious differences or who celebrates which holidays when.

Cards that will catch your clients' or employees' attention before the holiday rush officially begins.

More and more companies are offering business focused Thanksgiving cards, along with their traditional business holiday cards for Christmas and the New Year. But fortunately for you, few businesses are taking advantage of this other opportunity to acknowledge the people who keep your business running. And in business.

So what are the rules for sending business Thanksgiving cards? They are exactly the same as for Christmas cards. Hand sign each one, adding a personal note if possible. Hand address them. Get the titles and names and addresses right.

And if you send a Thanksgiving card, consider skipping the Christmas/Hanukkah card and sending a Happy New Year card instead. It's another less cluttered holiday, where your cards stand a better chance of standing out and getting noticed.

The right business holiday cards at the right holidays can be golden for your business. Ready. Set. Go. The holidays are almost here!

Quality counts for business Christmas cards

Once you've made the decision to send business holiday cards, make sure you select well made, beautifully printed cards. Check for:

• Quality paper
  
  
• A well crafted graphic or clear photo image
  
  
• High quality printing, free from smears and stray ink spots
  
  
• Consistent colors in the ink on each card
  
  
• Easy to seal envelopes (peel and stick are the fastest and most secure)

If you shop around online, you can find companies who offer elegant but affordable business holiday cards.

I know what you're thinking.

But wait...it's only a card, and most people get dozens of personal and professional cards. So why does it matter so much?

The answer is simple.

Sending a cheaply printed or in-office printed card sends the wrong messages to your clients and employees. A company Christmas card is a great marketing and team building tool, but not if it send the message that your company:

• Doesn't care about them and therefore chose the cheapest card
  
  
• Is in financial trouble and could only afford cheap cards (even if this is true, send quality cards. The few dollars you'd save would hurt your company more in the long run.)
  
  
• Is sloppy and inattentive to detail
  
  
• Doesn't know how to find quality products or services

You only have a few seconds and a few square inches of paper to convey an number of essential messages to the recipient of your company holiday card. Make every one count.