GUEST AUTHOR: The Top Three Reasons To Send Holiday Greeting Cards To Your Clients and Referral Sources By Donna Pullan, President

Like many businesses in today’s competitive marketplace, the emphasis to find a unique opportunity to differentiate your business and increase your chances of beating the competition is crucial.  In this high-tech impersonal business environment, now more than ever, it’s imperative that companies bring the “personal touch” back into their client relationships.  One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to do this is to send personalized holiday greeting cards to your clients.

 

Naturally, we immediately think of the Christmas season as the time to send holiday greeting cards however there are various other seasonal holidays that provide you with additional opportunities to reach your clients with a personalized greeting card. These include New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, 4^th of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving, just to name a few.

Sending seasonal holiday greeting cards also provide you with the opportunity to stay in touch with your client base in a consistent yet professional manner.

 

Here are the top three reasons how companies benefit from sending personalized holiday greeting cards to clients:

 

1.      They communicate in writing that you appreciate their business and loyal support.

 

2.      They build loyalty and retain clients.

 

3.      Reinforce name recognition in a personal yet professional manner.

 

Business trends indicate it is six times more costly to gain new customers than it is to keep your existing ones.  While marketing and advertising strategies have a temporary effect on sales results, focusing on direct approaches such as sending holiday greeting cards forms a dedicated client base and keeps building sales. Make sure you take the time to recognize your most valuable asset - your clients.

 

About The Author

 

For over 25 years, Donna Pullan, president of Business Greetings Express, has built her company on the foundation of finding creative ways for B2B companies to communicate regularly with their clients.  As a top provider of personalized greeting cards for any occasion, Business Greetings Express helps companies create top-of-mind awareness and improve profitability through the implementation of client loyalty and referral development programs. If you’re looking for creative and effective ways to improve your bottom line, visit us at www.BusinessGreetingCards.com or call 877-240-2888.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Andrew Sokol]

I agree with you, Kelly, that sending greeting cards for holidays can be effective, but only under certain conditions.
First, remember that the card you send at Christmas will be your LEAST effective. Why? Two reasons: number one, a card received at Christmas seems more obligatory than sincere (do cards you receive at Christmas from companies really seem sincere?); and two, because your card is lost among the hundreds from other businesses trying to make up for the rest of the year when they didn't send cards. In fact, I recommend to my clients that they skip the Christmas card altogether, and send one for New Years instead. That way, you are still sending 'Seasons Greetings', it arrives a few days AFTER Christmas, it isn't competing with all the other cards, and your card stands out as something unique.
Second, as Kelly suggests, send cards several times throughout the year when other companies ARE NOT sending them, such as 4th of July, Valentine's Day, Halloween. And how about some creative dates, like April 15th (tax day), St. Patty's Day, the first day of Summer, and others? Cards sent at these non-traditional times will be noticed, appreciated, and convey a sense of creativity on your part.
Third, sign them PERSONALLY, not from your business. The moment you put your business name on the card, it is no longer a greeting, it is an advertisement.
In addition to Kelly's suggestions, those are some tips that will make a greeting card campaign have real effect for you.