Christmas cards are a big business. According to The Greeting Card Association, 1.6 billion Christmas cards are purchased annually -- making them the most popular of all greeting cards. If you run a small, local printing shop, your business can also take advantage of the Christmas card season. Here's how.

Provide High-Quality, Custom Christmas Cards

Few small custom printing companies can compete with large, national printing services on price. Instead of trying to undercut your competition, focus on providing a higher quality product -- a better Christmas card. You can improve the quality of the Christmas cards you sell by:

• offering a higher level customization
• using a heavier weight card stock
• using a brighter ink

Partner with Local Graphic Designers

As a local custom printing shop, you have an opportunity to market your business' local aspect. Instead of purchasing graphics from people outside of your area, partner with a graphic designer in your city. Many graphic designers are willing to do side jobs, and some might be willing to give you a discounted price for the added exposure they'll receive. If you have the resources, purchase designs from a few different graphic designers, as each one will have their own unique style.

Market Through Local Photographers and Churches

Marketing custom printed Christmas cards is easy if you target the right businesses or organizations. Two local businesses and organizations you should talk with are portrait photographers and churches.

Talk with local photographers who do family portraits, and ask them to hand out your business card. Families that have their portraits taken in December are likely to also plan on sending Christmas cards -- and they have discretionary income. Photographers will likely be willing to hand out your company's cards if you agree to give them a commission on any orders that are placed by their clients.

Churches are also a great place to look for potential Christmas card customers, as many people who celebrate Christmas go to church. Many churches won't let you advertise directly to their members, so you'll have to find a creative way to reach them. You might ask nearby churches if they have graphic designers who'd like to partner with you and design a Christmas card. Many will, and they will likely be happy to let people know about a Christmas card that a member designed.

The Christmas card industry is a great opportunity for all small, local custom printing shops. If you're able to provide high-quality cards, partner with local graphic designers, and market through photographers and churches, your custom printing shop could see a significant increase in sales this December.