Although there are dozens of ways to say the same thing, not all greetings are created equal. Here are some tips on choosing the right greeting for any occasion.
Keep your audience in mind. If your business plans on sending out holiday cards, consider choosing a secular card and greeting. Keep in mind that not all of your employees may celebrate Christmas. It is best to take a “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings” approach, so all employees feel represented and included. Religious greetings, such as greetings with scriptures or references to God, should typically be limited to personal use or religious groups, like a church organization.
Thank your employees. Another popular choice for business greetings is to take the time to acknowledge all of the hard work that your employees have done for the company. These greetings can be used for multiple occasions, including birthday, holiday, and anniversary cards. Of course, thank you cards are the perfect opportunity to show your employees that you appreciate their efforts!
Be inclusive. Greetings that include the phrasing “from all of us” give your cards a feeling of inclusion. These types of greetings are good to use if you are planning on sending a card from a group, like the management of a business, or from an entire family.
Add a graphic. If you want your card to have a cute, light-hearted feel, you can choose a greeting that also includes a graphic. A happy birthday card with a cartoon cake or a Christmas card with a happy snowman make for fun greetings. Decorative lines underneath a greeting can give your card a chic and sophisticated appearance. Along with the graphic, you can also play around with the font styles. Script fonts are typically more formal, while printed fonts are generally more informal and playful.
Although your greeting is important, don’t stress over the abundance of options! If you’re spending time agonizing over whether to wish someone “joy and happiness” vs. “good health and success” for their birthday, just remember that whoever receives your card will appreciate the gesture, no matter what wording you’ve chosen. And if you can’t decide on a greeting that encompasses everything that you’re looking for, you can always create your own!