How to Localize Your Global Store Through Social Media
That's a huge missed opportunity. Here's how to harness your employees potential in your local social media strategy:
1. Empower your team. Your employees are on the front line of customer service, and they wield significant influence over whether shoppers become repeat customers.
Your team knows your brand and, more importantly, your customers better than anyone. When it comes to local needs and preferences, they're walking encyclopedias of consumer knowledge. However, they won't use it if they're afraid of violating company policy or losing their jobs. Encourage teammates to engage with customers on social media to establish rapport and invite them into the store.
2. Encourage authenticity. You want employees to positively represent your brand, but you don't want robots. A social strategy only works if you let your employees authentically express themselves. Brief your team members on the dos and don'ts of interacting with customers online, then let them post, share and comment in ways that are comfortable and natural.
3. Make it easy. Don't overburden your employees with social media duties or insist that they spend their time chatting with customers on Twitter. Your employees have laundry lists of priorities at work and at home, so make it easy for them to participate. Give them a simple app or social media integration system that lets them engage with just a few clicks.
By incorporating local retail employees into your social media marketing efforts, you add reach and authenticity to your brand voice. Customers are loyal to people they know, not company logos. Your retail teammates are your brand's true voices, so give them the tools to feel confident and excited about evangelizing to your markets.
Russ Fradin is a digital media industry veteran and an angel investor with more than 15 years of experience in online marketing. He's founder and CEO of Dynamic Signal, a platform for empowering employees to be effective brand advocates.
