It’s been a tough couple of months for everyone, and perhaps you’ve already started to relax, thinking that the year is almost over. But then, you might have woken up (screaming?!) in the middle of the night and realized that the holidays are just around the corner, and you have yet to put together a Christmas card list.
So you scramble and try to find cards, postage and rummage through your files looking for addresses. Hold on a minute, you’re in the 21st century! These days, we have things like computers and the Internet to help make our lives easier – why not make things as easy as possible and send out E-cards this year?
Of course, some traditionalists may turn their noses up at electronic cards. Sure, there’s nothing like holding an actual paper card in your hands, but there are many reasons to consider e-cards this year.
First, it’s no secret that it has been a tough year for many sectors; people are cutting back everywhere. Holiday cards, and all the costs that go with them, are just one of those things you may want to do without this December, without worrying if you’ll end up on Santa’s ‘Naughty List’.
In fact, with everyone thinking about how to save a few extra dollars, your clients may appreciate the fact that you’re not spending cash on customized, gold foil embossed greeting cards, which they’ll probably toss out right after Boxing Day anyways. You’ll also save on time. Instead of using your employees’ time writing, stuffing and stamping, they do some actual work around the office!
Next, with all the concern about global warming these days, think of the smaller carbon footprint you’ll leave if you use electronic cards. Over 42% of trees cut down around the world goes towards making paper – yup, that’s a LOT of trees. Then, once you put a stamp on your envelopes, the post office has to pick up the cards and drive or fly your card to their intended destinations, using up a lot of fuel in the process. E-cards will not only save you money, but will help save the environment as well.
Today’s e-cards, however, are not like their Web 1.0 cousins. Perhaps the last time you’ve received an e-card was Valentine’s 1999, in which case you may have been directed to a website where animated GIF hearts floated in all their 16-bit glory, while a MIDI rendition of a cheesy love song played in the background.
Now, you can get all the bells and whistles – Full color, CD-quality songs, HD Video and you can even personalize and customize to your heart’s content. Some sites will even let you pre-set the exact date and time to send your cards and have a way of tracking whether a recipient has opened the card or not.
So why not try it out today? Not sure where to begin? Give us a ring and we can set you up with a holiday E-card option that’s right for you!
[an interview with Yelp Canada’s Community Manager, Crystal Henrickson]
