Holiday Card Etiquette

The 8 Rules of Business Greeting Card Etiquette

1. Buy Quality Cards:

Show that you value your clients and colleagues. Your recipients might take it as a sign that business has not been good or that they aren’t worth a little investment.

2. Update Your List: Make sure your list is up-to-date with correct names and addresses.

3. Sign Cards Personally: Even if you have preprinted information on the business greeting card such as your name, you need to add your handwritten signature. The most elegant business greeting cards should have your personal signature and a short handwritten message.

4. Handwrite the Address: Don’t use computer-generated labels. They are impersonal and make your holiday wishes look like a mass mailing.

5. Mail to Home Address: Mail your business greeting card to the home if you know the small business owner. Be sure to include the spouse’s name.

The card is not sent to both husband and wife at the business address unless they both work there.

6. Use Titles: Whether you are addressing the envelope to an individual or a couple, titles should always be used. It’s “Mr. John Doe,” not “John Doe,” or “Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, rather that “John and Mary Doe.”

7. Be Sensitive to Traditions: Find out whether your business greeting card recipients observe Christmas, Hanukah, or Kwanzaa. Make sure your message is appropriate for each individual. If you decide to go with one card, choose a generic one that will not offend. “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are safe bets.

8. Avoid the Mail Rush: Mail your business greeting cards in time to arrive for the designated holiday. If you find yourself addressing the envelopes on Super Bowl Sunday, keep the cards until next year and send out a high-quality note thanking people for their business during the previous year instead.