Cards for clients: Warm holiday wishes from advisors
December 12, 2017 3:31 PM
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The holidays are upon us and that means it’s time for bright lights, cheerful decorations, sweet treats and of course jovial holiday greeting cards that can bring a warm smile on the most wintry of December days.
With the season comes a great opportunity for any practice to reach out. For advisors, it’s a chance to let your clients know they are more than just customers and are truly a part of your practice’s extended family. It’s also a great way to develop meaningful relationships that will flourish long after the holly has been taken down from the walls and the last pitcher of eggnog is long gone. Besides, your firm’s card might find itself on the right fridge at the right time — should a prospect pay a holiday visit to one of your client’s homes.
From a bull and a bear suddenly finding themselves under the mistletoe, to the rich browns and auburns of a New England autumn landscape, advisors are sending funny and thoughtful cards this year to show their gratitude and spread some additional holiday cheer. And the first cards to arrive, they say, usually stay on the mantle place the longest.
“We find that no matter what card you send it is important to send it early,” says Tiffany McGhee, partner at Momentum Advisors in New York City. “Also, we take every opportunity to personalize the card. Hand writing our client's address and adding a short note are great ways to do this.”
To get the most out of the merriest season and find out what fellow friends and colleagues are sending to their clients, click through our slideshow and craft your own perfect holiday greeting card this year.
With the season comes a great opportunity for any practice to reach out. For advisors, it’s a chance to let your clients know they are more than just customers and are truly a part of your practice’s extended family. It’s also a great way to develop meaningful relationships that will flourish long after the holly has been taken down from the walls and the last pitcher of eggnog is long gone. Besides, your firm’s card might find itself on the right fridge at the right time — should a prospect pay a holiday visit to one of your client’s homes.
From a bull and a bear suddenly finding themselves under the mistletoe, to the rich browns and auburns of a New England autumn landscape, advisors are sending funny and thoughtful cards this year to show their gratitude and spread some additional holiday cheer. And the first cards to arrive, they say, usually stay on the mantle place the longest.
“We find that no matter what card you send it is important to send it early,” says Tiffany McGhee, partner at Momentum Advisors in New York City. “Also, we take every opportunity to personalize the card. Hand writing our client's address and adding a short note are great ways to do this.”
To get the most out of the merriest season and find out what fellow friends and colleagues are sending to their clients, click through our slideshow and craft your own perfect holiday greeting card this year.
Momentum Advisors
“We always like to use humor to relate to our clients,” says Tiffany McGhee of Momentum Advisors in New York, New York. “It goes a long way toward making a connection beyond the more serious topics we often discuss. We think this card does just that. We thought the idea of the bull and the bear suddenly finding themselves under the mistletoe is brilliant.
“We find that no matter what card you send it is important to send it early. The cards that arrive early will stay on display longer. Also, we take every opportunity to personalize the card. Hand-writing our client's address and adding a short note are great ways to do this. Personalizing our message to include a family event or accomplishment lets our clients know that we are paying attention to their lives — not just their investments.”
“We find that no matter what card you send it is important to send it early. The cards that arrive early will stay on display longer. Also, we take every opportunity to personalize the card. Hand-writing our client's address and adding a short note are great ways to do this. Personalizing our message to include a family event or accomplishment lets our clients know that we are paying attention to their lives — not just their investments.”
DSF Wealth Management
“The Fluke family’s kids are Madeleine, 9, and David, 6. We picked this image because the kids sat still long enough to look at the camera and smile," says Doug Fluke of DSF Wealth Management in Atlanta. "We love sending holiday cards to share the magic and joy of Christmas, from our home to theirs.”
Budros Ruhlin & Roe
“We wanted to express our deep gratitude to our clients and our appreciation for their business," says Brian Jack, director of operations at Budros Ruhlin & Roe in Columbus, Ohio. "And also to let them know that in the spirit of the season we are making charitable contributions to worthy local organizations.”
