Following up: Send a Christmas Card

Are you sending a christmas card to your networking contacts or customers?

I love receiving a personalised Christmas card and therefore one of my standard tools in my “following up tool-box” is to send a personal christmas cards to a list of priority contacts (it would be impossible to send one to all my contacts). If you haven’t previously considered sending a christmas card to your contacts – perhaps you might like to give it a go this year and make it a regular thing? Sending cards to customers and clients is a great way to show you care,and put your name and your company’s name back in their mind / on their radar ready for the new year.  Use can also use personal messages in your cards to include a personal message of well-wishing and a thank you for their support over the last year.

Here are some tips for choosing and sending your Christmas cards:

• Choose a high-quality card. that has a neutral design but which stands out from the crowd. I personally love receiving well designed corporate cards, that have a personal touch.
• The tone of the card should match your relationship with the individual, keep it professional, but not boring. It is important that you try and keep it personal.
• Your message should be personal and positive.
• Don’t be too salesy. As mentioned above – your message should be personal, on tone with your professional relationship. I am personally not a fan of business cards in the envelope, the only exception to this is where my details have changed. However, with an appropriately personal it may not come across as too salesy. Definitely, don’t include business/corporate flyers.
• Handwrite if possible. This adds a personal touch. If you don’t have time to handwrite each card, at least make sure you sign each card personally.
• Before sending check you have the correct contact details.
• Send your card on time. If you know that the individual is planning on being out of the office over the Christmas period, make sure you send it at the beginning of the month so that they get it before they disappear for the holidays.

Stuck with what to write? Here are some template suggestions.