5 Retail Secrets That Will Give Your Employees A Boost

If you survived the holidays without leaving a bruise on your credit card, congrats!

For the rest of us, if nothing else, each December reminds us of just how ingenious retail marketers can be.

High-end fashion, dollar store or grocery store – it doesn’t matter. Merchandisers are masters at enticing us to spend, spend and spend some more.

As your employees start to slip back into their routines, you can still take advantage of the holiday magic, and put a few of those promotional tactics to use to boost morale and inspire your people.

Here are five approaches that always work!

1) The End-Cap Special

This is where department stores take the merchandise that’s not moving well in the middle of the aisle and display it nicely on an end cap.

Voila! High foot traffic, high exposure – and there it goes out the door. What a deal!

For managers, it means to display or magnify your people’s strengths.

Everybody has skills that are average, sort of like middle of the aisle.

By highlighting what people do well, isolating their strengths, and focusing on the things people do well each day, you’ll accomplish a few things:

• You’ll reinforce their sense of value of themselves and you’ll get more from them, too.
• You’ll display their skills for others to see, which fosters a fuller sense of appreciation.
• You’ll challenge others who see those strengths to improve as well.

2) The Bakery By The Door

There’s nothing like the wonderful aroma of fresh-baked bread and cakes to make you hungry … and buy more groceries.

Which is one reason why most grocery chains make sure you pass the bakery early in your shopping trip.

Sure works for me.

Managers can get a similar impact at work by unleashing the flow of information. Good employees are hungry to learn how things work and why.

Fill them in, let information waft throughout your workplace, and good people will be energized and sniff out solutions.

If you’re curious about what to share, just ask them what they want. Here is a list of what employees say they want from a recent poll:

• Appreciation for work done, and work done well
• Feeling a part of things
• Some understanding on personal/home demands
• Job security
• Promotion and growth opportunities
• Interesting and varied work
• Fair managers

3) Free Samples

People appreciate a free snack of crackers and gourmet cheese while they shop. A free taste of a good product is the best way to get us to buy next time around.

So, when you can give your employees a taste of how their daily work fits into the larger picture and the organization’s broader goals, they’re more inclined to do it again and again.

Here’s a 4-step approach:

1. Explain the organization’s overall goal, and the benefits of achieving that goal.
2. Break down your employee goals into tasks that connect with the organization’s goals.
3. Review these goals regularly to see if they are being met.
4. Hold yourself, and your employees, accountable.

4) The Bank

It’s no coincidence bank branches popped up inside grocery stores. It’s a marriage of convenience.

The grocery is betting people will come to the bank and will shop more often, too, (and with more money in their pockets).

In the same vein, managers who offer a real work/life balance to employees actually end up with employees who work more, not less.

It’s true!

They show up more, put in a greater effort (have more value to offer), and in the end are more effective!

Here are six things that’ll help achieve that balance:

1. Self management
2. Time management
3. Stress management
4. Change management
5. Technology management
6. Leisure management

5) In-Store Entertainment

Did you catch that cooking show demo while standing in the checkout line at Target?

Yes?

The retailer wants you to relax and enjoy your shopping experience, the perfect state of mind to pummel you with advertising.

So, why not let employees relax and be themselves?

Allowing employees to be comfortable and themselves at work puts them in the perfect frame of mind to build genuine connections. That boosts trust among colleagues and improves valuable knowledge-sharing.

Here are some ideas that help:

• Hire well
• Send toxic people packing
• Keep the place clean, comfortable and attractive
• Create an area to relax
• Let people customize their own space
• Eat together
• Focus on wellness
• Be flexible