Business Holiday Thank You Cards or Email?

Every year, I get emails from folks like you about this topic. Here’s what to do if you receive holiday gifts from business partners or customers.

Do you send a thank-you card via snail mail, or will an email suffice?

That is a great question and one I know others have wondered about, too.

Think about it this way… The effort you put into something shows your level of sincerity and gratitude. Thank you notes, when sincere, help build those oh-so-important business partnerships.

For example, when a client does something nice for me, sends flowers for my birthday, or a gift around the holidays, they get a handwritten and personally addressed thank you note via old-fashioned snail mail. That note goes out the very next day.

I mailed one out just today. Some say that makes me old-fashioned. But I don’t think so. Some things never go out of style, and a handwritten thank-you note is one of them. More so in a day when almost everything is technology or AI-created.

Regarding my clients, I am blessed that we are on a first-name basis. Many I have worked with for decades. In most cases, our relationship goes beyond the client/vendor formality. Because of this, a thank-you email would not seem adequate.

Choices Can Make a Statement

Yes, I could send my thank you by email. After all, I am in the technology business, which would make sense. Some folks wouldn’t think twice about taking that approach.

But would that show my sincere gratitude as much as taking the time to buy the card, write my note, hand-address the envelope, pay the postage, and send it off?

Probably not…

PRO TIP:
Next time you go to the store, check out the card section and buy yourself a box of lovely thank-you cards to have on hand. I tend to collect packs of cards — I like having available when I want them.

How Personal is the Relationship?

On the other hand, I have vendors that send me holiday gifts. It is a nice sentiment, but they aren’t really from a person to me. They are from a company and mass-mailed to everyone like me who supports their business.

In that case, I sent a thank-you email to my contact at that company, thanking them for the gift and for thinking of me. That lets them know that, to me, our relationship is more than just putting me on the corporate list.

Business is all about fostering mutually respectful, successful relationships. Taking the extra time to send a handwritten note of gratitude helps you do just that. You are making an effort that many no longer do because it is important to you. That speaks volumes.

As with most topics we discuss, use your discretion based on the relationship you have (or would like to have) with the giver. After over 30 years in business, I can guarantee you that the right efforts in the right areas can make all the difference in your business relationships. Don’t miss this opportunity.