Whether it’s a brand new offering or a long-time customer favorite, chances are there is a story behind it to tell. Product storytelling is one of the easiest and most effective ways to enhance the customer experience and build brand equity. Consider exploring the following inquiries as a way to uncover the stories behind products in your stores:

Last October I attended The Heart of Leadership workshop in the Seattle area with Ryan Joy, VP of Creative Services, and Erica Hutchinson, Director of Communications. The three of us attended a second workshop, The Heart of Making a Difference, in February of this year. Both workshops were incredible experiences. Among the many things we learned, improving our listening and communication skills were huge, on both a personal and professional level.

I’m not much for acronyms. I find them difficult to remember and confusing. Weird, since my first name is acronym-like! Anyway, this IOW isn’t about acronyms but about OOH, which stands for “out-of-home” advertising. Out-of-home advertising (also referred to as outdoor advertising) is any form of advertising that reaches the consumer while he or she is outside of the home. It includes formats like billboards (I love billboards!); transit advertising for airports, bus depots and train stations; street furniture including bus benches, bus shelters and news racks; and commercial locations like shopping malls, movie theatres, ball parks, concert halls, etc. What about advertising in elevators? Or the new age sandwich board? Human directional signage, sign spinners and sign twirlers are very effective!

No matter how busy you are it’s critical to take the time to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Make it a part of your process to clarify the purpose of each marketing activity, using the five steps below.