It’s August, Do You Know Where Your Company Holiday Cards are?

We know what you might be thinking – holiday cards? In August? Are you freakin’ crazy?! But let us explain why hot August days are the right time to plan for that cool December greeting. The holidays can get crazy. Getting through the inevitable pre-holiday work surge is hard enough without adding the drama of getting out a timely holiday greeting. (And heck, if TJ Maxx can hawk Halloween decor when it’s 101˚, we can start holiday card planning).

Here’s what you can do with this abundance of pre-holiday leisure time:

Think strategy

Whether you’re sending to current clients or potential partners, a card is an opportunity to make a lasting impression. Be thoughtful about the message you want to send and find a theme that reflects it. Are you trying to stay top-of-mind with loyal customers? Are you looking to thank key partners? Do you just want to generate a smile or a guffaw? (We're big fans of the unexpected guffaw.) Decide what you want to convey and then figure out a style that helps you do it well. From cute and memorable to vintage and heartfelt, there are endless ways to approach your holiday card.

Identifying your strategy with your team (even if that team is just you) will make the final product much more effective and rewarding. After all, if you’re going to bother doing it, may as well do it well. Here are a few of our favorite cards from the EG archives.

Avoid last-minute panic

Don’t you love the panic and chaos of last-minute gift shopping? You don’t? Well, there’s no need to get into that unsavory head space with your holiday cards. Leaving things to the last minute means you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to potential delays caused by supply chain issues, and delayed shipping times. That’s right, supply chain problems aren’t just for baby formula and microchips. We’ve run into challenges printing for our clients in the past few years, so we know just how frustrating it can be.

Make your list and check it twice

After all the effort you just put into making those holly jolly holiday cards, make sure you’re sending them to the right people. That might include current clients and partners, a group you’d like to work with, consultants, vendors, and friends. Ideally, you’ve been keeping a running list throughout the year of folks you want to connect with, but if you haven’t, there’s no time like the present (to clarify, as we have no idea when you’ll be reading this blog, the present is August or months ahead of intended delivery).

Know when to say "Uncle!"

Creating a successful holiday card strategy can seem a little overwhelming, but with some thought and planning you can get those cards ready for the holiday season. Then again, if it all just seems like TOO MUCH! — call a friend for help. We do holiday cards for clients too.