Rules to Follow When Sending Holiday Cards to Clients

Sending holiday cards to clients is a great way to bolster professional relationships; the wrong card, however, may do the exact opposite. If you pick a greeting card with a crude joke, for example, the recipient might find it offensive and look on you with less favor. During the holidays, it’s more advisable to send out cards with generic and straightforward messages like “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays.”

That said, generic greeting cards have a tendency to be impersonal; for this reason, you may want to personalize the card by adding a short, handwritten message. This small personal gesture will make the recipient feel more appreciated since you took the time to personally sign it. Just make sure that you spell the client’s name correctly. After all, how can you expect clients to continue doing business with you if you can’t even spell their names correctly?

According to Mallary Jean Tenore, managing editor of the Poynter Institute’s website, a person’s name is attached to his or her identity, which is why anyone whose name is misspelled would feel slighted. To show that you really care, take the time to double check the exact spelling of the client or recipient’s name. Titles are also important when addressing clients, so be sure to always add a Mr, Ms, or Mrs—whatever the case may be—before the client’s name, for formality’s sake.

Greeting Cards: A Better, More Personal Way to Show Your Appreciation

As technology evolves at an increasingly faster rate, things that were once considered cutting-edge quickly become obsolete. For example, more people now stay in touch through e-mail rather than rely on snail mail. Mobile phones are quickly overtaking landlines, although the latter still remains widely used in corporate settings. Modern communication methods have undoubtedly become handier—something that can, strangely enough, be considered both boon and bane.

These days, if you want to greet or thank somebody, all you need to do is send an email or an SMS that reaches the recipient almost instantly. You no longer need to buy postage stamps or wait for days or weeks before your letter gets delivered. In a matter of seconds—depending on the quality of your wireless connection, of course—your greeting finds its way into your recipient’s inbox.

However, while modern technology has enabled speedy communication, it may occasionally feel a tad too impersonal because there is less effort involved. In form, at least, even a well-crafted email or SMS does not provide quite the same personal touch as a beautiful greeting card, particularly one that has been that’s custom made for the recipient. In a business setting, meanwhile, custom hand-signed corporate greeting cards can help enhance relations.