‘Tis the season for spreading a bit of cheer, and nothing does a better job than a holiday card. An estimated 7 billion greeting cards are purchased every year and sent out around the world — and the majority of those senders are businesses.
It’s important to let loyal customers know that you are thinking of them, wishing their families well, and thanking them for their business this past year. Holiday cards are much more accepted than your typical insert-mail campaign, but only if they are designed without being too sales-forward.
Holiday cards are just that — about the holidays. In order to ensure that your company greeting card isn’t immediately chucked in the recycling bin, there are a few essential details you will need to make sure to include in your card.
What to include in your holiday greeting card
- Your business logo. First and foremost, make sure the receiver of your company holiday card knows who they are getting it from! Make sure your business logo is printed either on the front, on the inside, or on the back of your card. We recommend placing it in a corner so it doesn’t distract the reader from your thoughtful message. If you are designing a holiday card online, you can choose where to place your logo, as well as determine if you need to change or alter the colors of your logo slightly so that it shows up against a festive background.
- A holiday theme. If you opt to create a holiday card online using FreeLogoServices.com, you can choose from hundreds of holiday-themed cards. Think about what theme would work best for the industry you’re in. If you run a daycare center, perhaps an animated image of a penguin in a Santa hat would be more applicable. If you are a corporate consulting firm, law firm, or doctor’s office, consider a vintage inspired card with intricately designed Christmas trees and ornaments. You can also opt for a card not tied to any specific holiday by looking for themes with trees, snowflakes or snowmen. Now is the time to get creative! If you normally have a very minimalist design on your promotional materials, try opting for something more intricate to mix things up.
- A thoughtful message. This is the most important part of your business holiday card. How long your message is will depend on a couple things:
1. If you’ve chosen a folded greeting card versus a flat greeting card. Folded cards allow for significantly more room to write a longer message, while flat greeting cards are limited to just one area.
2. If you are planning on writing these messages by hand. While this may seem like a lot of work, having a hand-written message is always preferred over a typed message. Think about how much time you have, how many cards you plan on sending out, and how many employees would be able to help you with this endeavor. If you hand-write your messages, it’s best to keep it short. If you are typing the messages, then you can lengthen the character count.Not sure what to say in your message to your customers? Here’s a great list of both long and short greeting card messages to help you get started.
- Picture of your employees. Photo cards aren’t just meant for personal holiday cards — they can also be used by businesses. Start a tradition this year and gather all of your employees, staff, or team members together for a group photo (bonus points for ugly sweaters, themed costumes, or fancy attire) that you will include on your holiday greeting card. We recommend taking the photo on a smartphone so that it can easily be emailed, downloaded, then uploaded when you create a holiday card online. Choose a holiday card design that will fit the layout of your staff photo. At FreeLogoServices.com, you have the option to choose from a horizontal greeting card or a vertical greeting card.
- A coupon. Looking to boost sales at the very end of this year or the very beginning of next year? Opt for a folded greeting card and slide a promotional or sale coupon inside. Not only will your customers be excited about a holiday card from your business, but also thrilled to be personally given a coupon that they can use next time they visit your store or website. Don’t forget that if you use this tactic, be sure to have a special promotional code that’s different from other promotional codes you are running simultaneously. This will make it easier for you to track purchases made and will help you gauge how successful this marketing tactic was.
- Custom stickers. Give your loyal customers a little stocking stuffer gift this year by including a glossy logo sticker in with your holiday greeting card. Make sure to order the stickers in advance if you are going to include these in your envelope. Custom stickers are a great way for your most valued customers to spread the word about your excellent products or services. At FreeLogoServices.com, our custom stickers are easily customizable for any type of logo and are always available in full-color printing with a smooth, glossy finish. Once you’ve sent these out with your greeting cards, start looking around town to see if you can spot your branded sticker!
- Custom magnets. Another great addition to a holiday greeting card is a customized magnet with your business logo and information printed on the front. Magnets — like custom stickers — can also be easily placed within an envelope because it’s mailed out to your customers during the holiday season. Magnets are a versatile promotional product that are always well received by customers. If you are a local bar or restaurant, or if you offer services to customers at their homes, then these magnets are a great way to spread both holiday cheer and brand awareness. Including your phone number and website along with your business logo on these magnets will ensure that your business will be the first one customers call if they want to order takeout, need a plumber, electrician, or handyman.
What holidays are best for greeting cards?
If you’ve never sent a greeting card before to your customers, we recommend your first batch be sent out during the month of December. While this may seem cliche, keep in mind that it is the most appropriate and acceptable time of year to be sending holiday cards.
Don’t wait too long to create, order, and send your cards as they may arrive after the holiday season and will therefore be more likely to get tossed in the trash. The earlier you send these company holiday cards out (before December 15th), the more brand visibility you will receive. Families will hang holiday cards up on display and if they have guests over, then your brand is even more likely to get noticed. Don’t forget that you can always send a Happy New Year card to your customers if you’ve missed the boat on Christmas cards. Happy New Year cards are applicable to send anywhere between mid-December through the end of January.
Whatever you choose regarding your holiday greeting card design and message, know that it really is the thought that counts. Start customizing your holiday greeting cards today!
