| it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to | | | | and "Happy Holidays" are both safe bets. |
| send is often the question. Once you have decided in | | | | Mail your greetings in time to arrive for the designated |
| the affirmative, you then have to determine who to | | | | holiday. If you find yourself addressing the envelopes |
| include on your list, what kind of card to choose and | | | | on Super Bowl Sunday, keep the cards until next year |
| how to address the envelope. | | | | and send out a high-quality note thanking people for |
| There are lots of reasons for sending those holiday | | | | their business during the previous year instead. The |
| cards. You might want to enhance your current | | | | best way to avoid the last minute greeting rush is to |
| business relationships, attract new customers, remind | | | | have all your envelopes addressed before |
| old clients that you exist or show appreciation to those | | | | Thanksgiving. Then during December you can leisurely |
| who have faithfully supported you during the year. | | | | write a short message - one or two lines are all that is |
| What is obviously a well-meaning gesture can actually | | | | necessary on each card, sign your name and have |
| offend the people you want to impress when it is not | | | | them in the mail with a minimum of hassle. |
| done properly. | | | | You now have all the time in the world for the |
| The first place to start is with a good quality card to | | | | shopping, baking, decorating and celebrating that |
| show that you value your clients and colleagues. | | | | accompany the holiday season. |
| Skimping on your selection can be interpreted in a | | | | ************************************************* |
| number of ways. Your recipients might take it as a | | | | Additional Tips for Addressing Envelopes |
| sign that business has not been good or that they | | | | If you are about to address your holiday greeting |
| aren't worth a little extra investment on your part. | | | | cards or the invitations to the company party and you |
| Make sure your list is up-to-date with correct names | | | | are confused about the correct way to do it, you are |
| and current addresses. If you do this on a regular | | | | not alone. There are situations that we have not had |
| basis, it does not become a dreaded holiday chore. As | | | | to consider before. There are more women with |
| you gain new clients and contacts throughout the year, | | | | professional titles, increased numbers of women who |
| take a few minutes to add them to your database | | | | retain their maiden name after marriage, and couples |
| and mark them for your greeting card group. This way | | | | choosing alternative living arrangements. The simple |
| you won't overlook anyone or embarrass yourself by | | | | act of addressing an envelope has become quite |
| sending the card to the old address. | | | | complicated. Here are a few tips to cover the majority |
| Sign each card personally. Even if you have preprinted | | | | of those demanding dilemmas. |
| information on the card such as your name - which is | | | | Always write titles on the envelope. The card or |
| an impressive detail - you need to add your | | | | invitation goes to "Mr. John Smith," not "John Smith." It is |
| handwritten signature. The most elegant cards should | | | | addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith," instead of |
| still have your personal signature and a short | | | | "John and Mary Smith." |
| handwritten message or greeting. Sound like a lot of | | | | When you address a couple, use titles, rather than |
| trouble? If the business or the relationship is worth it, so | | | | professional initials. It's "Dr. and Mrs. John Smith," not |
| is the extra effort. This is your chance to connect on a | | | | "John Smith, M.D. and Mrs. Smith." |
| personal level with your clients and colleagues. | | | | If both the husband and the wife are doctors, you |
| Take the time to handwrite the address as well. If you | | | | write, "The Doctors Smith." However, if they use |
| are ready to throw up your hands at this point and | | | | different last names, you address the envelope to "Dr. |
| forget the whole project, then have someone else | | | | John Smith and Dr. Mary Brown." The husband's name |
| address the envelopes for you. Whatever you do, | | | | is placed first. |
| don't use computer-generated labels. They are | | | | If the wife is a doctor and the husband is not, you send |
| impersonal and make your holiday wishes look like a | | | | your invitation to "Mr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Smith." |
| mass mailing. You may save time and even money, | | | | Try to get it all on one line. When the husband has an |
| but lose a client or a business associate in the process. | | | | unusually long name, the wife's title and name are |
| You may mail your greeting to the home if you know | | | | indented and written on the second line: |
| the business person socially. Be sure to include the | | | | The Honorable Jonathon Richardson Staniskowskyand |
| spouse's name in this instance. The card is not sent to | | | | Mrs. Staniskowsky |
| both husband and wife at the business address unless | | | | When a couple is not married and share a mutual |
| they both work there. | | | | address, their names are written on separate lines |
| Whether you are addressing the envelope to an | | | | alphabetically and not connected by the word "and." |
| individual or a couple, titles should always be used. It's | | | | Ms. Mary Brown |
| "Mr. John Doe," not "John Doe," or "Mr. and Mrs. John | | | | Mr. John Smith |
| Doe, rather that "John and Mary Doe." | | | | When the woman outranks her husband, her name is |
| Be sensitive to the religious and cultural traditions of the | | | | written first. It's "Major Mary Smith and Lieutenant John |
| people to whom you are sending your cards. Find out | | | | Smith." |
| whether they observe Christmas, Hanukah or | | | | Note: The man's name is always written first unless |
| Kwanzaa and make sure your message is | | | | the wife outranks him or if the couple is unmarried and |
| appropriate for each individual. If you decide to go with | | | | her last name precedes his alphabetically. So much for |
| one card and a single message for all, choose a | | | | "Ladies first." |
| generic one that will not offend. "Season's Greetings" | | | | (c) 2004, Lydia Ramsey. All rights in all media reserved. |
