Boring Christmas Cards

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bigbluebox

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Jan 14, 2008
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  • #1
    Every year we send branded xmas cards to our top 150 customers. However as a company promoting 'green' working and wanting to reduce expenditure wherever possible, I want to do something different this year in place of the boring xmas cards.

    Does anyone have any novel ideas?!

    Many thanks!!

    P.S. We are a telecoms company by the way.
     
    fisicx

    fisicx

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  • #3
    Don't send any christmas cards. They all go in the bin anyway so why bother. It's a pointless marketing exercise as no one takes the slightest notice of the things - especially anything branded.
     
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    papverpoppies

    papverpoppies

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  • #4
    bigbluebox said:
    Every year we send branded xmas cards to our top 150 customers. However as a company promoting 'green' working and wanting to reduce expenditure wherever possible, I want to do something different this year in place of the boring xmas cards.

    Does anyone have any novel ideas?!

    Many thanks!!

    P.S. We are a telecoms company by the way.
    Click to expand...

    Email all concerned and tell them that you are buying a tree this year, from the money usually spent on cards, in order to help environmental issues.

    Obtain said permission for planting, and 1 lasting project (that will not be thrown away) has lift off - which far more people can see and enjoy over countless years - you could even get a plaque stating your company donated the tree.

    Poppy xx
     
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    captaincloser

    captaincloser

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  • #9
    I am not a printer or in any way touting for your business but can assure you that pesonalised original and/or funny Christmas card for 150 clients certainly do work. They work very indeed if they are memorable.

    Spend money on this and be creative. A cartoon associated to your business works well and it does not even have to have any Christmas connotation..Just something that raises a smile with your own handwritten greeting inside.

    A job lot of cards from the equivalent of Woolworths depicting christmas trees or carol singers will get you recognition but not as you would wish I'm sure.This type of approach is awful and better to do nothing.:)
     
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    pdhulme

  • #10
    I think the greeting cards business has made literally £Billions out of companies at Christmas. The fear of NOT sending a card to a supplier, not matter how big or valuable they are, in case they feel 'left out'? seems to mean that you send average stuff to ALL of your customers.

    I am a big believer in the 80/20 principle. Therefore send your top 20% of customers something fantastic and memorable and the other 80% 'just something'??

    FULL DISCLOSURE - My business creates fantastic, memorable and MASSIVE personalised messages, So I am biased. But the 80/20 rule applies perfectly in this case because Xmas is an open door to speak to your clients. Make it pay
     
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    captaincloser

    captaincloser

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  • #12
    If you cannot afford a very good,original, funny or memoraable Christmas card for ALL your customers and your best new prospects personally signed by their contact within your company...then send nothing.

    If you don't have the time, if you don't have the energy, then also send nothing

    If you dont have the 'budget', if you don't have the 'eye' for a good card then also send nothing.

    Oh...and if 'they never sent you one' or if you just can't be fagged...send nothing.

    That's the 80-20 principle in Action in offices up and down the country. The key is to spend good money on good cards and signed with a P-e-n not a biro,not a pencil, not a company stamp and not by the temp.

    Everyone from directors down have a list of must send cards. They should choose their own cards...write their owm messages but of course they don't have the time blah blah...


    Make the time. It works.
    From one who has made it work for 20 years and has no connection with the Christmas card industry except as a patron.

    That's the 80/20 principle as it relates to a small part of business-Christmas Cards to your existing clients and soon-to-be-clients.

    Don't forget the card can be anything just delivered around Xmas but the card needs to good and punchy/funny..Your message makes it a christmas card and often a memorable one.

    Dont even think of not sending to those who give you money ! Whatever their status.
     
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    patientlady

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    Aug 25, 2009
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  • #14
    captaincloser said:
    I am not a printer or in any way touting for your business but can assure you that pesonalised original and/or funny Christmas card for 150 clients certainly do work. They work very indeed if they are memorable.

    Spend money on this and be creative. A cartoon associated to your business works well and it does not even have to have any Christmas connotation..Just something that raises a smile with your own handwritten greeting inside.

