Business holiday cards are critical this year!

A few organizations are claiming that the recession is over and recovery is right around the corner.

I would love to believe them. But the fact is, none of us really knows when the day will come when we can all take a collect sigh of relief and go on with our businesses and lives without worrying about the rising foreclosure rates or the latest round of layoffs.

So until we know for sure that all is well, companies cannot afford to neglect the little things that keep their name in front of customers.

Business holiday cards, company Christmas cards or whatever you want to call them, are one of those things companies cannot afford to let slide. For very little cost (around $1-2 each), business holiday cards make a major impact on customer perceptions about your business.

Studies have shown that the majority of customers feel more positively about businesses which send holiday cards. They are perceived as more stable, more reliable and more accessible.

Always sent company Christmas cards in the past, but thinking of cutting back this year? Thank again! Another researcher found that companies who stopped sending cards were perceived as less financially successful and less of a safe place to shop, because they may not be around down the road.

Is that really the message you want to send?

Time to pull out that holiday card list! Winter is almost here!

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....

The message behind green business holiday cards

No, not green as in "red and green" and Christmas colors. Green as in recycled and soy inks and certified paper... all that ecolabeling.

If your company is claiming to be green or earth-minded, the company Christmas cards you send need to be green, too.

Choosing an earth-friendly greeting card says several things to your customers, including:

• Your actions match what you say, so you are a company with integrity.
  
  
• You understand the concept of limited resources and are doing your part to conserve, so you are a company with heart.


• You have taken the time to reach out and share a message with your clients/customers/employees while at the same time not adding to the waste stream, so you are a company that thinks ahead.

Whether you choose a clearly eco-friendly card like the one above (100% recycled and certified) with a green message, or opt for something more subtle, make sure the cards you choose are genuinely green. The positive power of green is nothing compared to the destructive image a greenwashing label will create!

Last minute ideas for your company Christmas card

If you waited until the last minute to send your company Christmas cards, here are some tips to get them in the mail and to the right people on time:

1) Have a card writing dinner at work. Enlist the help of a few people with good hand-writing, and a few others to get those cards written, addressed, stamped and out the door. Let those with elegant writing sign and address, while the rest insert the cards into envelopes, seal and stamp them. Treat all participants to dinner before or after the process...not during unless you want spaghetti sauce spots next to your signature!

2) Make sure the right cards go into the right envelopes! This may seem obvious, but it happens, and it does not reflect well on your company. Have everyone double check as they insert the card!

3) Consider offering a last minute savings opportunity. A discount, special offer or other incentive could boost your year end bottom line by inspiring those who are on the fence to shop/buy. This time of year, many consumers are willing to spend more than originally planned for holiday gifts, and business buyers may be in a "use it or lose it" budget situation. Either way, your company could be the big winner.

4) Go with a known quantity. This late in the game is NOT the time to save a few bucks by going with a cheap new printer or the one you got in your spam box. Choose a professional business holiday card supplier like G.Neil or HR Direct. It may cost a few extra dollars, but if the cards arrive late or with mistakes, your so-called savings will evaporate instantly!

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.

Wish your clients and employees a Happy New Year, with a twist

This year, instead of trying to figure out who celebrates which winter religious holiday, consider sending your customers and employees a Happy New Year card.

New Year greetings can be personalized to match your business. For instance, a medical practice could write:

Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy New Year

A car dealership could write:

A wish for many happy journeys in the New Year

The subtle connection to your product or service reminds the recipient what you do, without coming across as too pushy.

So what's the twist?

For customers:

Use the records you have of customer purchases and orders to create a customized "Wish List" for the New Year. Print them like a To-Do list and enclose them in each card. So the buyer of Mustang parts would receive a 2009 To-Do list including things like "Replace struts with Ford OEM high impact struts and shocks" or "Protect upholstery with aftermarket made-to-fit Mustang seat covers." Just a few custom suggestions with lines left at the bottom of the list to add their own "to'do's" could spark unexpected sales as the New Year unfolds.

For employees:

Make a "To-Do" list with events and sites from your company's city. Work/life balance is critical to employee (and company) success, so give your employees the gift of

• Recognizing that they have an off-work life
  
• recognizing the value of their "real" life

Consider enclosing some* free tickets or passes to one or two events in their card. This small but unexpected treat can do wonders for employee morale.

