With the advent of email, video and online software and the increase in postage costs, sending a physical greets card to your business associates at Christmas time seems to have fallen out of fashion.  BUT we argue this is why you should consider sending greetings cards, and here’s our top seven tips:

1. Make it personal! Wherever possible include a handwritten note whether it’s thanking your clients for their business over the last year, promising to catch up in the New Year, or just wishing them Seasons Greetings – they will appreciate the thought.
2. Plan in advance, have something designed that’s unique and stands out. Get yourself noticed.
3. Don’t wait until the last minute to post. Sending in the first week of December usually guarantees that it gets seen BEFORE the Xmas break and sits on the desk or bookshelf longer.  A greeting card that arrives after mid-December, may not be seen until your contact returns to work in January.
4. Don’t use the card to sell your services.
5. Always send to the business address even if you know your clients personal address.
6. Make it a “Seasons Greetings” card rather than a Merry Christmas – remember not everybody celebrates religious holidays.
7. If you miss the boat for the Christmas holidays, think about a Happy New Year card, to land on their desk for when they return back to work in January.

A well thought out greeting card will let your clients and contacts know that you value their business relationship, but don’t leave it to the last minute to get organised.