    A job lot of cards from the equivalent of Woolworths depicting christmas trees or carol singers will get you recognition but not as you would wish I'm sure.This type of approach is awful and better to do nothing.:)
    Click to expand...
    Sorry for repeating this on here, but for the past four years I have designed a Christmas card around the staff and superimposed our faces. Yr 1 Rudolfs, Yr2 Xmas toys, Yr 3 Elfs', Yr 4 Santas (I had not heard of jib jab at the time) but now they are very helpful and they will be assisting this year again... Our customers ASK US when is our card arriving!
     
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    papverpoppies

    papverpoppies

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  • #17
    bigbluebox said:
    Thanks guys, has given me something to think about. I like the idea for the tree, and from a selfish point of view could be a good PR story too...!
    Click to expand...

    Not as lasting.......but you could try donating a Christmas Tree to some local hospital, town centre or whatever, that would get some good PR.

    Good Luck

    Poppy xx
     
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    captaincloser

    captaincloser

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  • #18
    patientlady said:
    Sorry for repeating this on here, but for the past four years I have designed a Christmas card around the staff and superimposed our faces. Yr 1 Rudolfs, Yr2 Xmas toys, Yr 3 Elfs', Yr 4 Santas (I had not heard of jib jab at the time) but now they are very helpful and they will be assisting this year again... Our customers ASK US when is our card arriving!
    Click to expand...

    Spot on. Congratulations-this is exactly what to do .

    A psychologist would agree that including your team in the fun works well for your clients and your team . Staff that can be this light-hearted will be popular with clients and no surprise people ask you when their card is arriving.
    :)
     
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    Textlocal

    Textlocal

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  • #19
    How about a mobile greetings card? Here are a few ideas: http://www.lightningcards.co.uk/christmas.html

    I put those together myself a while ago, but I am no artist...!! If you have ideas for artwork then I can do much better now, and would charge you just 15p per card - much less than a paper one, and it works well with your "green" angle and telecoms! :)

    Thanks.

    Al



    bigbluebox said:
    Every year we send branded xmas cards to our top 150 customers. However as a company promoting 'green' working and wanting to reduce expenditure wherever possible, I want to do something different this year in place of the boring xmas cards.

    Does anyone have any novel ideas?!

    Many thanks!!

    P.S. We are a telecoms company by the way.
    Click to expand...
     
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    DesignerNick

    DesignerNick

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    Apr 22, 2009
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  • #22
    pdhulme said:
    I think the greeting cards business has made literally £Billions out of companies at Christmas. The fear of NOT sending a card to a supplier, not matter how big or valuable they are, in case they feel 'left out'? seems to mean that you send average stuff to ALL of your customers.

    I am a big believer in the 80/20 principle. Therefore send your top 20% of customers something fantastic and memorable and the other 80% 'just something'??

    FULL DISCLOSURE - My business creates fantastic, memorable and MASSIVE personalised messages, So I am biased. But the 80/20 rule applies perfectly in this case because Xmas is an open door to speak to your clients. Make it pay
    Click to expand...

    I have seen one of these Massive Messages, they are very effective :)
     
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    I

    iArtist

  • #23
    I created this Xmas card myself today. My 8yr old came up with the gag! :)

    reindeer.jpg
     
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    Lorro2

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    Dec 29, 2009
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  • #26
    Seems an absurd waste of time, energy and resourses to be sending out 150 Christmas cards. Think of the beautiful forests of Douglas Fir, Spruce and larch trees that have to be felled, transprted to a pulping mill and coverted into cardboard at great cost to the environment. We are in the internat age so send e cards and will cost you virtually nothing and will help save the planet.
     
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    I

    iArtist

  • #27
    Lorro2 said:
    Seems an absurd waste of time, energy and resourses to be sending out 150 Christmas cards. Think of the beautiful forests of Douglas Fir, Spruce and larch trees that have to be felled, transprted to a pulping mill and coverted into cardboard at great cost to the environment. We are in the internat age so send e cards and will cost you virtually nothing and will help save the planet.
    Click to expand...

    Might contribute to saving the planet but thousands would be jobless and starving.
     
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