Holiday cards for networking adds a personal touch

Hand-written cards are a rarity these days, but holiday cards for networking are the perfect way to stay visible and in touch

Sending seasonal greetings to your network contacts is a perfect opportunity to strengthen and cultivate relationships. This allows you to add a more personal dimension to your professional dealings. But there are some key dos and don’t when you use holiday cards for networking purposes to avoid making any faux pas.

Sending cards by post during the holiday season is a declining practise with internet and online cards giving some of the traditional manufacturers stiff competition. Postal services can be slower than they used to be with delivery more unreliable. People are perhaps more sensitive to diverse cultures that celebrate other holidays. The US has traditionally been more aware of that, referencing the whole period as “the holidays.” In Europe we are more focused on Christmas and the New Year either together or separately. Now environmental issues are also a consideration.

Read: 7 things a holiday hater can do in the festive season 

Sending a greetings card is a good way of standing out from the crowd today, simply because fewer people are doing it. It can be add a personal touch to networking and a key differentiator. It also shifts the nature of your relationship from a neutral business  connection to something more personal. It’s a gracious gesture and can serve you well.

5 tips to make the most of holiday cards for networking

#1 Update your address book

This is a good moment to update your data base, black book or Rolodex. It doesn’t matter if you are high or low tech. The most important thing is not to miss out a key contact. Decide who you want to send a card to.

#2 Choose your card wisely

Select a neutral, good quality and tasteful card with a universally appropriate message, unless you know the specific religious or cultural affiliation of the recipient. Non-denominational messages related to good health, peace, happiness and best wishes for the upcoming year will all be well  received. Some organizations publish on their calendars other holidays such as Hannukkah and Diwali. A quick Google search should do the trick.

Select  a card that is recyclable. Some cards with elaborate embossing and glitter which are made of plastic which can’t be recycled and are dangerous to marine life if that stuff gets into the ocean or rivers.

#3 Hand write your card

Avoid having your signature pre-printed. You can include a business card with your LinkedIn URL included on it so that the recipient will have your contact details if they wish to reach out to you or respond. Business cards sometimes don’t carry a street address. You can buy a sender label or write your own address on the envelope.

Read: Take note of the hand written note 

#4 Personalise your message

If you want to acknowledge a special relationship or support, this is a good time to add a short and gracious thank you.  Do not mention any business in the pipeline whether it’s a job application or a commercial deal. That changes the tone of the message and can be perceived as being pushy and tacky.

If you are not fully acquainted with the person the best advice is to leave off any personal details. We never know what is going on for other people. Many find the holiday season lonely and depressing.

Some even say don’t print labels. I would have no problem with this. At least it guarantees that the card will reach its destination unless you have impeccable handwriting.

#5 Use snail mail

It is so rare today to get a hand written personal card that they now stand out. If you mail your card in good time, it will be perhaps added to a wall of cards or be displayed in some other way. Some cultures send New Year cards and those will be appreciated well into January.

Read: 4 reasons to job search in the holiday season

Using holiday cards for networking is a low-cost and personal way of letting your contacts know they have been in your thoughts. That always counts.

Contact 3Plus for corporate networking training or coaching for your organisation.