*Try to enclose the right number of passes for the employee's family size. There's nothing worse than getting 2 tickets when you have a three person family. Either the tickets go unused, another ticket must be purchased (often impossible), or someone is left out. Make sure single employees without children receive at least two tickets, four if possible.

Quality pays when it comes to business Christmas cards

A story from one of my readers:

I got a sample in the mail from one of the business holiday card companies I've been seeing a lot online. Their prices were so low, and money is tight, so I wanted to see what I could get for my money.

Thank goodness for samples! Had I ordered these cards sight unseen, I wouldn't have been able to send them to my clients. Yes, they had a tiny price. But they were also cheaply printed on thin and flimsy paper. They looked like they belonged in a dollar store, instead of in a corporate office!

Clearly, sending out a business holiday card is more than just getting something into the mail. You also have to consider the message your card sends when recipients open the envelope. Before you order, think about:

Paper weight. Thin paper feels cheesy. Is that the message you want to send about your company?

Print quality. Crooked, smeared or bleeding colors make your company Christmas card look cheap. And while you may need inexpensive or affordable business holiday cards, you certainly don't want cheap holiday cards.

Image clarity and appearance. Look for a well designed, attractive image or graphic for your company Christmas cards. Tacky designs send a tacky message about your business.

Unless you're trying to send a tongue in cheek message about the company Christmas card tradition, I'd recommend you deal with a company that knows what quality means. Two of my favorites are listed on the sidebar to your right.

Saving a few cents per card isn't worth the risk of making your company look cheap. Go for the best...your business is too important to do otherwise

Why business Christmas cards are a great idea in a recession

All across the country, budgets aren't just getting trimmed...they're being chopped down and left in the forest of abandoned ideas and plans of corporate growth.

So in this wasteland of cutbacks and eliminations, why on earth would someone spend good money on business Christmas cards? Surely they can go, right?

Wrong!

The business Christmas card, especially cards sent to clients and business networking contacts, is one of the easiest and most cost efficient ways to connect with the very people who keep your business in business!

Business Christmas cards tell clients you are:

• Still in business
  
• Know who they are
  
• Aware of their business
  
• A business who cares about them
  
• Someone who took the time and invested the money to send them a card

Hand signed business greeting cards to your employees that:

• You know who they are
  
• You think they are worth the effort it takes to sign each card
  
• You value their service

All that from one inexpensive business Christmas card! Wow!

The even better news is that with the emphasis on recycled and affordable business holiday cards this year, it could be even less expensive than last year.

Keeping your holiday card list affordable

Once you've decided to send out company Christmas cards, you need to decide who will receive them. It's tempting to try and include everyone. After all, when you compare it to other types of marketing, business holiday cards are very affordable.

But even with the relatively low cost of sending business Christmas cards, it's wise to carefully review your holiday card list before you place your order.

• Start with the names you know best: your best customers, your favorite vendors, the big potential client you've been courting. Make sure you have their names spelled correctly, their addresses up to date, and their titles, if any, correctly entered on your list. If you know that any of them celebrate specific religious holidays, consider a special card to acknowledge that, rather than a more generic Seasons Greetings card. Remember, these are the names you know best, so the extra effort will pay off.
  
  
• Add your current customer and vendor lists. Again, take the time to double check spelling, look for duplicate listings and make sure the addresses are current.
  
  
• Decide on your target criterion for prospectives. Pick those groups who are most likely to respond to your business. If yours is a local service, like a dry cleaner or restaurant, invest in a demographic survey to pinpoint those neighborhoods or streets most likely to shop for your type of product at your price point. If your services are not geographically limited, choose your mailing list carefully. Make sure the people you are contacting are likely to be in the market for your specific services or products.
  
  
• If you decide to prospect beyond your target demographic, you may wish to choose smaller or more affordable holiday cards. After all, this is your high risk group, so you are better off focusing the bulk of your expense in a demographic with an expected higher ROI. A word of caution: affordable should not mean cheap! Make sure you select quality cards for all recipients!
  
  
• Add your employees. With this group, you have the option of in house or mailed to home cards. If you mail them to employees' homes, be sure you include spouses or domestic partners in the address. If you are in doubt about surnames or titles for partners, ask before sending. That little extra attention to detail will go far towards creating good feelings.