In the retail industry, associates and management may be the first people in the company to feel the positive impact of employee engagement tools, but they’re not the only ones who benefit from the technology. In many cases, corporate marketing departments and business owners can take advantage of these solutions to better deliver localized campaigns. With a company-wide engagement and communication solution at their disposal, the head office can carefully tailor their approach to individual market segments for maximum impact.
As national and regional brands seek to differentiate themselves and keep up with online competitors like Amazon, they must forge new connections with their communities and customers. Creating a direct line of communication between marketers and frontline employees grants your business more granular control over messaging, as well as greater agility in responding to local market opportunities.
Taking command of your message
Just as social media, retargeting and pay-per-click advertising gives marketers more control over where and how their brand’s messaging is displayed, employee engagement communication tools allow organizations to be more strategic about localized marketing efforts. By delivering more precise communication to in-store workers, marketers can easily direct campaigns in individual markets without traveling to every location. Rather than adhering to a one-size-fits-all strategy, organizations can instruct employees to tailor their messaging on a regional or even store-by-store basis.
For example, businesses can deliver specific promotional information and training to workers in discrete target areas, such as shopping malls or rural locations. This allows marketers to better define their organizations’ audiences, and efficiently share the right details with customer-facing associates. Instead of relying on store managers to communicate marketing initiatives, organizations have a direct line to their employees, and can ensure nothing is lost in translation.
Mastering localized marketing
Marketers have long taken advantage of seasonal promotion opportunities, but were historically limited to broad, universal campaigns such as yearly “back to school” sales. With an employee engagement solution, marketing departments enjoy unprecedented flexibility, and can project a more authentic brand image in each of the communities they serve.
Marketing teams can connect with any location’s staff directly, capitalizing on local celebrations, events, weather or other needs. While one location may change displays and inventory in anticipation of a tourist season, another may adjust its tactics in response to a local sports team making the postseason. Marketing initiatives augmented by local relevance and informed employee participation translate to better customer service and stronger relationships with customers in the community.
Getting more out of your campaigns
Employee engagement technology isn’t just for keeping workers on task and in the loop; it serves as a valuable conduit for smarter marketing campaigns. Armed with specific knowledge of their target audience and messaging, employees can become stronger ambassadors and spokespeople for your brand.
Employee engagement platforms aren’t simply tools for staving off the negative consequences of unmotivated workers; they represent an opportunity to integrate all employees into your brand’s marketing campaigns. Rather than expecting your associates to learn “through the grapevine” how they can meaningfully contribute to local brand promotion, look at how employee engagement tools can align your employees to your organizations customer service goals.
