5 Ways to Stand Out From the Crowd by Sending Cards at Thanksgiving

With the calendar’s annual lineup of holidays approaching, it's not unusual for a business owner to wonder: “should I send holiday cards this year?” While making the decision, it's natural to ponder the benefits of spending the time and money on such an activity.

Does it really make that much of a difference?

The short answer is yes. Businesses, both large and small, still send greeting cards to their customers for many reasons, but mainly because they've found that customers still appreciate the gesture. One of the newer trends is sending Thanksgiving cards, which means your greetings will arrive before the glut of Christmas and New Years cards sent by other businesses saturate customer’s mailboxes.

Here are some tips on sending your Thanksgiving greeting cards, with good business etiquette in mind:

1. Sending an e-card or emailing your thanks is just not the same as receiving a real card in the mail—and EVERYONE knows it. Make the effort to send cards through the mail, and make sure they are mailed in plenty of time for the recipient to receive them before the holiday.
2. Buy the best quality greeting cards you can afford. It truly makes a difference to the receiver. And if your customer is the type who displays their cards, don't you want their associates to think of you as a classy card kind of company? Remember, sending greeting cards is an investment in your company’s future.
3. One of the advantages to sending Thanksgiving cards is there's nothing controversial associated with it—Thanksgiving has no religious connections, so you don't run the risk of offending anyone. To be extra safe, avoid sending humorous cards.
4. If you're ordering printed cards, it's fine to have your name, position, and company name printed on the cards. It's a nice touch to add your personal signature inside the card. Just remember that the envelopes should be handwritten, using proper titles (Dr., Mr., Mrs., etc.). If you’re going to all the trouble to add a personal touch, complete the job by making sure you're spelling everyone’s name correctly. And use a real stamp, please.
5. The holiday season is a natural time to tell clients, customers, and other business associates that you appreciate them. Along with a card, you can also add a handwritten personal note, which will emphasize that fact. If you need some help composing a note, try this excellent article by Lynn Gaertner-Johnson, author of Business Writing with Heart.

Thanksgiving cards are a thoughtful gesture that might help pull in some of that much-needed December business, so give some serious thought to mailing cards to your customers this year.