Weird is Better: How to Stand Out When Sending Holiday Cards

Last night, on our weekly NBB Accountability call, I shared an accidental strategy that ended up working quite well for me in my business relationships. 

I’ve never been great at mailing cards and letters on time. 

Birthday cards would sit on my counter, or in my glove box for months until they were so late I may as well have used them for the recipient’s next birthday. 

I was especially bad with holiday cards for my clients. 

Always Late With Holiday Cards

At first, I’d be so embarrassed at how late the cards were that I wouldn’t send them at all, even after signing and addressing them. 

And then one January, after missing another season, I said, “screw-it, I’m sending them anyway.” I decided I would pop-in to my clients and drop off cards and good spirits six weeks after everyone else, and something interesting happened. 

As they were taking down the swarms of holiday cards they had received “on-time” from their shelves and bulletin boards, they were putting mine up, where they remained even longer throughout the spring. 

Happy Little Mistake

Being late to the party actually made me more memorable. 

This is what TV painting icon, Bob Ross, would call a, “happy little mistake.” 

So, if you find yourself rushing to pick up holiday cards to send in a wave of holiday cards your clients are going to receive, consider slowing down, not speeding up. Maybe you’re not late at all, and just “geniusly” on time.

How to Stand Out When Sending Cards

If you’re going to send cards, be the first one of the season, or the last one. 

Or better yet, the only one. 

Your clients won’t take it personally if you aren’t one of a thousand Christmas cards they receive this year. 

But if you’re the only card they receive for Alien Abduction Day, or Talk Like Shakespeare Day, I guarantee, you’ll start standing out in a sea of sameness. 

A little bit weird is better than ordinary.