Tips for Sending Birthday ECards

Birthday eCards are a great concept. Most are free, they are easy to find, and easy to send. Although they do have their pros, they also have their cons. One being the impression you send. Everyone knows free electronic birthday cards exist, including your recipient. Will they feel shortchanged or like you didn't put forth the extra effort? Honestly, they might. Luckily, there are ways to turn an otherwise free and effortless birthday eCard into a nice gesture.

Program the Birthday eCard to Arrive Early in the Morning

Many free birthday card websites enable you to pick the delivery date and time. A day or two before, search for funny birthday eCards or romantic ones. Towards the bottom, select the right date and time. A good idea is to aim for early in the morning. You want your recipient to open their email in the morning and find their birthday card waiting. The key to using birthday eCards is to make them seem like a nice gesture, not a last minute attempt to send a well wish. Early delivery doesn't leave your recipient thinking you forgot about their special day.

Customize the Birthday eCard

Even free birthday card websites allow customization. It will take less than two minutes, so do it. Don't just go with the traditional "Happy Birthday." Add their name. Then, write a personal message at the bottom. Wish them well and happiness for the day. This simple step goes a long way. You no longer just found a generic eCard online. You took a few extra minutes to personalize it.

Send a Printed Card Too

Does your best friend have a birthday party scheduled for Saturday, but is her birthday on that following Monday? If so, bring a birthday card and gift to her party, but don't let her think you forgot about the actual special day. This is the perfect time for a birthday eCard. It isn't the gift, just an added bonus and a kind gesture.

Avoid Birthday eCards for Close Friends and Family

Unless you intend to take the above mentioned step and also have a printed card in hand for a birthday party or lunch with the birthday person, send eCards to long distance relatives and friends or acquaintance only. Birthday greetings are nice, but birthday eCards often send the wrong impression. That impression may be that you forgot about their birthday, are cheap, or can't be bothered. Don't let your mother or sister get this impression. They are family and deserve a real birthday greeting card, even if it only comes from the dollar store.

In short, birthday eCards are a great concept. They are free, easy to find, and quick to send; however, they don't always create the best impression. If you want to impress someone, drop a printed greeting card in the mail. It should cost no more than $5, but this extra step will mean a lot to your recipient.