5 Ways Found Poetry Sparks Innovation in Retail Leadership
A Reintroduction to Verses of Leadership
A Reintroduction of Verses of Leadership
In the bustling world of retail, standing out is no small feat. As someone who's witnessed the power and potential of creative principles throughout my career, I've found that businesses that innovate creative leadership strategies can increase employee engagement and customer satisfaction. Yet, many retail leaders struggle to inspire their teams and connect with customers.
They're stuck in a cycle of conventional strategies that no longer resonate. The pain is real: disengaged teams, disconnected customers, and dwindling innovation. But what if the key to breaking this cycle lies in an unexpected place? Enter Found Poetry, a creative tool with the power to ignite innovation in retail leadership. Still with me? In my experience, here are 5 ways you can use found poetry to spark your next innovation.
Foster Creativity
Creativity Is the Spark That Ignites Innovation
In a field as dynamic as retail, leaders must constantly seek new ways to inspire their teams and foster a culture of innovation. Found poetry, with its ability to turn ordinary language into something extraordinary, offers a fresh perspective. It encourages leaders and their teams to think differently and find new solutions to old problems.
Encourage team members to create their own found poetry.
Host creative sessions to discuss and share these poems.
Use poetic expressions in brainstorming sessions.
Regularly include poetic elements in internal communications.
Celebrate innovative ideas born out of creative thinking.
Key Takeaway #1: Creativity leads to innovation, and poetry is a path there.
Build Connection
Connection is the Cornerstone of Brand Loyalty
In today's market, consumers seek brands they can relate to on a personal level. Found poetry helps retail leaders craft compelling narratives that resonate with consumers, telling stories that go beyond the product to touch on shared human experiences.
Use poetic narratives in your brand storytelling.
Share customer stories through a poetic lens.
Create marketing materials that include elements of found poetry.
Incorporate poetry into your social media strategy.
Design store experiences that reflect poetic storytelling.
Key Takeaway #2: Poetry can deepen customer connections, creating lasting brand loyalty.
Simplify Communication
Clarity is Key in Effective Leadership
Complex ideas often lose their power when bogged down in industry jargon or convoluted explanations. Found poetry offers a solution by distilling messages to their essence, making them more accessible and memorable for teams and customers alike.
Translate company values and missions into poetic formats.
Simplify complex retail trends into digestible poetic pieces.
Use poetry in internal and external communications for clarity.
Encourage managers to communicate goals poetically.
Craft poetic summaries of meetings or strategic plans.
Key Takeaway #3: Simplifying communication through poetry can clarify and energize your message.
Encourage Out-of-the-Box Thinking
Innovation Requires Thinking Beyond Conventional Boundaries
My favorite way, Found poetry, by its nature, challenges the norm. It encourages retail leaders and their teams to view problems and solutions through a different lens, fostering an environment where innovation can flourish.
Challenge your team to solve problems with poetic brainstorming.
Reward innovative problem-solving that includes poetic elements.
Reflect on industry changes from a poetic viewpoint.
Incorporate poetry into problem-solving workshops.
Use found poetry as a tool in strategic planning sessions.
Key Takeaway #4: Out-of-the-box thinking drives innovation, and poetry opens the box.
Strengthen Brand Identity
A Strong Brand Identity Sets You Apart in a Crowded Market
Found poetry can help retail leaders articulate their brand’s unique voice and vision, crafting messages that are not only distinct but also deeply engaging. This not only sets a brand apart but also builds a strong emotional connection with its audience.
Embed found poetry in your brand’s messaging.
Create a brand story using found poetry.
Use poetic language to describe your products uniquely.
Share the poetic inspiration behind your collections.
Develop marketing campaigns that incorporate found poetry.A quick story to drive this point home.
Key Takeaway #5: A poetic approach can amplify your brand’s voice and identity.
Here's A Quick Story to Bring it Altogether
While working at Saint Laurent, I would often craft beautiful email marketing campaigns and minimalist graphic newsletters for current or potential clients. This was something extra on top of the marketing efforts the brand was already making.
My weekly newsletters would typically feature global news about the brand, showcase new products, or highlight in-store experiences designed to enrich the customer's next visit. Initially, drafting these templates took me about 3-4 hours at the beginning of each month.
Then, I'd spend another hour or two each day gathering, sifting through, and compiling information for the newsletters or outreach efforts. This included stories, photos, videos, and product insights aimed at either entertaining or educating my clients.
This habit helped me:
Leave a fresh, vivid, and lasting impression on clients whenever they thought of Saint Laurent.
Stand out from my colleagues or competitors while staying true to the brand's message and vision.
Add extra value with news and updates, creating a seamless and extended client experience beyond just the initial purchase or visit.
It forced me to look beyond just the collections, shows, or products and consider how these elements fit into the client's lifestyle and worldview.
To some, this might seem like a radical approach, but I've always believed that clients—in any market—will appreciate and stick with you if you prioritize their needs and then their wants.
For example, if a client wants to flew and impress at a PTA meeting but is worried about her kids damaging a luxury item, as has happened before, I wouldn’t recommend a delicate leather handbag. It would just end up unused, gathering dust, leading to disappointment in my lack of insight and ensuring they never return. It happens.
The icing on the cake: I discovered my true potential and the direction for my future (which is now my present) in creating educational and thought-provoking newsletters.
Looking back, I realize that while immediate sales weren't my forte, my strength lay in client retention using detailed business analysis, marketing, and education, all aimed at providing lifelong value—a blend of corporate strategy, found poetry, creative writing, and continuous learning. Who knew!
In Summary
Found poetry is not just an artistic endeavor; it's a strategic tool, and ideology that can revolutionize retail leadership. By fostering creativity, building deeper connections, simplifying communication, encouraging innovative thinking, and strengthening brand identity, retail leaders can inspire their teams, engage their customers, and lead the way in innovation.
Now, I'm curious: How do you incorporate creativity into your leadership strategy?