When it comes to holiday greeting cards to send or not send often is the question. Having decided in the affirmative, you then need to determine who to include in your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope.
There are lots of reasons for sending those holiday cards. You might want to improve your current business relationships, attract new customers, remind old clients that you exist or show appreciation to those who have faithfully supported you during the year. Which is obviously a well-meaning gesture can actually offend the people you want to impress when it is done correctly.
The first place to start is with a good quality paper to show that the value of your customers and colleagues. Failing to selection can be interpreted in various ways. The recipients might take it as a sign that business was not good or not worth a little extra investment on your part.
Make sure the list is up-to-date with correct names and current addresses. If you do this on a regular basis, does not become a dreaded holiday task. As you gain new clients and contacts throughout the year, take some time to add them to your database and mark them for your greeting card group. In this way you will not overlook anyone or embarrass yourself by sending the card to the old address.
Sign each card personally. Even if you have preprinted information such as your name on the card - which is an impressive detail - you need to add your signature. The most elegant cards should still have your personal signature and a short handwritten message or greeting. Sound like a lot of trouble? If the business or the relationship is worth it, so the extra effort. This is your chance to connect personally with your customers and colleagues.
Take the time to handwrite the address as well. If you are ready to throw up your hands at this point and forget the project, then someone else address the envelopes for you. Whatever you do, do not use computer generated labels. Are impersonal and make your holiday wishes look like a mass mailing. You can also save time and money, but losing a customer or a colleague in the process.
You may mail your greeting to the house if you know the business person socially. Be sure to include your spouse's name in this case. The card is not sent to the husband and wife business address unless they both work there.
Whether you are addressing the envelope to a person or a couple, titles should always be used. E '"Mr. John Doe," not "John Doe" or "Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, rather that" John and Mary Doe. "
Being sensitive to religious and cultural traditions of the people to whom you're sending your cards. Find out if they observe Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanzaa and make sure that the message is appropriate for each individual. If you decide to go with one card and only one message for all, choose a generic that does not offend. "Happy Holidays" and "Happy Holidays" are both safe bets.
Mail your greetings in time to arrive for the party responsible. If you find yourself addressing the envelopes on Super Bowl Sunday, keep the cards until next year and send a note of high quality thanking people for their activities during the previous year instead. The best way to avoid last farewell race is to have all the envelopes addressed before Thanksgiving. Then in December we can safely write a short message - one or two lines are all that is required on each card, sign your name and mail them for a minimum of discomfort.
Now you have all the time in the world for shopping, cooking, decorating and celebrating that accompany the holiday season.
*************************************************
Additional suggestions to remedy Envelopes
If you are going to address your holiday greeting cards or party invitations to business and are confused about the proper way to do it, you are not alone. There are situations that we had not considered before. There are more women with professional titles, increasing the number of women who retain their maiden name after marriage, and couples choosing alternative accommodation. The simple act of addressing an envelope has become very complicated. Here are some tips to cover most of those demanding dilemmas.
Always write titles on the envelope. The card or invitation goes to "Mr. John Smith," not "John Smith". And 'addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith" instead of "John and Mary Smith."
When you address a pair of titles use, rather than professional initials. E '"Dr. John and Mrs. Smith," not "John Smith, MD and Mrs. Smith."
If both husband and wife are doctors, he writes, "Doctors Smith." However, if they use different surnames, speak to you the envelope to "Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Brown." The husband's name comes first.
If the wife is a doctor and her husband is not, you send the invitation to "Mr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Smith."
Try to have everything on one line. When the husband has an unusually long name, the title of wife and name are indented and written on the second line:
The Honorable Jonathon Richardson Staniskowsky
and Mrs. Staniskowsky
When a couple is not married and share a common address, their names are written on separate lines alphabetically and not connected with the word "and".
Ms Mary Brown
Mr. John Smith
When the woman outranks her husband, his name is written first. E '"Mary Major Smith and John Smith, Lieutenant."
Note: The man is always written first unless the wife outranks him or if the couple is unmarried and her last name precedes his alphabetically. So much for "Ladies first."
(C) 2004, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved in all media.
No comments:
Post a Comment