Go Digital During the Holidays

  By Jimmy Egeland, Creative Services Manager, Dallas

As we all know in the business world, it is customary during the holiday season to reach out to clients, contacts and prospects to deliver a holiday message. Often times a paper greeting card is the default option. It’s quick; it’s easy, but is it the best option for growing your business?

To best figure out that question, answer this one: what do you do when you get a corporate greeting card in the mail? Read it and then immediately toss it in the trash? Read it and then put it a shelf for a month…and then toss it in the trash?

The point here is that the vast majority of greeting cards—if not all of them—hit the garbage can after their one and only impression. The chances that they live on past the holiday season or that they are shown to anyone other than the original intended recipient are slim to none.

Digital greeting cards change the game. When you take your paper card and postage budget and use it to develop a digital greeting, the chances for your message (and your brand) to reach beyond your initial mailing list expands exponentially.

Creating a fun, memorable or charitable holiday greeting that is online takes advantage of all the methods of sharing—email forwarding, social networks, even distribution channels like YouTube.

A trend towards goodwill and corporate responsibility is tangible in today’s business culture. Why not create an option at the end of your digital greeting card for recipients to choose a charitable organization that your company will make a donation to?

It engages them as they make a positive connection with your brand. After all, companies not only need to provide a great product or service, but also need to be proactive in giving back to the communities they affect.

Will 2010 be the year you ditch the paper card? Take the time to develop your digital approach and be sure to let us know if you need any help along the way. We’ve created plenty of digital holiday greetings for our own company and clients, such as Skanska USA and Armstrong Ceilings, ranging from fun to philanthropic.

Your contacts just might appreciate the change of pace and their contacts just might be introduced to your business.