The silly season is upon us, and it’s the perfect time to express your gratitude to your staff and colleagues. Holidays can be hectic. Gift buying and family dinners set the stage for stressful times. Thinking of what to write in holiday greeting cards shouldn’t be. Here are some quick tips to spread the love and good cheer:
1. Say thank you. This is a golden opportunity to thank the people who help create your success, and to express your appreciation. This should be the main theme of your message. This doesn’t mean it has to be the only theme though.
2. Keep it personal. No one appreciates a generic message. Write something specific to each person, and use an even more personal means of delivery, like a hand written note. This immediately shows a relationship with your reader. A bland message that says “Dear Employee” or “Dear Customer” might as well say “Dear Stranger.”
3. Printed vs. handwritten signature. Whenever possible, sign your cards rather than using a typed signature. Pass around cards and have people who know the recipients sign them as well for even more personalisation.
4. Use humour. Humour is powerful for most occasions, but even more so around a festive time like this. Here are two examples of humorous Christmas messages: “Thanks for rescheduling your Christmas break to March so you could work this holiday season. Merry St. Patrick’s Day!”; “Sorry to let you know this in a card, but we’re relocating to the North Pole, and have outsourced your job to Santa’s Elves. We get a tax break and the elves work for cheap. Happy Holidays!”
5. Home language. If some of your staff are not first language English speakers, why not go that extra mile and write to them in their mother tongue for the ultimate personal touch? Web-lingo can help you translate any message this festive season.
Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a great 2015.