Some people might think that sending out holiday cards to their clients is outdated. The truth is that it is an incredible opportunity to create a meaningful touchpoint with your clients to make them feel valued and keep them engaged with your brand. The key is to be sincere and creative. Luckily, with modern direct mail and direct mail automation, creating personalized, substantive holiday mailers is easier than ever!
Want to know how to make the most of your holiday season messaging? Here's how to stand out from the competition, earn customer loyalty, and have fun along the way.
Don't Just Send an E-Card
Seriously, the best way to waste this opportunity is by sending cookie-cutter emails in mass. The fact is that direct mail makes customers feel more valued than receiving an email from your company. So much so that seventy-three percent of customers say that they prefer direct mail as an advertising method, while 57% say that receiving direct mail makes them feel more valued. Take advantage of the power of direct mail to amplify the impact of your holiday greetings. Plus, open rates for emails are incredibly low, so it's unlikely that your clients would even look at your e-cards. With postcard-style direct mail, your clients will have to look at the cards even just to see what they are. That means you can be sure not to miss this chance to connect with each client.
It's important to show that you actually care when sending a holiday card to your customers if you want the cards to support your brand and advance your client relationships, so don't just throw together a quick e-card that they'll know is mass-produced and impersonal. Personalized direct mail campaigns are easy to set up with modern day automation, but will still make your customers feel as though you've gone to more effort to show your appreciation for them. Plus, you'll stand out from the other companies that settled for e-cards.
Be Sincere, But Not Cheesy
Your holiday message should be about your clients, not about your company. Avoid shameless self-promotion and the temptation to brand every inch of your cards. Customers like to feel valued, and hate feeling like you're just trying to sell them something. At the same time, they also know why you're sending them a holiday card. So it's important to strike the right balance and deliver a heartfelt thanks and well-wishes without going overboard and making them feel like you are full of it.
While it is important to keep the message about your clients, they'll expect you to promote your company. This is a marketing opportunity – you know it and they know it. So don't be afraid to market to them, so long as you do it the right way. People like to include their achievements in their family holiday cards; science fair projects, promotions, entering a new school year, the list is unfortunately endless. Why shouldn't your company do the same thing? Throw in references to what you've accomplished, or hope to accomplish in the coming year, to help your clients.
Another good way to market your business while genuinely thanking your customers is to include offers in your holiday cards. Depending on your type of business, you can include discount codes in your holiday cards as a special gift or thank-you to loyal customers.
Learn how to get started automating direct mail efforts and drive more traffic to your online content.
Take Advantage of Modern Direct Mail
Direct mail is a different tool today than it was a generation, or even a decade, ago. There are more options than ever to stand out from the crowd and engage your audience. The two that can help you up your holiday card game the most are automation and online integration.
Using a direct mail automation system, linked to your marketing and CRM systems, you can create hyper-personalized mailers with ease. You can follow up on each client or lead's previous actions and tailor your message to the level and length of their commitment to your brand or to their stage in the sales funnel. You don't want to send someone who signed up for your mailing list last week a holiday card thanking them for being such a loyal customer! And you might want to include special thanks or exclusive content to your “VIP” customers.
Automated mailings based on templates also make it easy to include the client's name in the message, and make the message from their specific sales rep or main contact in your organization. You can even include their social media profile picture and company logos in the card, to instantly grab their attention. If you're including discount codes in your holiday cards, customize them based on each customer's past transactions. The discount will make them feel more appreciated, and be more likely to trigger a repeat purchase, if it's for their favorite product.
Online integration, powered by your automation platform, can make your holiday cards even more effective. You can include unique access codes on each mailer that allow your clients to load holiday-themed pages or even holiday-themed JibJab videos that provide added value while making them engage with your brand. Let your clients design their own digital snow-globes or e-cards to send to friends – even physical holiday cards if you have the budget. They'll have fun, appreciate your efforts, and even promote your brand to others when they send the cards. The possibilities for creative follow-through are endless.
Are You Ready to Impress Your Clients This Holiday Season?
With direct mail automation platforms like Enthusem, it's easier than ever to send personalized holiday cards to your clients to share your gratitude, build your brand, and earn their loyalty. Take a look at our 2018 designs right here.
Want to learn how direct mail can also help you generate more leads for your agency? Click below to download our informative eGuide.
