MARKETING CASE STUDY:
Improving System-wide Communication –
Yia Yia’s News You Can Use
Background:The President was frustrated. His emerging retail business was beginning to take off and it was getting harder to keep up. The number of new store locations was steadily increasing, new store opening agreements were in the pipeline and new corporate employees were being hired at a fast clip. This was all great news except for one not-so-minor thing.
Problem:
Amid this rapid growth, the President's vision was getting lost in translation. Decisions were being made in the field by corporate employees who were not operating in alignment with the company’s vision. Franchisees complained they were being “kept in the dark” and excluded from providing input on key decisions and initiatives. The President was becoming frustrated, as were the field employees and franchise owners. It all boiled down to a familiar problem: lack of effective communication.
Solution:
Yia Yia’s News You Can Use, a weekly company e-newsletter designed to promote the company vision, communicate important news/updates and serve as a vehicle to obtain franchise owner feedback was created and managed by Lynn Hoban and her team. Most importantly, without fail each Friday afternoon, Yia Yia’s was published and released via Constant Contact, a popular email platform. This provided franchise owners and field employees with something important from the company to count on every week.
Results:
The President became certain that his vision for the company was clearly understood, thus increasing the likelihood that it was being executed. Franchisees stopped saying they were “in the dark” and felt more actively involved with upcoming plans for the concept. Field employees were better informed about company developments and made better decisions.
Effective marketing for any enterprise always comes from the inside out. If you would like to improve communication and get better business results for your organization, contact Lynn Hoban at Lynn@LynnHobanMarketing.com to find out more.