‘Tis the season for Holiday Cards! It’s been a great year: you’ve made new clients, acquired new connections and maybe even partnered with 3rd party vendors to get the job done. A Holiday card is the perfect way to thank everyone who has contributed to making your year so successful while also reminding other potential clients that you’re still around. Budgets are often an issue but with affordable and classy royalty free photos available online things just got a little bit easier. Below my 5 step process to making a kick-ass Holiday card for $5.
Step1.Get prepped. I used Photoshop to make this card but there are several other editing programs online. You can also download a free 30day tutorial of Photoshop hereif you haven’t done so before.
Step 2. As always, you want to make sure that the tone of your card matches your brand. Take some time to reflect on how formal or informal you would like your card to be.
To get a better idea, I went on Stockphoto and browsed some of the images they had. There are several other royalty free photo companies like Getty Images and iStock photo so browse around and see what catches your eye. I wanted something classic but fun and really loved the golden hue of the champagne in the photo. I purchased the photo for $3 and imported it into Photoshop.
Step 3. Make the card personalized. For my company, Popcorn Productions, I am constantly placing Popcorn kernels everywhere –even in my Powerpoint slides! Think of a small image that helps your clients visualize your name or the solution you provide. I have a tech friend who uses mini keyboard letters within Newsletters and flyers. Going for a whimsical look I added floating Popcorn kernels to my postcard.
Step 4. Branding. Obviously, you need to insert your logo within the Postcard. Try not to make the logo the focal point of the card. If your logo is too blatant then it becomes too much like a marketing tactic. Instead think of ways to organically include it within your composition.
Step 5. The final and most difficult step is the text. Of course you could always just write the usual “Wishing you success, peace & Joy” but honestly, who is going to remember that? You want to make your recipients smile –this association of happiness and your brand will fortify your bond with the recipient. Spend a little time crafting something witty or enchanting that reflects your brand’s tone and values. For style, try using a variety of fonts and sizes. Use your brand color for the text or, if your brand color doesn’t match the background, then pick one that will make your text stand out.
If you don’t have a budget for printing and mailing then simply embed your photo in an email and send it out to your contacts. I recommend personalizing emails to clients or relations that matter most with a little blurb about the Holidays and their name. You may even consider sending along an incentive along with your card as a thank you like 10% off a certain product or service. Just make sure your recipient feels special and valued as an individual. Happy Holidays!
