10 Ways to Add More Branding to Your Holiday Greeting

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Holiday cards allow you to connect with clients, but they are also a creative extension of your brand. While you can send a generic design, a customized card — complete with your branding — adds meaning and increases brand affinity.

Once you have chosen a holiday card design, there are many opportunities to extend your brand identity. Here are a few overlooked ways to differentiate your holiday greeting.

1. Typography
Fonts matter. Using the same fonts as your website and/or logo can help build familiarity with clients. You can also get creative with typography. For example, one of our clients has an ampersand in their logo. We utilized that ampersand in the card design by creating a snowflake out of the character.

2. Corporate Colors
The simple use of your corporate colors can change any design dramatically. Your specific color code can be used throughout the design to encourage instant recognition. This works even better if you have more than one corporate color, as many designs feature multiple colors. Color is the easiest way to customize any design.

3. Distinctive Shapes
Does your company have a shape, perhaps as part of your logo, that is used across all marketing materials? We have several clients whose designs prominently feature triangles. For one law firm in particular, we created falling snowflakes using an assortment of their triangular shape. Other clients have embedded their logo shapes into holiday ornaments or wrapping paper. Your logo is unique to your firm. Having it placed thoughtfully throughout the design makes the card uniquely yours.

4. Founding Date
Longevity is another word for success. Is part of your brand built on how long your firm has been around? If so, it is an important attribute to easily include. We recommend adding an anniversary logo or simply note when the firm was established. If your firm is celebrating an anniversary in the new year, a branded holiday greeting can really tie the events together.

5. Taglines
Your tagline is a single yet powerful expression of your brand. It can be emphasized creatively to make it more memorable and re-enforce your identity. We recommend including it on the inside of the card. If you choose to send an animated e-card, you can highlight it in an eye-catching way, as well.

6. Office Location
Showcasing your office locations can highlight your presence in the industry, as well as build familiarity. People typically enjoy supporting local businesses, and the proximity to office locations can help make your clients feel they can easily connect. Incorporate office locations into your design by using skylines, landmarks, maps, scenic photos or simple copy.

7. Website URL
Hyperlinking your logo is essential for e-cards. If you’re printing a card, displaying your URL achieves nearly the same result.

8. Charity Support
Charity work can help define a firm’s identity. It showcases your community involvement and fosters employee engagement. Include names or logos of charities you support by placing them inside the message of your card.

9. Highlight Your Industry
Do you use specific imagery for your website and marketing collateral? These themes can be incorporated into your holiday card in unique and interesting ways. For example, we have a construction client whose design is a blueprint, and a drug laboratory that utilizes test tubes in their design. It’s a great way to add branding and an interesting spin on something not normally associated with the holidays.

10. People
Sometimes the face of the company is literally the faces of its employees. Add a human touch to your card by featuring employee photos, messages or artwork. People are generally distrustful of corporate brands, but trust people to a higher degree. We created a design for a law firm that featured their employee photos inside snowflakes. We have also incorporated photos in wreaths, snow globes or other holiday items such as ornaments.

What you say is just as important as how you say it. By adding branding throughout your holiday card, you can ensure the recipients will be delighted at its thoughtfulness. Of all the holiday cards your clients will receive, yours will stand out from the rest.[/fusion_text]