What Marketing Teams Can Do Now: Part 3
Have you toured your offices, facilities, stores, or other customer- and internal-facing areas lately? Your spaces say a lot about who you are as a company and what you have to offer as an employer and business. If you’re allowed to be in your environment, this is a good time to identify ways to express your brand in your spaces. So grab a pen and paper and take a slow, intentional walk. We’ll guide you through it:
Exterior Signage: As you drive up or walk up to the building, does the name of your business greet you or do you find yourself searching for it? What feelings do you get just by the signage and any other exterior elements or in windows? Jot down any thoughts you have.
Entryway: Whether you have a retail location, healthcare clinic, or professional office space, use your senses and describe what you feel after just a few steps inside:
What do you see? (wayfinding, reception/help desk, etc.)
What do you feel? (note visual experience based on colors, textures, overall feel)
What do you hear? (music, greeting, etc.)
What do you smell? (depending on your industry, smelling nothing might be a good thing)
Primary Customer Areas: From retail spaces to waiting rooms, dressing rooms to hallways, visit the areas your customers spend the most time in, and try to imagine the space as they do. Write down any area you feel your company could improve the experience, including ways to add brand messaging or environmental elements to support your purpose or values. How can you create a space where they feel immersed in your brand and culture? It might be helpful to go through the sensory exercise again and make notes on what you feel you’re doing well and areas that could be enhanced.
Check Out/Cash Wrap/Lounge Areas: What is the experience like for customers to leave your business? Do they know where to go and how are they shown appreciation for spending time in your location? Are you utilizing your brand elements in the “final impression” areas of your space?
Employee Areas: When analyzing your space, don’t forget about the ambassadors of your brand - your team members. Think about desk areas, back-office areas, hallways, and break rooms. Walk each area again but put yourself in the position of an employee.
What brand elements could you bring to these areas to support function and brand advocacy? Consider how you can bring your values to the forefront and help staff become part of the brand.
Consider your brand colors, messaging, internal rewards (if applicable), and any other activity you do to celebrate “wins”. Jot down any thoughts you have on what’s working and what areas could use a little brand boost.
Taking a step back and exploring your locations, both customer- and employee-facing, can help you identify ways to elevate the presence of your brand, including core beliefs, purpose, vision, colors, and other parts of your identity system. When you look for thoughtful ways to express who you are as a company in your spaces, it becomes more meaningful and more powerful to your team, stakeholders, customers, and partners.