Living Entrepreneurship Blog / Babson Entrepreneurs

Direct Marketing with Holiday Cards

There are many types of direct marketing strategies, but some of the most effective campaigns are the ones that don’t look like direct marketing. Holiday cards are still a time-honored tradition between friends and family, even in the Internet age this is a popular way stay in touch. Consider using a custom printed holiday card as part of your direct marketing concept. The holiday card can be most effective when it is designed with the company logo featured in an eye-catching way, but not as the centerpiece of the mailing. Holiday cards should look like a personal touch rather than a mass mailing. Small and medium-sized businesses should try to have the holiday cards hand-signed where possible.

It’s possible to add the look of a personal touch even if you can’t spare the time to have the cards hand signed. Include the signature of a prominent name in the company as part of the graphic design of the holiday card. You can even order some special address labels to put on the holiday cards that include this person’s name. Seeing the name on the return address label and the accompanying signature gives the card a more personal feel. For the personalized touch from a team, consider including a group photo and signatures included in the graphic design of your holiday cards. The return address labels can include the name of your team instead of a single person.

Some holiday cards are actually more effective without the personal touch. A great example of this is the card that offers a discount on goods or services when presented at the time of sale. This turns the holiday card into a “gift” from your company and offers an incentive for the customer to return to you. Are you trying to track the effectiveness of your direct mailing strategies? One way to do this with your holiday cards is to offer a discount or incentive with an expiration date and a redemption code. When it comes time to collate the number of cards and redemption codes used, you can see how many cards came back to you and the dates the redemption codes were used.

For some companies, the simplest approach may be best. A simple card which says “happy holidays” and offers the company logo and website information on the return address label is sometimes the best strategy. It all depends on the mindset of your customers.