Just as you would any important project, you’re about to invest time, allocated budget, and other resources into building what you hope will be an effective awareness program – one that will surely impact associate behavior with the desired outcome.
Whether it’s shrink reduction, accident prevention, emergency preparedness, or any other systemic function you’re hoping to improve, the last thing that you want is a program that doesn’t get the traction (or reaction) you desire. Or even worse, for the program to be tabled during a later budget review due to a perceived lack of interest or poor performance.
It all comes down to asking yourself, “What do I need to be aware of in order to launch a successful awareness program here?” In Part I of this series we talked about gaining the appropriate partnerships. In Part II, we focused on canvassing the intended audience. Today we turn our attention to choosing the right delivery method.
Consider Your Communication Vehicle
We live in a digital age when many are opting out of receiving paper bills and voice calls and opting in to receiving email and text notifications. This has brought about a trend of communicating in bite-size pieces of information, a means by which studies show recipients are more likely to mentally digest.
Does this mean your audience would be better suited to receiving communication digitally? Or would your workforce be better off with something associates can see, feel, and touch as they go about their everyday work because the environment allows for it (large open wall spaces, employee breakrooms that have places to sit and read, etc.)?
Here’s where you need to investigate your organization’s communication infrastructure:
- Can you host something on your company portal?
- Does your audience have intranet/internet access?
- Do you have a Bring Your Own Device policy, which would allow an associate to access program materials or participate in a rewards program through a play-to-win texting scenario?
Remember: No matter your technological advantages or limitations, there is likely a solution, whether print, digital, or a perfect blend of both, i.e. interactive print. It’s all about communicating in the right way, at the right time, with the right tools – and that starts with a little awareness of your own.
So go out there and get aware.
See Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.
