How Law Firms Can Reach Out to Clients Over the Holidays

The holidays are an excellent opportunity to show your clients how much they mean to you. If you’re considering reaching out ahead of Christmas, there’s still time to plan.

Regardless of your budget or available time, you’ll find there are many approaches that yield great results. Let’s look at a few of the most popular.

The Holiday Greeting Card

A holiday greeting card can be as specific or general as you’d like. Of course, the more personalized the card is, the greater the connection it will make with your client. This is true of the message you write on the card and the imagery you use.

You can use photography of your staff or customized imagery that relays something relevant to your firm. You can even write out a message specific to each client. This is a great way to connect with clients because it gives them a token of your gratitude for your relationship.

However, you don’t necessarily need to write a personalized message or create custom imagery or photography to go the holiday greeting card route. If time or budget is an issue, holiday greeting cards from your local store will still let your clients know you’re thinking of them.

Phone Calls

Phone calls are an effective and highly personalized way to reach out to clients. A brief call lets the client know you care enough to speak to them in person to catch up and wish them a happy holiday season.

The best part of reaching out to clients via a phone call is that it’s free. So if you have budgetary restrictions but have available time, this is a great way to connect with your clients.

Gifts

If you have the budget to do so, you can send out small gifts to your clients. These can be holiday candy, food baskets, a Christmas ham, or, if you want to give highly personalized presents, a unique gift selected for each of your clients.

To go the extra mile, you or someone from your firm can hand deliver the gift, though sending it through a shipping service or the mail is still enough to show the client you care. If you ship the gift instead of delivering it in person, attach a brief greeting card to the item.

Email

Though the other options on this list are likely to make a bigger impact on your clients, sending an email is still a solid option to reach out to your client. If you’re short on both time and budget, a greeting card-style email might be the way to go. However, if you have time to type out personalized emails, it will likely resonate more with your client.

You Can Prioritize Your Holiday Outreach Efforts

You might find the most reasonable approach to reaching out to your clients is by sending gifts to the clients you’ve developed the closest relationships with. The less interaction you’ve had with someone, the less formal your outreach can be.

For those that you’ve only met through a consultation, for example, a holiday greeting card can still make a great impression. They’ll likely be impressed you thought of them enough to reach out after only a brief interaction.

Pro tip: If someone at your firm has established a relationship with a client, it might be best to have the gift, card, or phone call come directly from them instead of from the entire firm.

Don’t Limit Your Holiday Outreach to Just Clients

The holidays are a great time to cultivate relationships with more than just your clients. If you have attorneys who refer several cases to your firm, you should consider putting them high on your list of those to send gifts or greeting cards to. The same goes for any other professional relationships your firm has built.

Timing of Holiday Outreach

When it comes to sending holiday cards or gifts to your clients, planning is everything. Planning ahead will help ensure the items arrive before the holiday and allow them to fully appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Here are some gift-giving tips to keep in mind to make a lasting impression on your clients:

• Plan Ahead: Send gifts early. This will give your client time to appreciate your card or gift and let them know you have been thinking about them. A late package may come off as rushed or last-minute.
• Consider the Holiday: Whether you’re sending a gift for Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s, consider timing the gift to arrive a few days before that holiday.
• Factor in Shipping Time: Consider the distance between your package’s origin and destination, and keep in mind that shipping around the holidays may take longer due to higher demand.

Even if the holidays have passed, there’s always time to send your clients a thoughtful card or gift as a token of appreciation. It’s a great way to show them you value your relationship, especially during the hectic holiday season.

Backdocket Can Help You Centralize a List of Clients

One of the coolest features of backdocket is its ability to help you keep centralized lists that are accessible and collaborative with your coworkers. You can use our practice management software to set up tasks related to holiday greeting cards or gift-giving processes. It’s one of the many features that have made backdocket so popular with small- to mid-size law firms. If you’d like to learn more about how backdocket can make your life easier, contact us today to schedule a free demonstration.

Originally published December 7, 2020. Updated October 7, 2024.

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