The GCA is encouraging everyone to start writing their Christmas cards early, and post 2nd class to spread good cheer and create a wave of card sending!
The Write Before Christmas is an initiative to engage your community, and bring people together to write their Christmas cards.
The tagline was the brainwave of GCA member Sarah Laker, owner of award winning retailer Stationery Supplies, with stores in Marple and Wilmslow and online at Giraffe Gifts
The GCA would like to see everyone in the industry coming together, perhaps teaming up with another local business and running their own The Write Before Christmas Event. It can be whatever works for your community, and will remind everyone about the joy of connecting with friends and family at Christmas.
As a self-employed business owner I’m often awake at 3am with thoughts racing though my head.
Back in early November last year I was doing just that, my mind was like a box of frogs thinking about the Cardmitment campaign and how to promote Christmas card sending. And I came up with the idea of holding a Christmas card writing evening event for which people would book and pay a small charge to participate. I wrote a few notes to remind myself in the morning and went back to sleep.
The next morning, I swung into action!
Sarah Laker, owner Stationery Supplies
Thankyou Sarah for sharing this idea and inspiring us all!
The Write Before Christmas is such a great tagline! We look forward to seeing these events across the country in 2024.
Amanda Fergusson, GCA CEO
Sarah’s Plan
- Connect with a local café (bringing the community together, and publicity for us both and no need to worry about refreshments!).
- Source items for a goody bag for the customers to take away with them
- Sort a date
- Come up with a name
- Advertise the heck out of it!
How it worked
Sarah’s The Write Before Christmas event was hosted by local café, Butterleys, who were thrilled to help. Sarah’s customers soon booked all the spaces up at the November event, which aimed to bring people together to write their cards ahead of the crazy busyness of December.
They had 12 people attend, and the café provided mulled wine or a soft drink, homemade Christmas cake with Wensleydale cheese and canapes. Sarah provided sparkly pens to write the cards with sponsored by Pentel and washi tape to decorate the envelopes sponsored by Stone Marketing.
It was a lovely evening, and everyone really enjoyed it, one lady said it was nice to be able to chat with other ‘pen-minded’ people, and others remarked how great it was to be organised and felt like it had started Christmas off.
I’ve already been asked when we are holding the even this year.
Sarah Laker, Stationery Supplies
All attendees received a goody bag too with Christmas cards sponsored by Paper Salad, washi tape, and sparkly pens as above sponsors, and vouchers for both the local cafe – Butterleys, and Sarah’s shop.
Sarah was impressed how everyone got on with the task of writing and how quickly the piles of cards mounted up – two ladies had even got together prior to the evening to make all their own cards ready to write at our evening. One of the chaps who came had an impressive Christmas card list, an old school register with all his friends and family listed so he could tick off who he’d sent to each year!
Sarah’s Top Tips for holding a retailer The Write Before Christmas Event
- Charge a small amount to attend so that people commit. Sarah charged £7.50.
- Provide a goody bag so people get something back for their money, along with refreshments – talk to suppliers, use old stock, card samples, maybe some Christmassy sweets or chocolates.
- Include a voucher in your goody bag, Sarah offered 10% off Christmas cards and gifts, to encourage people to come back to her store.
- If you haven’t got room in your business, speak to local cafes, Sarah’s event was in the evening, and the cafe put up their Christmas decorations up early to create a lovely atmosphere.
- Don’t worry too much about food; Sarah found drinks popular, but everyone too busy writing to eat.
- Advertise it everywhere, not just on social media. Even if people don’t attend, they will love the idea of it.
Hold your own The Write Before Christmas Event
This event could be a great opportunity to get your team together ahead of the Christmas rush. Encouraging everyone to write their cards early ready to post on Festive Friday.
Alternatively reach out to your community and team up with a local business, or community group. Agree the plan, and download the leaflet below, add in the details of your event!
Sarah’s design has been kindly updated for other GCA members to use by Wendy Jones Blackett.
Further information
To download your The Write Before Christmas leaflet and other Cardmitment marketing material, see our Christmas Cardmitment Toolkit
Clink the link to find out more about Festive Friday and download the free POS for this event.
See Sarah Laker’s Top Tip’s for Selling into Independent Retailers
