MOTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES BLOG

THE POWER OF EFFECTIVE RETAIL TRAINING

In the competitive world of retail, success relies on more than just products on shelves or flashy endcap displays; it hinges on the people—the frontline employees who interact with customers daily. Cultivating a culture of engaged and knowledgeable retail advocates, whether they work directly for your brand, retailer, or 3rd party, starts with effective training.

At Motivation Technologies, we recognize that investing in this type of employee development is crucial for long-term success, and we’re here to help. Robust retail training programs boost staff effectiveness, enhance customer perceptions, uphold standards and drive sales. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of retail training and its impact on company growth.

Retail Training: What is It?

Retail training refers to the process by which retail sales professionals hone their skills and product knowledge to enhance the shopping experience for customers. Comprehensive training programs ensure these employees are equipped to deliver exceptional service and drive sales through engaging and targeted learning content. By investing in these efforts, brands can create and maintain consistent experiences that are unique to them, drive preference and more.

These programs encompass various topics and delivery channels, all with a focus on elevating product knowledge, developing soft skills like active listening and effective communication and teaching organizational processes and procedures. Both online and in-person efforts are essential for outfitting retail teams with the right skills and product knowledge needed to excel.

Why is Retail Training Important?

Retail employees are your brand's frontline ambassadors, shaping customer perceptions and influencing purchasing decisions. However, without proper training, they may struggle to deliver the level of service and expertise expected by today's shoppers. They may also fail to even recommend your brand to the customer at all. Here are four reasons you should be building this essential training content:

• Increased Effectiveness: Comprehensive training empowers staff with the knowledge and skills to excel in their roles, increasing productivity and driving sales.
• Improved Customer Perceptions: Well-trained employees provide exceptional service, leading to more positive customer experiences and increased loyalty.
• Maintaining Standards: Training ensures that employees keep your brand standards and processes consistent, creating value at the point of sale.
• Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: Training programs help identify employees' strengths and areas for improvement, allowing managers to provide targeted support and development opportunities.

The Secret Sauce for Driving Growth

It’s no secret that every interaction is an opportunity to drive sales and mindshare. A study sponsored by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) found that companies that consistently provide training generate profits 45% above the market average and 86% higher than companies that do not significantly invest in employee development. These well-trained employees can effectively engage with customers and make personalized recommendations that result in segment growth for the business. Additionally, training programs help employees stay updated on the latest trends and preferences, allowing companies to adapt their strategies and stay ahead of the competition.

The Role of Learning and Development in Retail Training

Learning and Development (L&D) is a crucial piece of the puzzle here. These teams help shape the material, strategy and delivery of effective content for the workforce. Investing in your L&D function and content development sees impressive improvements in employee retention (45% of workers are more likely to stay in their role if they receive training) and engagement (92% of employees think workplace training impacts their job engagement positively).

In today's retail landscape, providing engaging and effective learning content to retail staff is a powerful driver for businesses looking to thrive on the sales floor. Companies can enhance customer experiences, drive sales, and foster a positive work environment by equipping staff with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. From increasing effectiveness to improving customer perceptions and maintaining standards, the benefits of retail training are undeniable. So, if you’re not already building retail-focused courses, it’s time to think about adding them to your roadmap.

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For more than 20 years, Motivation Technologies has been committed to helping organizations and employees unlock their full potential through comprehensive training programs tailored to their unique needs. Reach out today to learn more about how we can support your organization's success in the dynamic world of retail.

For more information, connect with us at www.motechhq.com/connect or connect with us on LinkedIn.

On Purposeful Play

By Steve Hoerner

Recently, as part of preparing content for our most recent webinar, I dug into a topic that is of great interest to me… the importance of PLAY.

I had a handle on the core concepts we wanted to touch on for the Games and Gamification discussion but needed an introduction that would help attendees realize the importance of getting in the right mindset to leverage those concepts in the best possible way. As you can imagine, there are many folks who question the effectiveness of game-based learning and maybe view it as a questionable, even wasteful use of time. After all, many audiences are taking training because it is a requirement for their position and that is WORK, not PLAY.

As part of the research I was doing, I came across a book called “Play Anything” by Ian Bogost ( http://bogost.com/books/play-anything/ ) which focuses on taking the mundane and boring aspects of our daily life and making them fun by exploring the playful possibilities in everything we do. Basically, you can turn anything into a game and unlock enjoyment in all you do.

In a section right at the front of the book, Ian Bogost tells a story which really resonated with me and I think will with you as well, at least if you are open to the concept of PLAY. You see, the key for me is understanding how PLAY puts us into a relaxed and receptive mindset to learn… getting enjoyment out of what we do and how learning is perceived as achievement in this context. We are drawn in and pulled along by the exercise itself. Take that, compliance department!

I’ll paraphrase the story… Ian related how one day he was out running errands with his daughter in tow… literally in tow. He was moving furiously through a mall and realized he was dragging his daughter along at what was obviously too fast a pace for her little legs. In that moment, he turned to check on her and apologize and was surprised to find her happily bounding over the tile behind him planning her leaps to play her own version of the classic game “step on a crack…”. His observation was that she had taken control of an uncontrollable situation, made it her own and turned it into an enjoyable game.

