Mail is for life, not just for Christmas

In the UK, we buy more greetings cards than any other country, at an average of 33 per person. Some traditions remain strong, and marking an occasion with a greetings card is clearly one of them.

According to the Greetings Card Association, here in the UK we bought an estimated 1 billion Christmas cards last year, in addition to those cards bought through digital businesses such as Moonpig.

Ryan Higginson, Vice President & UK/ROI Country Leader, Global SMB Solutions, Pitney Bowes, explains that in a world in which we send and receive 269 billion emails annually – a figure forecast to rise to around 320 billion by 2021 –  the value and sentiment behind the buying and sending of greetings cards remains strong, particularly at this time of the year.

A study from the Royal Mail found that 80% of people would rather receive a traditional Christmas card than an e-card. While e-cards are fun and creative, there’s something so much more fulfilling about taking stock at the end of a long day, sitting down and opening printed cards wishing you seasonal greetings from near and far.

For businesses, sending a personalised card through the mail to celebrate the festive season is a credible way of engaging with clients and building a relationship. It’s thoughtful, valued and creates impact.

And it’s a great way to stand out in a crowded marketplace: consumers are supposedly exposed to around 10000 brand messages each day and are said to have a concentration span lasting less than that of a goldfish.

Physical mail isn’t just for Christmas, of course: it brings an authenticity to customer engagement strategies at all times of the year. It has become more appreciated, memorable and purposeful than ever, and builds a unique relationship between the sender and the recipient.