Why Gratitude Makes Good Business Sense

Even though gratitude and Thanksgiving go together like mashed potatoes and gravy, many companies overlook this occasion to show appreciation.

But Thanksgiving and other often-skipped-over holidays deserve our attention, and here’s why. Not only is this holiday that’s full of gratitude, family and warmth a wonderful opportunity to reach out to clients and employees, it’s also a great way to share appreciation for all they’ve done throughout the year.

There are many benefits that result when you express your gratitude by mailing greeting cards. Especially during November—National Gratitude Month. It’s the perfect time to send Thanksgiving greetings for clients to show them how much you care about them. There’s a reason an entire month is dedicated to the idea of gratitude—after all, it can alter the way people feel and give them a positive boost to finish out the year!

Expressing your gratitude with business Thanksgiving cards is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways to strengthen connections with both employees and customers. Take a look at how sending greeting cards to clients and employees can make a huge difference in how your company is perceived.

When employees are shown more appreciation, they react with:

More engagement: Recognition is key to employee engagement, success and motivation. 80% of employees say they are motivated to work harder when they are recognized for their work, AND those who think they will be recognized are 2.7 times more likely to have high workplace engagement. Yes, corporate Thanksgiving cards can help you do all that!

Better customer experiences: Happier, engaged employees provide customers with better experiences. A recent Gallup poll found that only 36% of employees in the United States are engaged. Lack of engagement often leads to negative customer experiences over time. The little things matter, and when you start with meaningful greeting cards you’ll be showing employees how much you care about their day-to-day happiness.

Less turnover: Today’s workforce wants to feel appreciated and valued for what they do, and there is a strong correlation between recognition levels and attrition levels. Highly engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave the companies where they are working. That means it is in every company’s best interest to keep a pulse on their workforce, ensuring they are engaged, feel valued and are often reminded of their worth.

Higher productivity: Employee well-being is also enhanced by expressing gratitude and recognizing employee contributions. Recent experimental evidence suggests that a meaningful increase in well-being increases productivity by about 10%. That’s just one more reason to get your corporate Thanksgiving cards ordered in time to send out all your well wishes this year!

Increased profitability: There is a large, positive correlation between employee well-being and firm-level performance. Higher productivity drives overall profitability. Plus, publicly traded companies with a happy workforce also perform better on the stock market. Can a simple greeting card help your bottom line? It will make your employees smile—and happy employees will certainly help your bottom line!

When customers are shown more appreciation, they react by:

Boosting the bottom line. Research shows that acquiring a new customer can be five times more expensive than retaining an existing customer. So, while it is important to expand your customer base, it pays to invest in keeping customers around. In addition, repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers.

Differentiating your brand: The more valuable clients feel, the more connected they are to your business. Clients want to know that you know them and are speaking to them individually when you reach out. 61% of consumers said that they consider personalization to be standard, with 39% going on to further state that they will no longer do business with a company that does not personalize their experience, according to a recent Harris Poll survey. Thanksgiving cards for business clients are a perfect way to bridge the gap and reach out to clients in a personalized way.

Building your brand’s reputation: When customers feel valued, they are more likely to endorse your brand through glowing reviews and positive social media messages. In 2020, about 87% of consumers read online reviews, AND 94% of consumers said that online reviews play a role in their purchasing decisions. Those numbers show us just how powerful social media and word-of-mouth marketing truly are in today’s digital age. And at Hallmark Cards, they tell us how powerful Thanksgiving cards for clients can be—along with greeting cards for other special occasions—for letting clients know exactly how important they are.

Giving Thanks: A Winning Business Strategy

This season offers plentiful opportunities for businesses to strengthen their relationships with those who matter most to their business: their employees and their customers.

According to new research from the University of Southern California, about a third of U.S. small businesses surveyed reported sending greeting cards during the winter holiday season from 2018 to 2020. Yet only 16% sent cards before Thanksgiving. By sharing appreciation with employees and customers during this time frame, companies stand out.

And by sending in November, you’ll add an unexpected happy surprise to reasons they will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Many people don’t expect greeting cards during November, so by delivering the unexpected, you’ll increase their surprise and delight.

Celebrate Those Who Matter Most

The business case for showing gratitude is clear: It pays to recognize employees and share your appreciation with customers. To make your business stand out this Thanksgiving season, consider a Hallmark card. Discover the array of distinctive, affordable Thanksgiving cards from Hallmark Business Connections.

But don’t forget, there are plenty of occasions to show you care about clients. After the busy holiday season in November and December, Valentine’s Day sneaks up in February as a great time to show customers some love. Browse the curated collection of Hallmark Valentine Greetings to see how these professional (non-mushy!) greetings create a great touchpoint.

While Thanksgiving offers companies the perfect occasion to leverage the proven benefits of sharing gratitude both inside and outside of the workplace, don’t let opportunities like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and other holidays slip by. These are great times to keep your business front of mind throughout the year—and they could just be the catalyst that encourages customers to reach out to you for upcoming business needs.

Short on time? Hallmark makes strengthening your business relationships fast and easy. We provide everything from examples of what to write in an employee recognition card to tips on creating personal relationships with customers.

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