The ROI of Engagement: Why Investing in Employee and Customer Relationships is Important
We are far more than a number on an employee badge or a customer membership card. We are people. And people need engagement to feel seen and valued.
That’s why Hallmark Business Connections is committed to turning companies into more emotionally connected environments. We support companies as they launch life event marketing campaigns with Hallmark greeting cards made specifically for businesses.
Life events like a new baby, a new home, the loss of a spouse, sibling or pet, or a birthday reframe our lives, including our work experiences and how/what we buy. Recognizing this is key for businesses hoping to increase levels of employee engagement and improve customer service.
How Employees and Customers Want to Engage with Businesses
People want personal, humanizing interactions with companies. Whether it’s a B2B buyer engaging in purchase decisions for their work or consumers buying necessities and luxuries for their homes, people clearly feel better about their choices and stay loyal when they are connecting with their workplace and organizations they do business with.
Organizations are 88% more likely to perform well financially when employees feel like they belong and are heard.
92% of consumers want brands to make their marketing feel like a story.
In your customer engagement strategy planning and employee engagement strategies, you'll want to consider how to meet them where they are with communications that make them feel seen.
91% of people are more likely to do business with companies that appreciate their customers.
To increase customer satisfaction and build employee engagement in the workplace, turn to Hallmark cards—just like you would for supporting personal relationships.
How Hallmark Greeting Cards Engage Employees and Customers
Our greeting cards stand out in mailboxes and help bring Hallmark moments to the business world. They’re opened, read, understood and acted upon better than other direct mail format. As card recipients attest, they make pack an emotional impact.
64% of people say greeting cards make them feel special (vs. 15% for emails and 5% for texts).
Card RecipientThat was the most beautiful card! It was the nicest thing anyone has done for me recently. It really touched me.
Hallmark cards offer expertly crafted artwork and messages supported by more than a century of creative resources. With customization options and iconic details like the gold seals, you'll create personal, authentic touchpoints with employees and customers.
Saying "happy birthday" or "congratulations on your new home" seems so simple, but the act of showing you care won't be forgotten by your employees and customers.
Measuring Engagement and Determining ROI
Engagement is vital to business success, but how can we best quantify its value? Numerous industry statistics find that improving employee and customer engagement contributes to business success. However, measuring specific results to determine the success of individual tactics can be difficult.
We suggest starting with determining the incremental impact of a direct mail campaign. This offers an at-a-glance comparison of communication methods.
When you dig deeper into the numbers, Hallmark’s real results from real clients make it clear: greeting card campaigns lead to measurable improvements in engagement.
For example, Hallmark worked with a billion-dollar online retailer to create a more human experience. After reimagining an existing birthday campaign by sending a heartfelt message and compelling offer in a greeting card rather than a letter, sales lifted 113%. You can learn more about this case study here.
Hallmark cards lead to 113% lift in sales over the control marketing format.
In other campaigns, the retailer enjoyed similar successes. Notably, a mailing of Hallmark greeting cards netted a 550% return on ad spend (50% more than other marketing formats).
Hallmark cards generated 550% return on ad spend.
Clients have also seen great success with our corporate solutions. A global banking giant with over 50 million customers was looking to create a national initiative that could be implemented at a personal level. With the help of Hallmark, they turned employees into relationship builders and secured customer loyalty.
Our easy-to-use online ordering solution empowered customer service personnel to initiate and maintain positive customer contact. More than just resolving calls and concerns, the employees now could extend the conversation by sending a card that fit with what they discussed with the customer. From a get well or encouragement card to new baby or retirement card, the customer service reps were empowered to show support for whatever the customer was facing at the moment. This contributed to improved experiences for both customers and employees.
Customer retention increased 10%.
Employee job satisfaction increased 18%.
Discover the other ways our solution improved Net Promoter Scores and Employee Net Promoter Scores and learn more about our Care solution.
Final Thoughts
Organizations hoping to improve business results should evaluate investments in engagement. Making employees feel like they belong and customers feel appreciated pays dividends. Hallmark is here to help with greeting cards that deepen relationships and can lead to boosts in performance and sales.
Get started now by shopping for cards now or exploring our corporate solutions.