… spoke with an independent consultant.

He happened to mention that he sends 3,000 holiday cards every year.

It’s an impressive number; I’m just not so sure it’s a good investment of time or money.

First, because no matter how many he sends, each recipient only gets one. List size has no correlation with impact.

Second, because if he’s sending that many, it’s probably outsourced, definitely automated, and necessarily generic. It’s like when my supermarket prints, “Have a nice day” on the bottom of my receipt.

Mechanized marketing is fine (this very message is an example).

Just make sure that in the process, you’re not automating and outsourcing the things that are intended to reinforce a relationship-building, human connection.

Oh, and Happy Holidays, [NAME], to you and your family. Let’s keep in touch.