Mailboxes are
worse than the entertainment pages of the New York Times this time of year.
With all of the Christmas cards that everyone receives, how do you compete for
the receiver's attention?
Is your card really going to make an
impression? And in today's green-times, is it really worth a slice of a
Sequoia to send a card in such a cluttered environment?
Don't get me
wrong, I'm very grateful for the time people take to remember me, but sending
Christmas cards is like taking out an ABC in the New York Times. People
just keep doing it without realizing it isn't as effective as it may have been.
OK, I'll try and take my Scrooge hat off now and be a bit more constructive. Let's say you feel compelled to send cards to your clients, friends or family. Here are a few quick ideas on how to get your cards through the CCC (Christmas Card Clutter):
1. Be
First
Make sure your
card arrives before everyone else's. The day after Thanksgiving.
Or, if you really want to make an impression? Send it in
July.
2. Be
Last
Embrace your
procrastination and use it to your advantage. Send your card right after
people are clearing off their mantles so it arrives in their mailbox in
January, at the same time as their December credit card bills.
3. Make
It Personal
Speaks for
itself. Photos, letters (yes, even form letters), etc. Cards
usually wrap up a year, so take a moment to remind the recipient about a very
positive experience you shared at some point during the year.
4. Make
It Your Own With a Custom Design
Send fewer
letters and make a bigger impression for the same money with a custom design
that says what is unique about your company. If you're a vendor, send a
card that has your company's name or logo on the FRONT of the card. Think
about how cards are displayed on desks or mantles. It's never with the
signature on the outside. With the right design, Christmas cards can be
mini-billboards.
Can't afford a
designer and don't know how to work Photoshop? Do it old school and make
your cards like a 2nd grader. They'll stand out big time.
5.
Put Something In The Card
Include a
coupon. 10% off the client's first service in the New Year. A
coupon for a free hug. Whatever. But something that adds value to
the card (and can be tracked).
6. Don't
Send a Card
Send something
else. Again, spend a little more money on less people and make it
count. And make it something that doesn't get tossed out after the New
Year, but that will sit on a desk, constantly reminding that person of you.
Or send a one
dollar bill in a plain white envelope and with a post-it note attached that
says, "We have trouble picking out cards for our diverse client
list. Here's a dollar. Feel free to buy a card that suits you
best. Or buy a hot dog."
I realize that
people are shaking their head at me right now because I'm breaking down a
time-honored tradition of spreading joy into a marketing strategy. Shake
away, but here's the thing: everything we do in life is a form of
marketing. If
you get a new hair cut or buy a new suit, you're redesigning your brand's
image. If you send text messages or mass emails to friends, you're
engaging in direct response. Christmas cards are just another form of
marketing in our own lives.
And my point
is that if you're going to do it (like any form of advertising), do it
effectively.
Personally,
I'd rather my vendors and casual acquaintances save the paper and the postage
and make a $1 donation to a favorite
Do you have any ideas on how to break
through the CCC? Or have you received any great CCs that got your
attention? Email me and I'll post the best.
Please send a donation to Joyce Meyers Ministries.
Thank you for your generosity.
Posted by: Sandy | December 26, 2008 at 07:16 PM