The Company Christmas Card – A Ghost of Christmas Past or a Tradition to Preserve?

It’s that time of year again, and alongside discussing if Yorkshire pudding should be on the Christmas table, there is often a debate as to whether to send out a corporate Christmas card. As a print supplier, obviously we are going to say you should, but we thought we’d outline some of the reasons why sending out a beautiful piece of print at this time of year is an important part of your client communications.

Why should we send a company Christmas card?

On a simple level, spreading good cheer by sending a card is a nice thing to do.  Far more friendly than email, printed cards help you to connect with your customers and suppliers on a more personal level. A card also gives you the opportunity to include a hand-written note if you wish to. You might want to thank your most important contacts for something specific, congratulate them on an achievement this year or wish them luck with a goal you are aware of.

As a marketing tool, a company card helps you stand out from other brands and suppliers and increases customer loyalty. It is a cost-effective way to make your customers feel special, remind them that you value you them and thank them for their business.

Alongside your regular contacts, you might want to send your card to people you haven’t worked with for a while.  After a couple of years of disruption, a card is a really easy way to get noticed by someone you may not have been in contact with for a while and remind them that you’d still like to work with them.

What type of image should be on a company Christmas card?

We can help you come up with the best idea for what to put on your card. There are so many creative and interesting styles to make your card stand out from all the rest. Our team can work with you to produce your own bespoke cards, with die cut shapes and foiling – let your imagination run wild!   You could choose a carefully chosen image chosen image that reflects your brand, or do what we do and commission an illustrator to come up with a unique design.

We would be more than happy to have a chat with you about what could work and help you choose the appropriate paper stock and finishing to really make your card individual. This blog from back in 2016 talks about how we choose the illustration for our own Christmas card.

What should the greeting be? 

If you are not sure that Christmas greetings will be appropriate for all your clients, you could keep the message on the card more generic and wish them Seasons Greetings or Happy Holidays. Or avoid the issue and send a New Year card instead.

Should you also give a corporate gift or calendar?

For some of your clients, you may also want to send a small gift. Food and drink are always welcome but another way to make an impression that we can help with, is to send out a company calendar that will stay on your client’s desk all year.

Our own calendars are now a firm tradition. Since 2014, we have worked with final-year BA Illustration students at Falmouth University each year, to give them experience of responding to a live brief. The result is always a stunning set of original designs, presented on sustainable paper stock, that decorates the desks of professionals across the UK in publishing, manufacturing, and the creative industries for the year ahead.  Why not do the same?

What about charitable donations?

We frequently see emails from companies at Christmas that state something along the lines of “we have decided to donate to charity this year, rather than send a card.”  Why not do both?  Christmas cards can be more cost-effective than you think and we can help you design yours to include a message to say that you have also donated to your chosen charity this Christmas.

Is a Christmas Card eco-friendly?

As a Carbon Balanced Printer, sustainability is part of everything we do.

Our Eco Greetings Cards are printed on 100% recycled card that is certified as being responsibly sourced by the Forest Stewardship Council, chlorine-free and carbon balanced.

Even if you would like to keep things sparkly, we keep our foiling process as eco-friendly as possible. The foil we use is so incredibly thin that cards containing it can be recycled and we recycle any waste foil to make sure no foil ends up landfill. Read more about Foiling and Recyclability on our blog.

When do I need to order company Christmas cards?

Ideally you would like your company Christmas card to arrive some time in December, before your customers break for Christmas. If you are planning to write and address the cards yourself, then do leave enough time for that. If not, then we can also help with mailing.

We can usually turn cards around within a week or so, so do get in touch soon to get started. Calendars can take a little longer but could arrive in early January if you have left it a bit late for Christmas.  Give us a call on 01726 624900 or drop us an email to info@sapc.co.uk and we’ll help you make a plan.