Welcome, marketers, to our third and final chapter exploring the challenges of visual marketing for brick and mortar stores. If you missed our first two posts on the topic, we strongly recommend starting at the beginning (they’re good reads), but just in case – here’s a quick recap:

• First we defined the three challenges facing marketers responsible for in-store signage: The Layout Problem, The Printing Problem, and The Compliance Problem.

• We addressed The Layout Problem by making it easy for store managers to keep you updated with changing store layout information and signage needs using our Store Survey tool

• Then we solved the complex equation of The Printing Problem using clever algorithms to reduce printing costs while still getting each store the signage they need. We call this useful software Visual Marketing Automation.

• This week we’re talking about The Compliance Problem – or how to make sure your store managers know what to do with your signs once they have them (where to put signs up, when to take them down, how to order more, etc.).

Here’s the situation

You’ve engaged your store managers with the Store Survey tool, they’ve given you updated layout data, and you’ve sent them the signs they need to execute your marketing campaign to perfection. And now you face The Compliance Problem. Now you need to make sure they know what to do with the signs.

This isn’t like last week’s math problem, it’s more of a communication issue – similar to The Layout Problem. You need to communicate clear instructions and guidelines to hundreds or even thousands of sites and store managers, and you need to do it efficiently. We solved The Layout Problem by enabling direct communication between you and store managers with the Store Survey Tool, and we can use that same direct channel to solve The Compliance Problem.

So let’s stop playing Telephone between the marketing team and store managers.

A while back we found that marketing for large organizations is a lot like a game of “Telephone.” Messages get passed through several people, over the phone, in email, through conversations and in complex guides.  Using this method, you can never be absolutely sure whether the message that comes out on the other end is the same one that you started with. In marketing, it’s a lot less funny when the message gets lost in the middle. Mixed or misaligned messages can damage an otherwise thoughtful campaign.

To solve this issue we cut through the layers and created a direct line of communication between marketing departments and store managers. We created a secure web-based communication platform where store managers can complete Store Surveys and order signs as needed, and where you can update store managers on new signage kit shipments, start and end dates of each campaign, and sign placement. We call it Store Portal – and it means never having to play Telephone again.

CrossCap Store Portal

Our Store Portal solves The Compliance Problem by letting you send clear instructions – even diagrams or photos – to each store quickly and easily so the store managers know exactly what to do with your signs. With clear instructions to stores, you can be more certain that in-store marketing is aligned with your campaign. And since Store Portal enables communication in both directions, your store managers can get the answers they need to be absolutely sure they understand how to get the most out of your signs and they can upload images of the floor set so you can see the net result.

With Store Portal, you’re not playing Telephone, you’re working together. You’re aligned at every layer of the organization – from the head of marketing to the store teams. And when your whole organization is aligned on your marketing campaigns, every campaign has a greater impact.

Better communication and smart signage tools lead to more effective brick and mortar marketing.

So there you have it! With CrossCap Visual Marketing Automation and Store Portal, you can get your whole organization on the same page, cut costs, and improve campaign ROI.

For more than a decade we’ve been examining the challenges facing retail marketers, and we work with some of the largest retail companies in the world to make sure we understand the challenges at every scale. Our mission – our purpose – is to help you do marketing better.

And in-store signage is just a piece of the puzzle. Stay tuned for more insight into what else we’ve learned so far, and what we’re working on next. If you’re facing marketing challenges of your own, we’d love to talk to you. We live and breathe these challenges, and we can’t wait to help you solve them. Contact Us, and let’s see how we can help.