I was recently talking to my chiropractor about how one of the most traditional parts of the Christmas holiday season is sitting down and writing out Christmas cards to friends and loved ones. While this is a lovely gesture, the fact is that it is incredibly time-consuming and it can be quite pricey to buy enough cards and stamps for all. It can be even more expensive if you have a small business and want to send cards to your entire list of clients!

This is why so many people are now taking advantage of e-cards which they can create for free, and send by email. The entire process takes mere seconds and doesn’t cost a thing. There’s also the fact that this is an eco-friendly way to send cards and you don’t have to worry about them arriving late.

We concluded that sending email Christmas cards is the way to go this year! If you want to save time, money, and be more eco-friendly, here are some steps to follow to help ensure that you send out a fabulous holiday card.

Start with the Email Addresses

The first thing you will want to do is gather email addresses for all your recipients. Keep in mind that email greetings aren’t just a good way to send out cards to your family and friends, but if you happen to be a small-business owner, it’s a great way to send out cards to clients/customers without spending anything.

There’s a good chance you’ll already have all the email addresses for your family and friends, but if you’re hoping to send cards out to business contacts, this may take a bit more searching. An excellent tool you can use is theemailfinder.co which allows you to type in an email address and then verify it. This works with B2B contacts and provides you with instant results saving you all kinds of valuable time.

Find a Card Website

The next step will be to find an online e-card website that offers free cards. Ideally, you want to look for cards that allow for some customization so that you can add those personal touches. Depending on what site you pick, you may also be able to use your own clip art/photos in the card. Some of the more popular sites for Christmas cards include JibJab, Hallmark, and E-Cards.com. Of course, there are many others out there.

What to Look For

As for what makes a card great, that’s really personal preference. Typically, the ones with humor tend to be the most enjoyed, but that’s not to say those special sentimental ones don’t also hold a place. Other tips include looking for cards that are animated to add that extra layer of fun, those that play music or sounds, and there are even some that are interactive and require the recipient to actually take part in the experience.

Keep in mind there is no reason you need to send the same card to your entire list of loved ones. You can pick and choose who gets which card.

Make Christmas Cards Simple

E-cards are a wonderful way to show you’re thinking of friends, loved ones, and even those valued customers. They are simple and quick to send, making the process a breeze for you.