Personalized birthday cards are simple, yet powerful tools for nurturing client relationships. Facing steep competition in the market, many business owners have turned to automated birthday cards to stay top of mind with existing clients. Others buy birthday cards in bulk to minimize their expenses.
But is one option more beneficial than the other?
Keep reading as we explore the differences between sending bulk birthday cards versus automated birthday cards. We’ll cover the pros and cons to help you determine what’s best for your financial services business.
Benefits of Sending Birthday Cards to Clients
Email is one of today’s top marketing channels. But as more companies blast out emails, consumers’ inboxes have exploded. Forty percent of consumers report having at least 50 unread emails in their inbox.Â
Unlike overflowing email inboxes, personal mail has become a rarity. Many people say they enjoy getting handwritten letters and cards in the mail. Yet, the average American only receives credit card offers, bills, and promotional pieces.
According to global research agency Millward Brown, physical media leaves a ‘deeper footprint’ in the brain than digital media. When people can touch and see a piece of mail, they’re more likely to feel engaged with it. That mail also has a greater chance of leaving an impression on their brain.
Now imagine your clients opening their mailboxes to find a personalized birthday card with your business name and logo.
When it’s time to plan for tax season, make changes to their investment portfolio, or recommend a good financial advisor to a friend, whose name will come to mind first?
Sending birthday cards to clients can also:Â
- Differentiate your business from competitors
- Deepen client relationships
- Enhance your brand recognition
- Improve your customer retention
- Encourage repeat business and referrals
The Differences Between Bulk Birthday Cards and Automated Birthday Cards
Ready to start sending birthday cards to your clients? You have a few different options: bulk birthday cards or automated birthday cards. While both can help your business stand out, they differ when it comes to personalization, cost, and efficiency.
Here are some of the unique advantages and disadvantages you’ll want to consider.
Bulk Birthday Cards
Bulk birthday cards are typically printed in larger quantities. When you’re sending cards to multiple recipients, bulk cards can save you money, just like most anything bought in bulk.
Pros
- Customization: Though each card has a uniform look, you can add a handwritten birthday message and personal touch for each recipient.
- Cost-Effective: Bulk birthday cards may be the economical choice for businesses that want to acknowledge many customers’ birthdays at once.
- Efficient: Since they are easy to produce, you can easily distribute bulk birthday cards in large quantities.
Cons
- Time-Consuming: When it’s time to mail your bulk birthday cards, you might have to make a special trip to the post office.
- Potential for Errors or Omissions: Mistakes happen. Misspelling a client’s name or including the wrong address can be damaging to your reputation, and your client might not receive the card you took the time to send.
Automated Birthday Cards
As the name suggests, automated birthday cards are managed through online platforms that automate the process of sending cards. You get the peace of mind of knowing your clients will receive a birthday card on their special day.
Pros
- Personalized: Many automated birthday card services give you the option to customize your message and card design. You can even include a handwriting style that mimics your natural writing style.
- Effective Delivery: Automated cards are mailed ahead of your clients’ birthdays so they arrive in plenty of time at the correct address.
- No More Forgetting Birthdays: When life gets busy, you don’t have to worry about remembering to send your next batch of client birthday cards.
- Time Savings: With automated birthday cards, you don’t have to hand-address cards or stand in line at the post office.
Cons
- May Cost More: Automated cards may be slightly more expensive than bulk cards, especially if you have a small mailing list.
Should You Buy Birthday Cards in Bulk or Go with a Birthday Card Mailing Service?
The answer to this question will depend on your business and personal preferences.
Things you should consider:
- Your Budget: Do you have the financial means to take the extra work off your plate and automate the process of sending birthday cards?
- Time and Resources: How much time and effort will each option require? Do you have the resources to put in the extra effort when business picks up?
- Level of Personalization: Do you want to include a hand-written message for every client, or are you happy with including your team’s signatures and company name?
- Scalability: As your business grows, which option will help you serve more clients and dedicate more time to nurturing your existing client relationships?
Send Automated Birthday Cards with The Birthday Company
With The Birthday Company’s automated greeting card mailing service, sending business birthday cards is easy. We customize your cards with your company logo, return address, and personal signatures, presented just like you wrote them yourself. Plus, when you automate sending, it’s one less thing you have to worry about in your business.
You can even include additional gifts like candy or gift cards to make your clients’ birthdays extra special. Just create your account, send us your birthday list and signatures, and we’ll handle the rest.
Request a free sample business birthday card today!