Pinnacle Asset Management
“I have sent Christmas cards every holiday season since I got in the business 23 years ago," says Brock Kidd, co-founder of the independent RIA Pinnacle Asset Management in Nashville, Tennessee. "While many people just send pictures of their children, I have learned that people like to see what our family looks like. It resonates with people, so much in fact that I have several clients who after asking about my family say to me, ‘I can’t wait to see the card this year.’ We buy very nice, high quality cards. While it is an expense, I believe it is worth every penny."
Stonebridge Financial Partners
“Because of our high level of direct client contact and our annual holiday party in December, we always choose to send an early Thanksgiving card instead," says Tim Bearden of Stonebridge Financial Partners in Bingham Farms, Michigan. "We feel that sending it earlier in the season has a greater impact for our clients. Also, while e-cards are simple, it is always more warm and effective to send an actual card via US Mail. Stonebridge Financial Partners.”
First Foundation
“First Foundation chose this card because it is simple, yet provides a warm message about the spirit of the season," says Tyler Resh, director of marketing and strategy at First Foundation, an RIA and financial services firm based in Irvine, California. "The firm includes an insert highlighting the nonprofits that it supports, as giving back to the community is very much a part of their core values. First Foundation loves to send cards to their clients because this simple gesture aligns perfectly with their tradition of serving clients with a personal touch.”
Commonwealth Financial Network
“Because each snowflake is unique yet gathered on a single branch, Commonwealth chose this image to reflect our — and our advisors’ — focus on individuality and community," says Jacquelyn Marchand, senior manager at Commonwealth Financial Network based in Waltham, Massachusetts. "Advisors can customize the card greeting to add that a donation has been made on the client’s behalf in honor of the season.”
Fintentional
“I recently sent Thanksgiving cards to my financial planning clients," says Michael Palazzolo, owner of Fintentional outside of Detroit. "November marked the one-year anniversary of the official launch of my firm. I thought it best to send Thanksgiving cards to my clients. I added a personal note to each card. I purchased National Park stamps for the mailing since almost all of my clients like to travel."
Heritage Financial Services
“We chose this image because it is such a typical New England scene during Thanksgiving season — of leaves changing color, and pumpkins and apples in abundance," says Shipra Agarwal of Heritage Financial in Westwood, Massachusetts. "The flag in the image symbolizes the spirit of this quintessentially American holiday. In addition to these cards, we send fresh wreaths to thank those clients and partners who have kindly referred new clients to our firm, and holiday chocolates to all our clients. We also make donations to organizations that support those in need in our community. ”
Francis Financial
“Each year, CEO Stacy Francis and the Francis Financial team bake and package over 1,500 homemade chocolate chip cookies for their clients and referral partners who have supported them throughout the year," says Sunaina Mehra, client relations and marketing manager at Francis Financial in New York, New York. "As much as they look forward to this tradition, this year, they took the baking out of their own kitchen (mainly to ensure freshness) and worked with a fantastic company to create a beautifully packaged stacked cookie treat. They included a note and the cookies' special recipe to spread the enjoyment of baking this holiday season!”
Summit Place Financial Advisors
“In honor of our clients, this year we will also be making a donation to an organization that promotes teaching tolerance in our schools,” says Liz Miller of Summit Place Financial Advisors in Summit, New Jersey.
Wells Fargo
“While we always enjoy outreach with our clients, we find that the Christmas holiday season is a particularly important time for us to connect," says Mischelle Copeland and Nicole Horton, a Wells Fargo mother-and-daughter team based in Fort Worth, Texas. "And what’s more, the feedback from our clients about receiving holiday cards from us is that it’s meaningful and appreciated.”
"We send holiday cards to our clients and contacts digitally and make donations to three local charities that are making a difference in our communities and are important to our firm and our employees," says Monica Parks, marketing assistant at Ballentine Partners in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Birchwood Financial Partners
"We ended up going with the flying theme, settling on 'helping your dreams take flight!'," says Kay Kramer, financial planner at Birchwood Financial Partners based in Edina, Minnesota. "We contacted Wings of the North, a non-profit museum that operates restorations and preserves aviation history. Birchwood staff spent an afternoon learning about the AT-6 Texan aircraft we are pictured with. This aircraft would have been the last trainer aircraft that a 1940s era pilot would fly before graduating to a fighter aircraft or being sent to multi-engine school to learn how to fly bombers and transports."
