As we head into prime holiday card season, I thought I'd take a few minutes and share how I present holiday card options to my portrait clients. Over the years I have tried several strategies for showcasing holiday cards from an on-line pdf to 8.5 x 11 sell sheets with thumbnails of each card option. My holiday card sales were average at best using those tactics and with the number of word of mouth clients I gained from the few clients that DID send them out I knew it would be well worth the effort finding a way to increase the number of card orders leaving my studio. As I contemplated various ideas, I put myself in my client's shoes and decided if it were me in the buyers seat I would want to see, touch & feel my card options. That's when I came up with the idea to create a presentation box I could use to hold all of my holiday card samples. I started taking this box with me to my Fall sessions and the results were amazing! While I'm working with the children, the parents sit and look through the holiday card options pulling the style(s) they like. At the end of the appointment I make note of their choices in their client folder and present 2-3 of their favorite card choices in their session slideshow. This has dramatically increased my card sales and just as I suspected, the word of mouth business I've gained as a result has been amazing. No other marketing strategy has worked better for my studio than press printed card sales.

Best wishes to all of you heading into your busiest season of the year. I hope you all have a successful and profitable year!

**EDITED TO RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

Q: Thank you for the wonderful tip and insight. Im wondering how you amassed your collection of cards though Is there a lab that offers studio samples as a tool for selling

A: Thanks you guys! I actually sell sample sets of all of my holiday card templates every year here at Jamie Schultz Designs. The sample packs include one printed sample of every card design included in that particular collection. You can review all the options by clicking onTHIS LINK (just scroll down to "sample sets"). These sample sets are available on a first come, first serve basis. Jamie Schultz Designs clients have loved having these sample packs available as it gives them an opportunity to get printed samples in their client's hands without having to go to the expense of printing entire sets of card designs. I hope that helps!