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Are you a value provider or a beggar? A value giver or a solicitor?

Did you send out Christmas cards this past year? What did they look like? What did they say? How were they signed? Those are three elements you can control.

The elements you can’t control are: How were they received? Who read them? What did they think? What did they do? And how were you regarded as a result?

Hey, Jeffrey, back off! It’s just a Christmas card, er, I mean a “holiday” card.

Uh, no, Sparky. It’s your image, and one of the ways your customers perceive you.

Let me put the shoe on the other foot. How many cards, greetings or holiday e-mails did you RECEIVE? What did you do with them? Were the cards hung up or thrown out? Were the e-mails read, printed out and saved for all time, or just deleted?

We display cards until New Year’s, then shred. Some cards are great – personal, with sincere handwritten notes – most are not. Traditional, boring, stamped in foil with the sender’s name printed. More obligatory than seasonal.

But it’s the electronic cards that I really want to address. More and more people are doing it. More and more companies are sending them. And 100 percent of the electronic cards I received were a disgrace to the holiday, if not to communication in general.

Every holiday greeting I received asked me to buy something from the sender. What are they thinking? Are they greeting me or begging me to buy?

Here’s a typical e-mail card:

Just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your business, and wish you the best of holiday seasons – (even though it’s Christmas, you’re not allowed to say Christmas anymore) and please don’t forget about our special offer…

Now I know you all received some or lots of these “combination” Christmas and “buy something from us” e-mail cards. Did ANY of you take the sender up on his or her offer and buy something? My bet is no.

I deleted them in disgust.

Is it sincerity or a marketing ploy? “Please stop by our open house – lots of cheer, cookies, drinks and, uh, bring your credit card in case you wanna buy some of our crap.” Give me a break.

Hey, it’s Christmas – if you wanna sell me something, call me or e-mail me. I am actually in the mood to BUY. But if you want to SINCERELY wish me happy holidays (please don’t say Christmas) then JUST DO THAT.

And this rant would not be complete without mentioning Thanksgiving cards. What are you thinking? Beat the rush so you can look like a fool earlier than anyone else?

What’s next? Let’s see – Labor Day cards? Fourth of July cards? Washington’s Birthday cards?

I’d rather get a World Series card (go Phillies!), or a postcard from your winter island retreat, or a short handwritten note of thanks. Personally, I send out 20-30 handwritten cards a month. None on Christmas. I’m no Scrooge; I’m just trying to be real.

Here’s what to do right now, even though the holidays are over:

1. Call your top 25 customers.

2. Ask them what one thing they plan to do without fail this new year.

3. Tell them three things you plan to do for them.

3.5. Make one of the three things a breakfast with them – and promise to bring THEM a prospect, thereby guaranteeing that they will say yes.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2009 Jeffrey H. Gitomer