Although Christmas may seem a long way off, it will be soon approaching, meaning it is never to early to begin making appropriate plans. Most of us know that leaving our Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve will result in a blind panic around the shops, however many businesses leave their Christmas plans until the last minute too.
If your business is planning on sending out Christmas cards it is important to start preparing early, especially if these cards need to be signed by members of staff. As a guide, it is advisable to start designing cards in October, so that they can be sent to the printing house early in November, which then means that staff can sign them during November, allowing plenty of time for distribution during December.
The design of the card is obviously important and many businesses choose to have specially customised cards. There are however a few considerations:
- bear in mind your audience and the nature of the business before deciding on a humorous or traditional design
- is it appropriate to include a company message/play on words or joke or is a simple ‘Seasons Greetings’ message a safer bet?
- unless your organisation has strong religious ties, it is advisable to err on the side of caution if your cards are going to a diverse audience
- corporate logos on Christmas cards can be too much – don’t feel the need to incorporate them in to the design as it can often look tacky. Include on the inside or the back if you have to.
Finally, it goes without saying that it is important to consider the quantity of cards needed. Some companies only send cards to their customers and others send to all suppliers and staff. However, in our experience it is always beneficial to have a reserve stock of cards just in case you need to return any unexpected Christmas wishes!
