It is easy to be intimidated by condolence cards because of the situation surrounding the need for the card. Using condolence cards can be a lot easier if you know sympathy card etiquette. Condolence cards should be sent to someone at the loss of a loved one, during a difficult life change, after an accident or for any other time of grief. Send a sympathy card to show you care and are compassionate for the person's loss.

Sympathy cards should be handwritten whenever possible. Condolence ecards should only be sent in extenuating circumstances. The object is to make the card comforting and as personal as possible. To do this, think about the bereaved's situation before you begin writing.

1. Include positive statements about the person's character or personality in the sympathy card.

2. Write positive statements about the person's achievements.

3. Share a good memory or funny story about the person.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a condolence card that fits with the situation

With many cards to choose from, finding a card will not be difficult. Finding the perfect card, though, might take some deeper searching. The perfect card will help you express comfort in the situation.

I recommend: Easily find a card suitable for the situation at Greeting Card Universe. The sympathy cards are categorized into sections. You can find cards for divorce, loss of a child, loss of a pet and others by selecting the appropriate category. At Botanical PaperWorks you can get a truly unique card. Their plantable card has seeds to grow flowers that can be a lasting comfort.

Seek well-written examples to help when writing your sympathy card message

Sometimes you need more help coming up with what to say in the message of your card. From examples, you can find wording ideas to help you get started. Note how carefully written the examples are and follow suit with your own condolences. You can buy condolence cards at a retailer or online.

I recommend: Sample Letter of Sympathy has many examples from which you can glean wording ideas for your card. Memorial Keepsakes has examples for several different types of messages. Knowing what not to say is as important as knowing what to say. Grace Designs helps by sharing things that are better left unsaid.

Address the condolence card properly

Now that the message is written, addressing the card appropriately is the last step before sending. Since condolence cards show respect and formality, they should also be formally addressed.

I recommend: Lighthouse Publications helps with how to address the recipient and yourself in a condolence card. Go to iloveindia.com for more tips on addressing your card.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Sympathy ecards can be sent if timeliness is a factor. Otherwise, handwritten cards should be sent within two weeks.
• •  If a length of time has passed and you have not sent your sympathies, send a condolence card anyway. It is better to send one later than never at all. Often, the most difficult time for the bereaved comes after things have slowed down, and a special card will be cherished at that time.

When a business associate, client or employee loses a loved one, receiving a condolence card from you can make a very positive difference. It lets the person know that your thoughts are with them, and it is a thoughtful way to show you care about the pain they are going through. Sending a card may sometimes seem like a small gesture, but it is usually a lasting and very meaningful one.

Condolence cards can be used to express your sympathy in many ways --- from a short "I'm sorry for your loss" to something more personal. You can show your feelings in many ways, including:

1. Sending condolence cards for employees or employee family members who pass away;

2. Providing sympathy cards for salespeople to send customers who lose a loved one;.

3. Sending condolence cards to vendors and other business contacts who suffer a loss.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy customized condolence cards for your business

Consider sending a sympathy card with your company's logo inside. This will let your clients know that you value their business and feel their loss.

I recommend: Companies such as Brookhollow allow you to select from dozens of condolence cards and customize them with your company logo or a personal message. Hallmark Business Expressions offers a smaller, more selective line of customizable cards. Check out directories listing business condolence card makers such as Nice Greetings.

Send a sympathy card to employees or their families

Let employees know you're thinking of them when they suffer a loss. Also sending a personal message to an employee's family, in the event of his or her death, shows you care.

I recommend: The Gallery Collection offers a wide variety of sympathy cards that can be personalized to let employees and their families know that you care. They can also be given to employees to send to their business contacts. Although it's a lot less personal, companies such as Corp Note offer condolence ecards and sympathy ecards geared to the loss of an employee or an employee's family member.

Find pet sympathy cards for animal lovers

Clients or associates may take the loss of a pet as hard as the loss of a family member. Sending them a sympathy card when a pet passes away is a great way to express your concern for this loss.

I recommend: Show your concern by sending a pet condolence cards from Pet-Urns.com, E-mail Expressions or the Miss Happy Memory Card Company.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Purchase sympathy cards with your logo or personal message in large quantities so they will be available when you need them.
• •  Add your own special message to any condolence ecard to give it a more personal touch.
• •  Consider including a small gift such as flowers or a token of remembrance.

Send a condolence card and offer sympathy to another in their trying times or design sympathy cards with the power to help heal another. Condolence cards design education and training includes not only actually making the cards but includes rules of when to send them and what level of involvement the writer should seek.

Look at design and art schools for general education about making cards for special occasions, including the sympathy card. Get ideas from cards you see in stores and launch into making your own cards with self-taught classes. Check into the following about condolence cards design education and training:

1. Learn the special information to make condolence ecards.

2. Educate yourself on proper stationery for sympathy ecards.

3. Examine the appropriate written words for a sympathy card.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn condolence ecard design special tips and tricks

Take a class at your local community college or tech school in design art. Card making is a fine art and once you learn to make cards you can branch out from condolence cards to other topics. Then find the particular information that makes a condolence card stand out from the crowd.

I recommend: Legacy Connect offers tips on the best stationary for condolence card design. Use this information to design better condolence cards. Wise Geek offers an article about condolences with a section about the type of stationery to use for your condolence card design.

Teach yourself condolence card design

Instead of spending time in class, learn condolence card design at home at your own pace. Buy a software program and practice your new-found trade. Learn how to make general greeting cards and then fine-tune your cards for condolences.

I recommend: Made How offers information on how greeting cards in general are made. Use this information to create your condolence card and fashion the card with the appropriate stationery and words. ABC Article Directory provides an informative article about writing with a section on condolence card design. Choose one color for your card, according to this article.

Follow social etiquette when sending a sympathy ecard

Take a course in writing to learn the proper words to use for condolence card design. The inside of the card is just as important as the outside and it takes a certain knack to know what to say to someone who is bereaved.

I recommend: Grace Designs offers tips on what to say and not say in a condolence card. Look over this information and write more meaningful condolence cards. American Hospice Foundation offers words to use in condolence cards as well as things not to say. Instead of choosing their exact words make them your own for the particular situation. Western Washington University Counseling Center offers do's and dont's on writing condolence cards. This part of the card design is the hardest part, so educate yourself on these tips.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy condolence cards ready-made and add your own verse inside the card. The person will appreciate the original thought you bring to him or her.