Holiday E-Cards: A Few Simple Suggestions

With the holidays among is, now is a good time to reflect on how technology has altered even the way holiday cheer is expressed. With a troubled economy, many companies are cutting back all non-essential expenses, and sending tidings of goodwill is no exception. I have received remarkably less paper cards this year, and in lieu of a handwritten note, many, many, more electronic announcements of season’s greetings. As an extra bonus to cost savings, electronic holiday greeting cards are great as a “green” alternative to regular cards.

As ecards are a relatively new endeavor for many businesses, we have seen some great card ideas, and some that fall short. Here are examples of what not to do with an ecard, and what to do with one. And in some cases, sending no card (electronic or paper) is better than the examples you see here.

Case 1: Card with broken link.

I received this message on December 18th via email from Buffalo State College. Clicking on the link led to a different URL with a “Server not found” error, in both Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Although now the curiouity got the best me, I did actually take the time to hit cut and paste into a browser. The end result was a decent slide show with instrumental music and images from campus and student life. I was glad I took the time to click, but think of the negative perception of those who became frustrated and simply deleted the card.

The moral of the story?

Test, test and retest before hitting “send.”

Your friends at Buffalo State College wish you the very best of the holiday season. Please visit http://www.buffalostate.edu/president/seasonsgreetings/2009/ to view our electronic greeting card.

The correct link is here: http://www.buffalostate.edu/president/seasonsgreetings/2009/

Case 2: Unimaginative Communication

I received this message this year. A static message, no link, music or interactivity or tinsel. Although someone at the company’s staff level spend a good deal of time to merge all images into one Photoshop file, the end result was at best, flat. I may know at best one or two people from this office, but the images are so small, it’s hard to figure out where they are.

The moral of the story?

A dull message will be forgotten the second it is sent. Without any creative energy, the chance of making a positive brand experience for the recipient is impossible.

And what about Good ecard ideas? They use a creative approach in a holiday eCard that is entertaining and conveys a good impression of the company. I found this one online for Ad Agency Eisenberg and Associates. Allowing a choice between Christmas or Hanukkah imagery, recipients can play a themed version of “tetris” by moving images in sequence.

A link to the game is here.

Also, check out charities for their ecard capabilities. National organizations such as UNICEF, World WildLife Fund, St. Jude Children’s hospital and American Cancer Society are just a few suggestions. Or consider organizations local to your community. You need to analyze many things with your ecard strategies, and make the card parallel your business efforts. If you’re going custom, keep in mind that creative design and fees may run you a hefty sum. So if your list is not that large, a stock ecard may be better for your bottom line.

There are many, many e-card sources in existence. Vivid Greetings and Corporate E Greetings are suggestions for a corporate approach. And yes, if your clients have a sense of humor, a Jib Jab’s “Elf Yourself” is an option.

A little advance homework now, and we’ll be ready for next holiday.