Company correspondence is rarely about one thing. A festive card, a desk calendar and a small end of year gift are parts of the same conversation with a client, only spread across months.
Occasions that come back
- Christmas and the new year - greeting cards, usually the first thing people associate with company print.
- Easter - an occasion used less often, so it is easier to stand out.
- End of the year - gifts and summaries sent to regular partners.
- Start of the year - calendars that stay on a desk for months.
It helps to spread these occasions across the year and pick two or three where you really do get in touch. One well prepared mailing lands better than four rushed ones, and it is easier to keep the wording personal when there are fewer of them.
Planning ahead
The card and calendar season starts earlier than instinct suggests. Address lists usually need updating and personalised wording needs time for internal approval. Planning early also gives you a calmer choice of paper and finish - gloss, matt or Soft Touch film, if you want the card to feel different in the hand.
Not only paper
Several texts remind us that a company also sends content: a portfolio, a catalogue or materials for a client. A disc or a memory stick is still more convenient than a link, especially when the set is handed over at a meeting. If you plan your communication for the whole year, it pays to design it once and simply change the content for each occasion.