We talk about tactile marketing A LOT here at Tactive. Every day, we get a front-row seat to the engaging experiences that happen when our customers bring their brands to real life. But the benefits and opportunities provided by tactile marketing go far beyond hitting marketing goals, getting new customers on board, or even wowing at a conference. Swag for employees and tactile marketing pieces are also great ways to boost employee engagement.
Did you know?
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71% of executives say that employee engagement is critical to their company’s success
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69% of employees say they’d work harder if they were better appreciated
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Companies with a highly engaged workforce are 21% more profitable.
Source: Smarp
With stats like these, it’s tough to ignore the importance of employee engagement. Showing your employees how much they are appreciated isn’t always easy, especially with much of the workforce going remote. It’s tough to conduct team-building exercises or develop rapport without bodies in an office. Let’s be fair—high employee engagement can be challenging even when people are in the office. So how can you build excitement for working at your company and boost employee engagement? Freshen things up with tactile marketing.
The Benefits of Swag for Employees
It’s normal to focus marketing efforts and energy on customer engagement. After all, you wouldn’t be in business without your customers. But you also wouldn’t be able to deliver without your superstar employees. Here are some benefits of using swag for employees.
Using swag to onboard employees creates a positive company culture. In the new normal where work environments are largely remote, fostering a positive, inclusive, and engaging company culture can be challenging. A bit of swag can go a long way. With the right tactile marketing pieces, you can easily create a loyal employee excited to be a part of your company directly out of the gates.
Employee Swag is Free Advertising
Employees are some of your best assets when marketing your brand. Company swag for employees can create greater brand awareness. Giving employees some awesome swag serves as “free” advertising – think t-shirts seen on downtown sidewalks or tumblers in video calls. The best brand ambassador is a happy team member, proudly displaying your logo.
Employee retention is a serious business. It costs about $5,000 to hire and onboard a new employee, so it’s essential to make sure your hires stick around. As you can see above, studies cite a lack of appreciation as one of the primary reasons people look for a new job. Swag can boost employee retention. No one will stick around just for a free t-shirt, but the act of showing your employees that you value them goes a long way toward keeping them.
Employee Swag Done Right
You know your employees love swag, but it may be time to ditch the old-school coffee mug. If you’re going to put effort into tactile marketing, you may as well give them something they’ll love (psst, and actually use). If you want to make an impression, this is how to do employee swag the right way.
Give them something they’ll gush over.
The best tactile marketing pieces don’t have to be pricey or complex. With a bit of creativity and the right vendor partnerships, you can give employees something that will make a lasting impression without breaking the bank. Drop the cheap pens and find a way to match your workers’ interests. Local partners may offer something unique that helps you tell your story and connect with employees in a meaningful way.
Keep it coming.
ROI for employee retention is significant, but you can’t just dazzle them upfront, followed by radio silence. If you want your investment to pay off, you must show your appreciation for your employees’ loyalty and hard work continually, not just during onboarding.
Show your personality.
Employee swag should be exciting and speak to your values as a company. Try theming your tactile marketing piece using your core values as inspiration. Check out our yearbook campaign to see one of our most successful tactile marketing pieces and what we learned from it. If you have fun putting it together, your employees will like it, too.
Encourage them to share their love for your company along with your branded swag. Launch a social media campaign that encourages employees to engage with you and tell everyone why they love working for your company. It’s a fun way to improve employee morale, connect workers within your company, and spread the word about what it’s like to work somewhere awesome. (You know, in case others are looking for a new company to join).
Let them pick!
If you’re hitting a wall, you could always let employees choose what they want. Set up a quick e-Shop and let your employees select their swag. They’ll pick something they know they’ll like, and you’ll know your investment has hit its mark. Win-win!
If you’ve done your job well, your employee swag will go to work for you. Need some help with apparel and accessories for your employees? Let’s put our heads together! Say, “Hey Tactive” and one of our team members will get the ball rolling.