Printed materials, including catalogs, flyers, brochures, and printed thank you cards, are essential to marketing any business. People appreciate hearing from your business, and you can use these cards to show your professionalism and good business manners. Keep a supply of well-designed thank you cards in stock to have them available for any occasion. Here are some tips to using them as a business-building tool.
When to Send Printed Thank You Cards
You may wonder if it’s necessary to have thank you cards. Isn’t a phone call or an email saying “thank you” enough? However, there are many situations where a printed card will help you stand out.
- Your suppliers or others delivered for you in a big way. Did you need a big rush order, or overnight delivery of something? Did your suppliers or manufacturers work overtime to make something happen? Recognize their efforts with printed cards that express your appreciation. Everyone likes to feel appreciated for going the extra mile, and sending your thanks shows that you don’t take these efforts for granted.
- Your event was a success. If you hosted a convention, conference, training session, or celebration event, use the occasion to stay in touch with key customers and colleagues. Send cards to thank them for attending, donating, or otherwise helping to make it happen.
- Fundraising goals were met or exceeded. If your business is a nonprofit or raises funds for a charity, it’s important to stay in touch with your donors. Let them know they are not forgotten with printed cards that show your gratitude for their generosity.
- Orders helped keep you afloat. Some customers are regulars who you depend on for regular work. Sometimes, a large order can be a lifeline that keeps your business going through a rough patch. If you are in a business-to-business service, you know how important it is to get both types of orders. Use printed cards to thank those customers for their timely and much-appreciated work.
- Stay in touch with customers. When you fulfill customer orders, include a printed thank you card with each one. Your customers will feel a personal touch with your company. That creates a positive image that makes it more likely they’ll continue to place orders with you.
Print Matters: Why You Should Send Thank You Cards to Business Contacts and Customers
No matter how big or small your business is, there are many opportunities to stay in touch with those who keep you successful. Cards that show your appreciation are thoughtful and professional.
Thank You Cards Should Be Part of Your Overall Print Marketing Strategy
One of the best ways to build awareness for your brand and company is through printed materials.
Printed thank you cards can influence buying decisions
Studies on consumer behavior have found that people prefer to get printed materials like catalogs, postcards, and brochures from their favorite companies. Even if they choose to place their orders online, they prefer to research products and prices by reading printed materials. Marketing research has found that printed mailers are much more influential than online advertising at getting people to buy products or services.
This means that any successful marketing campaign must include attractive, professionally produced, printed marketing materials. Professional design and printing will make those materials more appealing to your customers and more likely to make them think well of your company.
Show you understand business courtesies
Printed thank you cards serve another purpose. Sending them shows that you understand the basics of good business etiquette. Most people want to be thanked and appreciated for their efforts. If you work with suppliers, manufacturers, or fulfilment specialists who help you stay in business, it’s important to show that you recognize their hard work. A printed thank you card is an easy way to show your gratitude—and your good manners.
To save time and money, get your thank you cards printed ahead of time. Once you have a set of printed thank you cards in stock, you can respond immediately to any situation.
How to Design Your Printed Thank You Cards
Get ready to create stunning cards that show off your style and reinforce your branding.
Write the greeting or address
What do you want your cards to say? It’s best to be direct and to the point. Craft a message that works for every occasion where you want to say thank you. A simple statement like, “Thank you for everything you’ve done—it is much appreciated,” will get the point across. Add your name as the closing.
Your greeting could be from your company, for example, “A sincere thank you from all of us at Zingling Corp. We appreciate everything you did for us.” Choose the wording that makes the most sense and will work for any situation where you want to say thanks.
Pick a size
The standard greeting card size is 5×7 inches. Cards can be landscape or portrait orientation. This card size fits in the standard A7 envelope.
Here are some other options.
- 4 x 6 inches: This compact card fits the A6 envelope.
- 5.5 x 8.5 inches: This jumbo size fits the A9 envelope.
- 3.5 x 5: This is a small size that’s commonly used for reply or RSVP cards. It fits the A1 envelope.
Select your artwork
Use graphics to make your thank you cards stand out. What image best represents your company and your brand? Use your creativity to go beyond your company logo.
Choose a picture that reinforces your image. Are you involved in making or selling products for children? A picture showing a group of children might add the touch you want. If you work in the fitness industry, use a picture of someone working out at a gym.
Think about the best colors for your card. If your company brand has specific, identifiable colors, you can use them. However, it may be helpful to think beyond that. What colors are associated with your industry? If you’re in the beauty industry, think pink or red. If you are in the finance or banking world, use dark, neutral colors that reinforce your professional attitude.
Use a template
Once you choose a size, image, and colors, a template will help you pull everything together into a cohesive design. A template makes it easy to produce professional looking thank you cards.
You can find attractive, professionally designed card templates online or through your software design package. Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Lulu, and other programs come with these templates. You can also find them on Microsoft Word, Google Documents, and other word processing programs.
Choose your paper
Card stock is a heavier paper that weighs between 80 and 120 pounds. Choose white if you want to make your text and colors pop, or select a card stock in a color that matches your branding and design. You can also combine white card stock with colored paper to create a stenciled effect.
Choose Professional Printing for Your Thank Your Cards
Professional printing makes all the difference when you create printed thank you cards. Once you have the design and colors in place, work with a printing professional who can deliver great-looking results.
Make an Impact
Thank you cards will help you make a positive impression in many business situations. Use them to stay in touch with colleagues, customers, suppliers, and others who help you stay profitable. When you’re ready to get them printed, talk to Dazzle Printing.
