If you’re like most people, you put off writing your holiday cards until the last minute. In fact, you may even be thinking about skipping it altogether this year or just sending out an e-card in its place to save time.

Well, think again, experts say. Sending an actual card — not an e-card — speaks volumes, says Lydia Ramsey, a business etiquette expert and president of Manners that Sell, a Savannah, Ga.-based consulting company. “When you go to the trouble of sending a real card, it says you’re making a greater effort on behalf of this person to let them know you are thinking of them at the holidays,” she notes.

And there’s no better time than the holidays to connect with clients on a personal level, particularly nowadays when so much of our correspondence is conducted through e-mail, notes Marc Wagenheim, product development director for Hallmark Business Expressions, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards focused on the corporate market. “The holidays are a natural touch-point to connect with people that are important to you,” says Wagenheim, adding that between 300 million and 400 million holiday cards are sent out by businesses annually.

But before you throw your card into the mix, there are a few things you should consider in order to make the best impression. First is the card itself, according to etiquette experts, who suggest you don’t settle on the least expensive card. “You want something that takes it above the level of what you get on the rack at the pharmacy,” Ramsey says. “If you’re sending cards to your top clients, you need top-quality cards.”

A cheap card could send a signal that your business isn’t doing so well or that the client isn’t worth the extra investment, she cautions, noting that once you choose a card, you should sign each personally and include a short handwritten message or greeting. It shows your client that you went to extra effort for them. The same is true when it comes to addressing the envelope. Ramsey says you don’t want to use computer-generated or pre-printed return address labels.

“It’s kind of like wearing your finest clothes and putting on beat-up tennis shoes,” she explains, adding that even though it may seem like a lot of work, your efforts will be appreciated in the end.

That’s why LeeAnn Donaton-Pesta, president of Loop-Loc Inc. in Hauppauge, N.Y., goes to the trouble each holiday season of sending out 15,000 cards. Her cards are custom-designed by Walter F. Cameron Advertising in Hauppauge and always center on Bubbles, the elephant portrayed in the company’s ads.

“He’s always in a different setting,” says Donaton-Pesta, whose company makes safety swimming-pool covers. “We have customers that save them year after year.”

It’s OK to send out humorous cards if your business lends itself to that, says Ramsey of Manners That Sell. But if you’re an investment banker sending holiday cards to high-net-worth individuals, humor may not be the best way to go.