Will compliance approve a client holiday card?
Usually, and quickly, provided the card makes no performance claims and doesn't promote a product. A seasonal greeting with your name and firm is the standard case. Check your own firm's rules — we're a card company, not your compliance department — and order a printed proof for $20 if your CCO wants to see the actual piece.
What's the ROI on client holiday cards?
Take the conservative version. A card delivered at the right moment costs about five dollars all in. Replacing a lost client costs, at minimum, a few hundred. That's a floor of 50 to 1. A card by itself doesn't retain anyone — it's one touch in a retention program — but it is the least expensive line item in that program, and retention runs roughly five to seven times less than acquisition.
Should I send to prospects too?
Yes, and most advisors don't. Prospects who went quiet, referral sources, centers of influence — CPAs and estate attorneys especially. A card is the lowest-pressure contact available to you. It doesn't ask for the meeting, which is exactly why it works.
When should the card arrive?
First two weeks of December for a Christmas card, or early November for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the underused move in this business: it arrives alone, the wall has space, and thanks for the relationship is the most appropriate message an advisor can send.