According to recent research reports, Americans are spending less on greeting cards. So why, in an age of e-cards, texting and social media, should you bother with an old-fashioned paper birthday card? Because it will make your greeting more memorable.

• On average, people receive 20 cards per year; six or seven of them are birthday cards. They get 85 emails in their inbox per day, 10 of which are junk.
• A birthday card with a handwritten note gives you a chance to make a personal connection. It also allows you to put a bit of your own style and creativity into a business or business-personal relationship.
• Many people keep and even display birthday cards for several days after their birthdays. A quality card looks much better on a mantle or cubicle wall than an email printout.
• People still look forward to receiving personal letters and cards in the mail. An envelope with a hand-written address is usually the first item in the pile to get opened and read.

The last time you got a birthday card with a handwritten note, you probably smiled. Keep a supply of birthday cards on hand and be ready to make someone else smile -- and think of you.