Inbound Marketing and the Holidays

Does your business distribute holiday greetings to its clients or customers? And, does your business distribute holiday greetings to prospective clients or customers? It’s amazing to me that there are companies who don’t have holiday greetings as a part of their marketing plan.

Why should your business send greeting cards or e-cards?

Why do you invest your precious time, talent, and treasure on any other marketing strategies – to build top of mind awareness! And this goal is equally important whether it’s an existing client or a prospective one.

The holiday season is now upon us.

Right now, it is time to prepare your list, craft your design (or hire a firm like Zen Marketing to custom design one for you), and send a polished, sophisticated e-card to those important to your business health.

If you are a DIY’er here are some best practices tips in creating a memorable e-card, one that your customers will really want to read, and proudly display in their offices.

Is Your Plan Ready?

Getting an early start is good, but even on December 1^st there is still time. Just don’t wait until the 15^th to begin your design selection process and hope to have it delivered in time. Determine the type of e-card you want to send today! Whether printed or electronic, holiday cards enhance relationships with your customers and prospects by showing them that you care enough to remember- a card that’s thrown together won’t provide this benefit.

Thank All Of Your Contacts.

People like to be appreciated and by highlighting this you encourage them to think about the wonderful service and products your company provides. One fun tactic to garbner attention is to build in a contest or promotion into your holiday card marketing.

If your e-card recipients know they’re automatically entered for a prize (or of you tell them how to enter) you will create excitement. But keep in mind that this a greeting card not a sales pitch. So, focus on the greetings of the season warm and less on the capturing of more sales.

Ideally, your goal should be an e-card (or greeting card) that is memorable, exciting, or humorous. And remember to be creative and strive to get the right message.

Know your audience.

Depending on who you’re sending cards or e-cards to, you may want to divide your email or postal lists into segments, such as existing customers, prospective ones, perhaps even former customers, and especially referral sources. If you segment your email distribution list, consider changing the graphic and message design to be relevant to each group. If you try to send to everyone the message has to be bland and generic to relate to all groups and that is less effective.

Trying to Stay Within a Limited Budget?

E-cards are less expensive than printing and posting a greeting card, because… well, you save on printing and postage costs. An e-card lets you take advantage of moderate resolution graphics effectively or even embed video along with your message, and you can do so with a reasonable capital allotment.

You can send e-cards or greeting cards for holidays, to give thanks to customers, remember birthdays, or just let your contacts know you’re thinking of them. Instead of sending another boring email, try extending your marketing presence by sending e-card s and greeting cards.

Here are some other tips…

When you don’t have time to custom design a great greeting card, outsource it to a marketing company with a great design team. They can usually provide the mailing services as well, making it easy for your company to focus on the work at hand.

Another option is to use one of the many great graphic artists who offer e-cards via the internet. Our firm often relies on Jacquie Lawson. Jacquie is a well established English artist whose e-cards are engaging and offer terrific music with the visual beauty.

It is very inexpensive, although you cannot upload a list using this site (they abhor commercialism and don’t want to be perceived as a mass mailing house). But once you’ve established your list it is fun and easy to spot-send people cards for specific events or Holidays.

Using humor in business relationships can be tricky, but JibJab cards often have us laughing out loud.

They are renowned for their politically satirical cards but have a broad offering of birthday and holiday themes as well.

In conclusion, use special events like the Holidays to build on your marketing efforts and improve your company's top of mind awareness.