Business holiday e-cards - pro or con?

[Rain Man]

I get a bunch of these each year, and they're pretty much all the same:

The team at (XXX company) would like to wish you and your team a happy holiday.

Probably more than half of these are companies that I've never heard of, so they bought my e-mail somewhere. Most of the other half are companies that perhaps I worked with once a decade ago. None of them make me feel like they care about me in any way, since they're all templated generic things. For the most part, receiving them annoys me and makes me think less positively about the company.

I'll separate out getting a physical card. In that case, I'm neutral because the company took the trouble to pay for something, so I must be worth a little to them. But I'd still rather they didn't do it since I just throw it away. It's just marketing. To me, it's the e-cards that really seem counterproductive.

Am I just a scroogely curmudgeon? Should I be warmed in the heart by receiving these? Or does everyone feel like this?

[HonestChieffan]

If I matter, tell me when we are together or send me snack and popcorn or a fine bourbon. I sent 24 hams this year to key accounts to their home address. I dont send cards and for sure e cards are a pain in the ass filling up mailboxes.

[Buehler445]

Nah man. You’re less scroogey than me. I even hate generic paper cards. **** off. Just drop $.50 onto my account and we both win.

I’ll give a guy credit if he actually got me a gift. Particularly if it’s something that’s expensive enough I wouldn’t otherwise buy. Even then I’d probably rather have the money. Other than that, don’t waste my ****ing time and your money.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

If I matter, tell me when we are together or send me snack and popcorn or a fine bourbon. I sent 24 hams this year to key accounts to their home address. I dont send cards and for sure e cards are a pain in the ass filling up mailboxes.

This man gets it.

[Cntrygal]

I voted for "Physical cards from businesses are good, but e-cards are bad. We all know that you're investing .00000002 cents to market to me." just because I get three cards from businesses and I've done business or still do business with them.

1. Realtor that sold my old house and got me into the current one about ten years ago, still sends me a card every year and has something hand written in it.

2. My investment guy (that looks more like a mass company thing - but it reminds me to set up my bi-annual review in January, so there's that).

3. Chewy.com Well, they address the card to my cats but they rely on me to hit the "order" button.

Any e-cards, I'd just delete without opening... I get too much e-junk as it is.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Cntrygal

I voted for "Physical cards from businesses are good, but e-cards are bad. We all know that you're investing .00000002 cents to market to me." just because I get three cards from businesses and I've done business or still do business with them.

1. Realtor that sold my old house and got me into the current one about ten years ago, still sends me a card every year and has something hand written in it.

2. My investment guy (that looks more like a mass company thing - but it reminds me to set up my bi-annual review in January, so there's that).

3. Chewy.com Well, they address the card to my cats but they rely on me to hit the "order" button.

Any e-cards, I'd just delete without opening... I get too much e-junk as it is.

Anything addressed to your cat is good. Cats don't get a lot of mail so it's exciting for them.

I started out saying that I viewed paper card neutral to slightly positive, because I was thinking about the cards that I get from marketing firms I work with and clients and stuff. If I get a card from a marketing company where 30 people signed it, they put some effort into it, so it tells me that I made the cut to be considered important.

Then I realized that I'll get cards from my insurance company and cable company that are large corporations where no one knows my name, and those are more insulting than heartwarming. So I downgraded cards to being neutral overall.

It really depends on whether I think that someone there knows me and says, "Yeah, put him on the list" as opposed to a giant printer and database reeling it off.

[Cntrygal]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Anything addressed to your cat is good. Cats don't get a lot of mail so it's exciting for them.

I started out saying that I viewed paper card neutral to slightly positive, because I was thinking about the cards that I get from marketing firms I work with and clients and stuff. If I get a card from a marketing company where 30 people signed it, they put some effort into it, so it tells me that I made the cut to be considered important.

Then I realized that I'll get cards from my insurance company and cable company that are large corporations where no one knows my name, and those are more insulting than heartwarming. So I downgraded cards to being neutral overall.

It really depends on whether I think that someone there knows me and says, "Yeah, put him on the list" as opposed to a giant printer and database reeling it off.

My realtor usually includes a recipe of some sort along with a comment about how the Bills are doing. (and I haven't talked to him since shortly after I closed on the house!)

[EPodolak]

Ambivalent. I will say that in lean years I've put one of those State Farm xmas cards on the mantle though.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by EPodolak

Ambivalent. I will say that in lean years I've put one of those State Farm xmas cards on the mantle though.

Hey, somebody out there loves you and your good driving record.

[stevieray]

I usually deliver thank you cards to clients around this time of year to say thanks for their business.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by stevieray

I usually deliver thank you cards to clients around this time of year to say thanks for their business.

Yeah, that's good. Personal attention.

Oddly, I got a gift basket delivered from a very large impersonal corporation after posting this. I find that very surprising as it's the first time that's ever happened. It's an exception to my rule that I don't want to get anything from an impersonal megacorporation. I now modify my statement that I don't want to get anything except candy.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I now modify my statement that I don't want to get anything except candy.

Smart man.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I don't like companies using a Holiday to market to me - in any form. Any physical card is immediately tossed in the recycle bin. E-cards are swiftly deleted - even from friends - unless there is a personal message, not just a signature.

[Graystoke]

I appreciate the snail mail cards. I like them even better when they have beef sticks, cheese and crackers.
E-cards hit the junk immediately with little thought of who sent it.

[Pointer19]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

The team at (XXX company) would like to wish you and your team a happy holiday.

You shouldn’t use your real address when browsing those kinds of websites.