NFIB

Tis the Season -- All Year Long
03/ 22/ 2002

Many businesses today prepare special holiday greeting cards that include the business' name, along with a special message of holiday cheer. These allow companies to keep in touch with their most regular customers -- businesses and individuals -- while sending a feeling of warmth and care.

The trouble is, almost every company these days sends a holiday card -- many of which are beautifully designed and eye-catching. This means that any single card, such as the one you might send, can get lost in the sheer quantity. This is, of course, almost expected for Christmas cards these days. In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses offers a few suggestions for other special times of the year when cards to customers will allow you to stand out a little.

The major U.S. holidays for which business greeting cards would be appropriate are: Thanksgiving, The Fourth of July, St. Patrick's Day, and Dr. Martin Luther King Day. Cards specific to each of these days require messages uniquely suited to the occasion.

Thanksgiving business cards, clearly, should have a message focusing on appreciation of the many bounties one's business enjoys. The Fourth of July is a highly patriotic day, and messages should be aimed at appreciation of American traditions. St. Patrick's Day cards, in contrast, can be humorous, colorful, and even slightly offbeat, depending on your relationship with the customer. (Conservative humor is always safest.) Martin Luther King Day cards should contain a message that is uplifting and inspiring.

Valentines Day has become widely associated with the sending of greeting cards. But Valentines Day cards would be appropriate only for unique business relationships.

It seems too much of a stretch to send business cards on other major U.S. holidays: Veterans Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day.

Secretary's Day and Boss' Day cards are also a stretch, but can be sent with special offerings, such as: "10% off on Boss' Discount Day," or "Secretary's Day choice -- 10% off any item of your choice."

Local holidays are an excellent time for special business greeting cards. Some small towns, or a portion of a city, have special commemorative days, such as "Jessie James Day" during September in Northfield, Minnesota, or "Crazy Days" in small towns throughout the midwest. These special days usually come around every year, and present a good opportunity to contact your customers about sales or new offerings. As a final note, the sending of birthday cards to customers is one of the most dynamic, memorable, and effective of all marketing tools.

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