In a large retail department store, the role of a communicator would fall to a communications officer or manager that has the direct responsibility of managing internal and public communication channels of the company. As a communicator in a retail department store, the primary objective is to advise and direct communications, often regarding marketing or press relations aspects. Communicators must demonstrate trustworthiness and consistency in the representation and alignment of messages which are critical in developing and maintaining a positive brand identity as well as serving as a key performance indicator (VanSoest 2018).
Modern realities of business and technology mean that retail communication is no longer a one-way interaction but rather consists of a dialogue where consumers provide feedback and opinions on their experience. Social media and customer support phone lines are provided for consumer complaints and queries. Therefore, the primary audience for communicators will be the customer base, with whom a communications officer must build a relationship. It is vital to protect the consumer base, thus increasing repeat sales and foot traffic in the store. Communication should be aimed at consumers to attract business and establishing positive interactions and reviews. Promoting awareness through the provision of updated information and logistical details (store hours) is a leading objective for communicators. However, the communications strategy must encompass employees by providing necessary information for them to competently serve the consumer. It is necessary to centralize store communications to ensure consistency, unity, and organization within the department (Linton n.d.).
A key communicator in retail stores must use appropriate tools to design and deliver a proper message to the appropriate audience. Although messaging should remain consistent with brand values, it will be constructed with particular target groups in mind. The message must provide value and benefit to the audience. This begins with building a brand identity, which will be associated with the retail store. However, this may not apply to less known department stores. Therefore, messaging in retail should be focused on the physical location of the store where products and services are can be purchased. The message highlights availability, prices, and location to generate interest and consumer traffic (Hansen & Paul 2015). Other aspects can include events or ongoing sales. The message is specific, accurately represents factual information (avoids misleading), and attempts to provide actionable inspiration. Taking into account market segmentation based on age, race, and socio-economic class, a retail store can modify its messaging to appeal to the target groups through means of communication and values which would be appealing to the consumer.
A wide variety of delivery modes exist which can be used to communicate with consumers. The primary method is paid impersonal communications which include sales promotions and advertisements, promoting the business aspect of the store, and encouraging consumers to purchase. Web resources such as the store website and social media are vital modes of delivering a message to the public. Finally, the retail atmosphere, structure, and visual merchandising serve as an indirect method of communicating, indicating a specifically focused message that the store is attempting to display to the public. Less common paid personal communications include e-mail and personal interactions in-store or through a response on social media. This provides a more personal approach to communication. Unpaid personal communications include aspects such as publicity and word-of-mouth advertising that impact the reputation and messaging of the retail location. These are ultimately influenced by the effectiveness of primary communication methods that the store has control over (Singh 2009).
It is critical to understand the communication potential of these delivery modes and how these tools enable credibility, cost, and control over the message that is being delivered by the primary communicator. Retail consists primarily of a marketing mix of communication aimed at attracting consumer sales through brand development and promotions to visit the store. However, the fundamental principles of effective and ethical communication apply in the retail industry.
Reference List
Hansen, K. A & Paul N 2015, Information strategies for communicators, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, MN.
Linton, I n.d. Examples of communication strategies by retailers, Web.
Singh, H 2009, Retail management: A global perspective, S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi, India.
Visual Retailing 2018, Communication consistency as a performance key for retail stores, Web.