By Bita Porubsky
As of October 1, there are 1,285 rows of data on my Excel spreadsheet. While generally the thought of opening an Excel spreadsheet can seem, uh … less than riveting at best, this particular spreadsheet is different – it’s special. My spreadsheet wasn’t built to extrapolate statistics, generate sums and averages, or create charts. My spreadsheet has one purpose – to help deliver holiday cheer to the clients we’ve had the pleasure of working with this past year. I pay special attention to this spreadsheet, making sure that there are no duplicate entries, no spelling mistakes, no recently-deceased spouses names on it. Last name – check. First name – check. Address – check. City, state, and zip – check.
Those of us with careers in marketing and communications know that planning for the holidays is something that begins way earlier than we’d like it to, dare I say in September (gasp!), and that this planning usually starts with ironing out details for your company holiday card. But what we may not fully appreciate after years of doing it is why these cards matter. Do people even care?! The answer is yes. Here’s why:
1. The people on your list are important. Here’s something we know about clients – you never know what kind of personalities they will have. They may be big spenders, frugal-penny-pinchers, super adventurous, super conservative, straight laced, rule breakers, by-the-book, a joy to have around, or a real wet blanket. Regardless of what kind of client they are, they are your client and this makes them important. They’ve chosen you over your competitors, and you can never forget the importance of that.
2. The cards you send say something about your company. Companies invest lots of resources into building a brand persona, and your holiday card is an extension of that. This is a chance to do something that your company loves, not something that your client has hired you to do. Your marketing department may love illustrations, funny photos, clever copy, great printing techniques – maybe all the above! Whatever it is you want to do, do it. This project is about you!
3. Your card is an opportunity to get more eyes on your brand. As marketers, let’s just admit it – we are not above a little shameless self-promotion! Putting together a smokin’ hot holiday card means it’s more than likely going to get on the front counter at your client’s office building or put on display at your client’s home. People who don’t know your brand will notice it, heck they may even pick it up! We’re always looking for ways to get in front of more people, so play up that holiday spirit!
Alright … so now that we have made the case, and hopefully agree, that holiday cards matter and that people like them, let’s look at a few examples and break down why they’re successful.
Regardless of what approach you take with your company holiday card, just be sure it’s authentic, appropriate for your audience, and genuine. Put time and effort into it, because good work gets good exposure, and good exposure means more people will pay for the good work that you do! Yay, employment!
We love checking out new inspiration and ideas in our community, so go ahead, share your holiday cards with us! Maybe it’s a favorite that you and your team have created, or a favorite that someone has sent you – whatever it is, we’re excited to check it out!