UGH! I Bought The Card, Now What Do I Do?
You thought picking out just the right card was daunting, but now you have to write something wonderful and meaningful in it – THAT is terrifying! Never fear, I’ll help you pen just the right greeting so you can get that card in the mail on time.
First, you bought a card, that’s great – so much more personal than a text. I mean, don’t get me wrong, texts are certainly useful for giving a quick update, telling someone that you’re running a little late, maybe making plans to meet for dinner. All valid uses of a text. However, some things just don’t fit the “it’s quick and easy and I don’t have to really think about it” impersonal format of the text message. Sometimes, you have to go a little farther. When it comes to things like birthdays or thank you’s (you should absolutely be writing thank you’s, by the way) weddings or even just letting someone know that you are thinking about them, you really should work a little harder – trust me, it is SO worth it!
Writing letters and cards can be a challenge for just about everyone. There sure seems to be a lot of pressure put on such a short message. I get it – you don’t want to come off as too cheesy or write something ridiculously sweet and gushing. At the same time, you do NOT want to be that person that seems stiff and uncaring. Where do you start? What do you say? Can’t you get someone else to write this thing for you??? Well, sort of. If you want to get this card written quickly, and with zero stress, I have compiled a list of 210 card messages for just about any occasion – you can grab that HERE. But, if you want to see how to craft your own message, read on.
It’s Not As Hard As It Seems
First, let’s talk a little bit about how to write a note and some things to consider as you begin. You want to customize your message to the recipient. I know this sounds obvious, but you want to write something that not only sounds like it comes from you, but also sounds like something the recipient would want to hear. Consider your relationship to the recipient, are you close? Maybe a good friend or family member? Or are you just casual acquaintances, maybe a work colleague?
Second, read the room. Make sure you write something appropriate for the occasion. Don’t force yourself to be formal if that isn’t you. Write like you speak – within reason of course. You don’t want to come off too cheeky, too overdone or too somber. Think Goldilocks – just right.
Get started on the right foot. It’s usually best to use the standard “Dear” plus the recipient’s name as your opening greeting. If you are not on a first-name basis with the person, use an honorific and surname and then a colon i.e. “Dear Mr. Jones:”. When addressing couples, it’s a little more involved. Married couples who both use the husband’s last name should be “Mr. and Mrs. Jones.” Married couples who use different last names should use “Ms. Smith and Mr. Jones.” Unmarried couples and same gender couples who live together will also follow this strategy.
Get my cheat sheet of 210 card messages and never be at a loss for what to say again!
Write A Rough Draft To Start
Take away the pressure of “messing up” the actual card – don’t write on the card itself – at least not yet – start on scrap paper. What is it that you want to say? Some of the best ways to get inspiration are to think about something specific about the recipient. Memories are great starting points, and can often put you in the right frame of mind to write from the heart and pen the perfect message. Begin by simply writing your thoughts down on your scrap paper. Don’t think about punctuation, or even making sense. You just want to get the ideas from your head onto paper. If bullet points are your thing, start with that, you can always work them into sentences that make sense when you refine it later. Rework things that don’t seem quite right, move things around so that they make more sense.
Once you are happy with what you have written, then it is time to transfer it to the card. And don’t think too much about this step. You are simply transferring what you have already written, so there isn’t any pressure. Just take your time and write neatly – you’ve done all this work, you want to make sure the recipient can read it!
Don’t Forget The Perfect Ending
So, you’ve crafted just the right message for your card – but don’t stop there. You need the perfect ending to wrap it all up. Need to know how to “sign off” or finish your card? Check out my next post, HERE, it has all the answers. Oh, and don’t forget to grab the list of card messages HERE, you won’t regret it, it’s SO helpful!
Well, there you have it. The mysteries behind writing a greeting card sentiment have been uncovered! If you stuck with me this long, you should not have any trouble writing in a card from now on – congratulations!
Not Quite Confident Yet?
Still feel like you need a little more help coming up with just the right thing to say? Maybe you don’t want to have to work that hard just to get a card in the mail. I get it, and I’ve got you covered! I have put together a comprehensive list of card messages that will help you pen just the right greeting to get that card in the mail quickly and easily. This cheat sheet will help get you moving in the right direction. You can use it as a simple “pick a sentiment and write it in the card” kind of thing or maybe as a jumping off point to unblock your own creativity – it’s completely up to you.
Click the box below to get the cheat sheet that will help you with just about every kind of greeting you might need. Plus, you’ll get my weekly newsletter with access to exclusive coupons, giveaways, tips and fun stuff only for subscribers!
Get my cheat sheet of 210 card messages and never be at a loss for what to say again!