In sharing this discovery with some folks on my team, I learned that a colleague’s husband, Noah Hollenkamp, was a teacher and did his dissertation for his Ed D. on, get this, the importance and value of PLAY in education. Say what?

I got a chance to take a look at the material Noah produced when pursuing his doctorate and found the concepts and supporting information aligned well with my take on PLAY. Lucky for me, I was able to line up some time to chat with him and after a 45 min Zoom turned into a 90 min ride down the rabbit hole, I felt very good about presenting PLAY as a basis for the Games and Gamification content I was lining up.

It is clear when you get familiar with the approach that there is application regardless of age or education level. There may be challenges getting folks to “loosen up” a bit and embrace this mode of operation, but it all comes down to perception. Games/competition/play/exploration, call it whatever you must to get folks to open up and be receptive to the approach. This gives them permission to PLAY.

It is worth sharing some information on my interviewee. Many thanks to Dr. Noah Hollenkamp, Ed D. from City Academy. Noah’s focused day to day is on bringing up 1st Grade Math & STEAM students, but I expect his influence at City Academy reaches well beyond that audience based on his passion for his work. I found our conversation validating and inspirational. I’m jealous he gets to employ these concepts on a daily basis and see the benefits PLAY brings to his student’s experience. I wish that for us all.

City Academy ( https://cityacademystl.org/ ) is an independent school opened in 1999 that operates in the City of St. Louis, serving students throughout the city and county, age 3 through 6th grade. With funding provided by local foundations, corporations, and individual donors, they are lucky enough to be able to be able to balance their family’s income with scholarships for 100% of their students.

Now, go PLAY something!

Brand Advocacy: The Secret Weapon to Success

By Steve Hoerner

IT TAKES AN ARMY

Back in the 1950s, consumers contemplating a significant purchase were at the mercy of the salesman’s canned product spiel, or what limited information the half-inch blurb in the Sears Catalog had to offer. Consumers today have more information at their fingertips than ever before. Brands must compete much more vigorously, optimizing their advertising budgets in a daily battle royal for market share. Working under the adage that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, brands power their amps to 11 and blast away at beleaguered consumers.

While this type of mass advertising delivers shares and likes and a superficial level of engagement, does it really drive the customer to buy one product over another? The cold, hard reality of the times is that advertising alone doesn’t ensure sales success. Companies can throw obscene amounts of money into traditional advertising outlets with little ROI. Today it takes something more. It takes an army of advocates.

Like any good army, sales advocates require effective training. Learning modules customized to make brand advocates out of external retail sales staffs make a big difference. Advocates are the people who champion and recommend your products and brand to others, influencing them to buy yours over those of others. Today, the biggest advertising budget means nothing without brand advocacy. It’s a street team that gives your brand real street cred.

BUILDING BRAND LOYALTY

The goal of any brand marketing strategy is to gain brand loyalty. Customer loyalty helps a brand consistently retain a substantial volume of market share, generating profits. Loyal customers create a long-term association with their brand of choice; they can become brand ambassadors of a product, generating word-of-mouth publicity that becomes a free windfall for the brand. The under-the-radar publicity can greatly improve a company’s bottom line. That advocacy and the recommendations of these loyal customers increase the number of prospective customers for the brand.

There’s been a substantial shift in marketing strategy as brands are rapidly moving from broad outreach on digital, to tapping a core group of loyal advocates to bring their message out to the world. Twenty-six percent of the population now influence the purchasing activities of the other 74 percent. Brand loyalty is begotten these days through a range of influencers that go beyond the benefits or price of the product itself. When the influence comes from a trusted staff of knowledgeable and trained sales professionals, it’s a force to be reckoned with.

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

Brand perception and influence at the retail level is imperative for success. Employee advocacy programs boost employee engagement and morale. Disengaged employees cost companies money. In fact, studies show that disengaged employees can cost companies more than $450 billion per year. However, employees who are active in promoting the brand and feel involved within the larger organization tend to be happier, more engaged and productive. And their influencing power is evident. Advocates have three times more of an influence on purchasing decisions than non-advocates.

It may have worked in the past where simply buying some ad space or airtime could equate to sales. Even the online evolution of placing banner ads, sharing videos on social media sites and paying influencers big bucks to post and hashtag the hell out your brand might not move the sales needle enough anymore. The solution is advocacy. Real advocacy at the customer level and, more importantly, the employee level.

Check the calendar. The days of simply sitting back and letting your marketing materials and media buys speak for your company are over. Sears filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and their iconic catalog ceased printing in 1993. The customer landscape is no longer passive. Involvement, engagement and excitement get results today.

It’s time to join the conversation with your audience. Engage with the people who can become champions of your brand out in the world. These people are your street team, your army of influencers. They’re your advocates. Your secret weapon. Educate them. Train them. Motivate them. Reward them. Trust them.