GENERAL ETIQUETTE

• Finding the right words for a particular situation is always challenging. Here are some tips to help make your point:
  • Target the recipient. Set the tone that reflects the person to whom you're writing.
  • State your feelings clearly. Let the person know why they are important to you.
  • Focus on the occasion. Freely describe the meaning or significance of the event.
  • Think about your message. Write what comes to mind, then review, edit, and revise.1
• If you choose to use email or the telephone to extend an invitation, follow up with a printed or letter of invitation including a personal note confirming the recipient's attendance, and restating critical information.
• Personal stationery should be used to send letters of condolence to business colleagues.2
• Business notes should generally be hand written. However, typed notes with a hand written signature are acceptable if your handwriting is less than desirable.2

Sources:
1. "Just a Note to Say… The Perfect Words for Every Occasion," Florence Isaacs, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 1995.
2. "The Total Executive…because image matters!" Herbert E. Knoll, Jr., JELA Publishing , 1986.

BUSINESS HOLIDAY CARD ETIQUETTE

By Cynthia Grosso, Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette

In the season of giving and reflecting, many companies send holiday greeting cards to their colleagues and clients. This seasonal gesture is a nice way to let their recipients know that they are thinking about them and that they appreciate their business. There is etiquette to sending a business greeting card that will help insure your good intentions.

• In sending business holiday greeting cards, make sure your card is not specifically about Christmas or Hanukkah, but rather more generic, just sending season’s greetings or holiday wishes.
• Make sure your card is not too cute, overly funny or in poor taste.
• You can begin to send greeting cards as soon as Thanksgiving is over.
• A holiday card is usually sent to someone to whom you do not give a gift.
• It is important to personalize the card. While it is correct to have your name or your company’s name engraved on the card, it is important to make your client feel important and appreciated. This can be done by writing a personalized note followed by your hand written signature. If your card is engraved with your company name, then sign the card using both your first and last name. If it is your name that is engraved on the card then just use your first name signature after your personalized note.
• Personalized notes need not be a book.  They only need to be a sentence or two, possibly including a thankfulness of the relationship and the wish of continued success.
• Most often when sending a business holiday card, it is sent to the office of the recipient, addressed in his/her name only. If you also know the person socially, it can be sent to his/her home. If you send it to someone’s home, then it should be addressed to both the recipient and his/her spouse (even if you have never met the spouse).
• If the card is from more than one person, the name of the person signing the card is last.
• The address should be hand written (I suggest in black ink).
• Do not include a business card with the holiday greeting card. As your intentions are to offer holiday sentiments, they should not be overshadowed by the appearance of promotional activity. In general, you should always wait to be asked for your business card, rather than presenting it to the recipient.
• Use a postage stamp, preferable a holiday stamp… not the postage meter.
• Be sure to use the honorific when addressing an envelope… e.g., Mr. John Smith.
• On a more personal note, if you are a couple sending greeting cards, the cards should be engraved with the wife’s name first, e.g., Jane and John Smith.

Sending greeting cards is a thoughtful way to send holiday cheer. In today’s rushed world, taking the time to send a personalized note may be a wonderful way to also show appreciation for the recipient.  For more information contact Etiquette information at The Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette.