Personal customer service is among the top reasons why shoppers prefer supporting local retailers. Consumers boast about their favorite small business in town - and the owner or clerk that they love. They talk about the staff that they’ve built relationships with, who have the best recommendations, and who have their regular order ready for pick-up as they walk in the door.
Your customers don’t build a relationship with your storefront, your inventory, or your incredibly well-done window display. They build relationships with you and with employees. Highlighting those humans can help your marketing connect with customers in new ways.
Recognize an employee of the week/month/quarter
🎉 Celebrate employees' birthdays or work anniversaries on social media
🥇 Highlight employee achievements, milestones, and promotions
Curate “Staff Favorite” collections with product recommendations
Share employee photos and behind-the-scenes moments
Host employee appreciation events and encourage customers to join
Feature real team members in promotional materials instead of stock images
Tip: Real photos of real people connect with shoppers more effectively than stock media.
Sixty-five percent of shoppers indicated that recognizing stock media used in marketing negatively impacted their perception of the brand’s credibility (Edelman, 2023). Another study found that 84% of consumers want brands to disclose AI imagery, as consumer trust drops sharply when the disclosure is missing.
Employee recognition should always be genuine, not driven by a promotional strategy. But there’s a great opportunity in giving recognition and honoring your employees, strengthening the relationships they have with your customers.
Feature your staff in your marketing? Share examples at news@retailers.com for a chance to be featured in a future publication or on social media.