The holidays are the one time of year everyone thinks about sending greeting cards. This time of year is also one of the most important times of year to send cards. These tips will help you get more referrals from your cards and avoid some common mistakes.
1. First and foremost business Christmas cards tend to go on display more than any other cards you send.
It doesn't matter if you send cards to other business professionals or to consumers we all like to display our them during the Holidays. We may put them on the office shelf, the office door, the cubicle wall, or our consumer clients will place them on the fireplace mantle, refrigerator, or book shelves.
Because our cards go on display we want to take extra special care and make them really stand out. This simple strategy is one of the easiest to ensure we get more referrals.
2. Whatever you do, don't be boring with your business Christmas cards.
Boring store bought cards won't ever be picked up and examined. I recommend putting extra special attention into creating a fun and unique custom Christmas card. You can use technology like Send Out Cards to make a fun card with your photos. Use a photo of the staff having fun instead of a simple logo. Human nature is that we're attracted to photos of people, especially if we are in the photos or know the people in the photos.
If you make it boring, no one is going to pick it up and ask "Who is this from?" How many opportunities like this do you get for a referral if you send a boring store bought Holiday card?
3. Send your cards early. Don't wait until the last minute!
What happens during the Holidays? Holiday parties! If your Christmas card is first, and it is fun and interesting, it will definitely go on display. When people come over for the Holiday party many more of them will see your card and have an opportunity to pick it up. If you send it late there may not be any room left on the shelf for your card. Not only that, but it may arrive after the Holiday parties are all done. By procrastinating and sending your card late you will have missed an opportunity for free referrals.
4. Send yourself a test card NOW.
Since we're talking about custom business Christmas cards it is important to send yourself a test now. Don't wait until the last minute. That way you have an opportunity to proof it and make changes before you send it to your clients. There is nothing worse than sending out 300 custom Christmas cards to clients only to realize you had an obvious misspelling or that your photos don't print correctly.
5. You'll have a lot more chances that your card will go on display if you use a vertical design instead of a horizontal one.
Since Christmas cards tend to go on display you want to make sure you don't use a horizontal design. Since horizontal cards tend to fall over easily they won't go on display as long. Additionally you can fit more vertical cards on a bookshelf or fireplace mantle so you'll have greater chances of it being selected to go on display.
6. Don't ask for referrals in your business Christmas cards.
If you ask for referrals in my Christmas card I know you really didn't "care" about me. I know you're only sending me this to try to get more referrals.
You want your clients to feel like you care about them. If you make them feel like you don't care then they won't trust you with referrals!
If you follow the advice outlined above you'll be making fun and interesting holiday cards and you will naturally get referrals from them. Just by having fun and letting your clients know you are a real person you will receive more referrals.
By Benjamin Fitts
Photography by Tomasz Tulik
Ben Fitts is a top distributor with Send Out Cards. This service allows you to create your own custom greeting cards from any computer (and some smartphones). The next day they will print your custom card, in your handwriting, with your photos, lick the stamp, stuff the envelope, and mail them for you. All for less than store bought cards. Try send out cards and send up to 3 complimentary greeting cards
+++
No comments:
Post a Comment