Each year holiday cards fill up our mailboxes and we worry about how many pounds we’re going to (or already have) gained as a result of eating too many goodies. But are we really complaining? Receiving a sweet note or a sweet treat from a business associate is a nice gesture and we still enjoy it no matter how often (or how many) we receive.
According to a study by 4imprint, 75 percent of organizations plan to host an employee holiday party this year. Of the 25 percent that will not, 28 percent will give business gifts to employees. Of the companies that will use promotional products at their holiday parties, 15 percent will give them as thank-you gifts to employees, and 12 percent will use them as party favors.
Just in case you’re looking to switch it up and want to send a different holiday card or snack this year, we spoke to Jason Evans, president and chief financial officer of Birchcraft Studios, Rockland, Mass., and Eileen Joy Spitalny, co-founder of Fairytale Brownies, Phoenix, to learn why these items are holiday promotion staples and how to mix it up each year.
Holiday Cards
Holiday cards have been sent to relatives, friends and business associates for centuries, and the delight of getting a card in the mail still exists. “You go to the mailbox and you get a couple cards a day instead of just bills,” Evans said. “I know, personally, [I] get much more excited about going to the mailbox in December than every other time of year because there’s actually something in [the mailbox] that’s exciting.”
For holiday cards, Birchcraft Studios currently offers offset printing, foil stamping and fully customized full-color, digital printing. A relatively new method, digital has expanded offerings and has become a printing version in high demand. “Back in the day, all we did was put words in the inside of the card,” he said. “Now, in addition to offset printing or foil stamping the inside of cards, we can also create a fully customized, digital card from scratch.”
Additionally, the supplier offers a variety of paper options, envelope recipient addressing (which can print personalized recipient addresses on the front of each envelope), and about 1,200 cards from which to choose. “Every year we will repeat some of the best-selling ones from the year before, but we always have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of new designs every year, so there’s always new things to choose from,” Evans said.
