Happy Thursday, RTP readers!
It’s been a busy week for our team. We’re in the heart of our annual company meetings and we’ve spent hours (and I mean hours) discussing the progress we’ve made during 2013 and more importantly, our goals for 2014! After all, it’s right around the corner...
After a long day, we participated in some good old team building! But there were no trust falls or “show and tell” discussions. No, we went on an Amazing Race! Well, our version of the Amazing Race, that is.
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Our company was broken up into five teams, with each group given a “secret package” that included information on our challenge. The mission at hand? Run through Garden State Plaza mall and buy a list of items with only $500. All items we purchased would be donated to a family in need.
Cars dropped all the teams off at different entranceways to the mall, and most importantly, everyone had a different list of items to buy. The more items you bought, the more points you earned. Even better? There were a series of “challenges” we could complete to earn extra points. The team with the most points at the end of the mission won.
What you may not know about the RTP team is that we’re a very competitive bunch. It was so invigorating to develop a plan, strategize and run through the mall to accomplish the task at hand.
Sure, the idea of “winning” was great, but the best part of the whole activity? The fact that it was a charitable cause. It’s not often we get to really think and remember how truly lucky we are. More importantly, we don’t always get to come together as a team, work together and contribute to the greater good.
Now, you may be asking: Okay, that’s great, but what does this have to do with retail strategy?
I’ll tell you:
1. Company culture is more important than ever. Think of brands like Apple and Starbucks. They’ve built themselves from the ground-up and have established a thriving community of consumers who are truly passionate about the brand and what it stands for. Have you focused on making your customers proud to be a part of your culture?
2. Consumers want to give. In fact, retailers who support charitable causes have higher brand awareness, customer engagement and overall loyalty. Warby Parker made its mark in the retail space with its “buy a pair, give a pair” business model. Every time someone buys a pair of glasses, Warby Parker donates a pair to a child in need.
3. Being fun helps you stand out! Let’s face it, retail shouldn’t be so serious! There are so many opportunities for companies to think outside the box and think of fun ways to engage customers. Think of fun challenges and contests – like digital scavenger hunts – to get them to stay connected to the brand.
