December in communications means a few things. Firstly, it means wrapping up loose ends as the new calendar year approaches. Secondly, everyone has a cold or flu, (and they swear it isn’t covid)! And who could forget, ‘tis the season for sending the annual corporate Holiday card!
As a graphic designer, I always get requests this time of the year to create seasonal graphics, and to help get everyone in the festive mood I’ve pulled together some dos and don’ts for your corporate holiday email marketing.
Do make it personal
Avoid sending an identical message to every client, as it can feel impersonal and rushed. Try to take the time to tailor the wording of the email to highlight exactly why they have value to you. It’s also a good opportunity to remind them how well you’ve worked together over the past year, your successes and how much you’re looking forward to continuing working with them. The personal touch may just encourage them to stick around for another year.
Don’t be exclusive
Mentioning Christmas is not forbidden, and if you know a client or contact well enough to know that they would prefer a “Christmas” focused message then that is of course encouraged! However, if you are sending something to a wider audience or the recipient is less familiar then it doesn’t hurt to use more inclusive wording. Using common phrases like “Season’s Greetings”, “Happy Holidays” or even a unique personalised message are simple ways of keeping things inclusive.
Do include a call to action (CTA)
Try to include a small and easily actionable CTA in the email or visual. This could be to get in touch in the new year, visit the website or follow your organisation on social media. If you have a specific marketing push around the festive season, you could even direct to that.
Don’t make it too “Marketing”
When including a CTA in your seasonal message, make sure it doesn’t dominate or overshadow the overarching message. The point of the outreach is to celebrate the season and make the client feel valued. You don’t want to lose that by too overtly promoting your offering. Ensure any marketing is secondary, incorporated subtly into the design or wording.
Do make it branded
Using an off the shelf graphic without any alteration means you run the risk of sending the exact same graphic as another business and getting lost in the crowd. Make sure that – at a minimum – the visual element includes your logo or branding! Specific colours, fonts, bespoke icons and graphic devices can all go a long way to elevating your visual and making it memorable and easily associated with your organisation.
With these simple tips you’re well on your way to producing a great piece of seasonal communication. If you’d like support creating the perfect visual for your outreach, do get in touch here. Our graphic design team will be happy to work with you to develop something bespoke, branded and unique.
