Christmas cards - yay or nay??
Dear advisers
I'm aware it's only October, but are you planning to send your clients - new and old, prospective - Christmas cards this year?
Would be interested to hear why or why not!
Thanks very much
Carmen
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Every year, without fail, we send Christmas cards to clients old and new. It’s become a small tradition in the firm. One of our clients is an amateur photographer and, each autumn, he shares a set of wintry shots—usually moody Ribble Valley skylines and frosty woodland paths—and we choose one to become “the” card. It feels personal rather than corporate, and people mention the images back to us months later in reviews. It’s a lovely touchpoint: a client’s talent on a card that lands with other clients. For us, the card is a human thank-you in a world that’s increasingly digital. Each of us signs the card which says far more than another email footer.
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We used to diligently send handwritten Christmas cards to all our clients, but as the firm grew, this became increasingly impractical. In recent years, we’ve switched to e-cards instead, with the savings from cards and postage redirected to support the Rotary Club of Leicester’s Christmas Hamper Appeal — which I helped launch around five years ago. Since then, we’ve provided a total of around 150 hampers to vulnerable people via local foodbanks. Originally, we put the hampers together ourselves in the office, but as that became too time-consuming, the Rotary Club now arranges them on our behalf, funded by our donations. It feels like a far more meaningful way to spread festive goodwill while still connecting with clients during the season, and we’ll be repeating it again this Christmas.
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There are a few layers to this. First: to send or not to send. I’m generally not a fan of giving clients gifts - it feels old-school, a bit slick Rick, a bit "thanks for doing business with us - have a nice day!”.
Christmas cards, though, are different. They cost almost nothing and come across as a genuine gesture.
Next: who to send them to. Cards are personal, so they only feel authentic when sent to existing clients. New prospects might see it as salesy or even a little creepy. I only send them to long-term clients who I think will appreciate it.
Most importantly - once you start, you can’t stop.
Christmas cards, though, are different. They cost almost nothing and come across as a genuine gesture.
Next: who to send them to. Cards are personal, so they only feel authentic when sent to existing clients. New prospects might see it as salesy or even a little creepy. I only send them to long-term clients who I think will appreciate it.
Most importantly - once you start, you can’t stop.
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A Christmas card might feel old-fashioned, but that’s exactly why it works. In a digital world full of automated greetings and AI-generated messages, a handwritten card still feels personal. A bit of festive authenticity that clients really appreciate. It’s not about marketing or brand awareness, it’s about gratitude and connection. We send them every year because those small gestures build lasting relationships, and clients often mention them long after the decorations are down and the mince pies are gone.