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Engagement

Digital Signage For Internal Marketing in the Retail Industry

Give your staff the boost they need through digital signage and improve engagement and communication!

Authored by 
Christina Lundin
Christina is deeply committed to building strong, lasting relationships with clients. With several years of experience, she has a consultative approach to understand each client’s unique needs and deliver tailored solutions. As an extension of your team, Christina brings fresh ideas that drive ongoing success and long-term growth.
Reviewed by 
Kara Surrena
Kara Surrena is a seasoned executive with 20 years of experience leading teams and driving exponential growth in the SaaS software industry.
Two retail employees smile at a screen displaying "Employee of the Month: Congrats Jamie!" in a store setting.

Retail is one of the most booming industries on not only a national level but a global one as well. The retail industry provides jobs to millions of people around the world in all kinds of positions. From cashiers, customer service representatives, warehouse, stockers, and managerial roles, there are a number of moving parts that help retail businesses to successfully run and make their profit. 

In retail, it can be especially difficult for managers to fully engage with their staff and find new ways to increase the internal marketing for their team. Digital signage is becoming a very popular piece of technology to increase engagement and communications with staff in the retail industry, but what about internal marketing? 

Digital signage can be a great internal marketing tactic for the retail industry, and here are some of the best ways to make and see a difference within your team!

1. Culture and Employee Recognition

Celebrate the achievements of your staff through digital signage shoutouts and recognition!

Store clerks in green aprons smile at a sales goal screen. Customers queue at checkout, surrounded by retail displays.
Celebrating the successes your team achieves is a great way to increase internal marketing and show positive engagement.

One of the most important parts of managing a team of staff in the retail industry is making sure that you take the time to recognize your staff for their achievements, no matter how big or small. Whether you want to celebrate your employees on a large scale and give a shoutout to your team, or recognize an individual staff member for their stand out performance, digital signage content can be the key to making sure your employees know their worth and value.

There are a number of great ways to shout out your staff for their hard work, whether it’s by recognizing someone for taking an extra shift, your team properly preparing the chaos of a new retail promotion, or simply congratulating an employee on their promotion or work anniversary. All of these examples are a simple, yet effective way to create a positive workplace culture where staff can feel supported and valued for a low cost on the manager and high impact for the team.

2. Two-Way Feedback

Want to find ways to communicate with your staff more? Consider using digital signage for almost anything!

A woman in a warehouse scans a product display for AeroPods Max headphones, highlighting features and a QR code for training.
Using surveys or live polls to interact with your staff is a great way to improve internal marketing, plus form deeper connections with them.

It can be difficult for managers to communicate with staff and get their opinions on important decisions regarding the team, upcoming company events, and suggestions. There’s nothing more crucial than making sure that your staff feel included in important decisions within the business, and an easy way to do that is with digital signage.

Another great way to improve internal marketing within the retail industry is to give your staff a voice and use digital signage to create responsive, interactive, and even anonymous (if necessary) two-way feedback. With the use of QR codes, staff can easily scan the code, fill out employee satisfaction surveys, vote on polls on where to go for an upcoming company event, or even have a fun poll with a random question to get staff talking. This can serve to be a great team building exercise, and it allows managers to get to know their employees more too.

3. Microlearning and Traditional Training Sessions

Looking for new and inventive ways to keep staff’s attention in training? Use digital signage to boost learning retention!

Young man working on his laptop
Microlearning is a new technique that can help staff learn core skills quickly that can be used in everyday scenarios in the retail industry. Image courtesy of NMSU Global Campus.

Traditional learning methods with long, drawn out sessions can be overwhelming for someone’s brain. This isn’t the most ideal way to learn new material and retain it, which is why many employers are switching to microlearning practices instead. Microlearning allows staff members to learn on their own time on their own terms with short-burst training sessions that last anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes and usually focuses on one topic. This is a great way for the brain to better retain essential information that can be used while on-the-job, and digital signage can help improve these practices within the retail industry.

The retail industry is go-go-go and it can be difficult to get all of your staff together for training sessions. Instead of having your staff come in earlier or stay later after their shift has ended, use microlearning practices through digital signage. By having a QR code linked to the microlearning session, it allows staff to access this information and learn whenever they have a free moment, plus you can use quizzes or short videos that are engaging, which have higher completion rates and better retention among staff. 

4. New Hire Onboarding

Welcome new staff members to the team and make their new-job transition smoother than ever!

A large wall sign displaying the message "Welcome to the Team" in bold letters.
It’s essential for new hires to feel welcome as soon as they step in the door, and digital signage can be a great way to be inclusive.

There’s nothing more nerve wracking than starting a new job, meeting new people, learning more about the business, and getting familiar with your daily responsibilities. It can be intimidating for new hires to meet people, and there is an immense pressure of making a good impression, but digital signage can be a way to calm them down and make them feel like a part of the team immediately. 
Creating a good workplace culture not only involves making your current staff feel more appreciated, but new hires as well. The retail industry often suffers from a high turnover rate as e staff can come and go, so it’s important to find reliable, hard working staff members and assemble a secure team. Digital signage can provide a little background information about the new hire to get them familiar with current staff, plus it can help make the onboarding process run smoother as well. 

5. Dress Code/Company Compliances

Ensuring that your staff are following proper company compliances is crucial, and digital signage can be the best reminder for it!

Employee in break room looks at feedback screen with QR code, phone in hand.
Posting reminders of the proper dress code, among other company compliances on digital signage, is the best way for staff to stay aware and follow the rules.

Company compliances are a set of rules for staff to follow, but at the end of the day, they are there to ensure that the store runs smoothly and safely. In the retail industry, company compliances can be anything from following the proper dress code, keeping staff safe by following labor laws, and they provide clear rules for shipping and package delays to maintain the proper company standards.

Using digital signage, you can create easy reminders of company compliances to continue the flow of operations and ensure that staff are aware of any upcoming changes. Making reminders to company compliances through digital signage can also help improve any retail business by maintaining standards that will build customer trust and loyalty. 

6. Product Training

The retail industry always offers new products to sell, and staff should know all of the ins-and-outs of what they’re selling!

It’s important to properly train staff on new promotions or products to help customers with questions that they may have about it. 

The retail industry is ever-changing with new promotions, sales, and clearances that customers are racing to the stores to check out. It’s important for your staff to stay on top of all of these constant changes to ensure that they have a deep understanding of what they’re selling. This way they can provide customers with the answers they’re looking for, as well as upsell the product and earn commissions.

Product training is essential in the retail industry and digital signage can help to make it an even easier task than ever before. It can provide live updates of the inventory in real-time, show quick product videos, and also provide the essential information to all staff on every shift and in easy, bite-sized pieces to get them familiar with what they’re selling. 

7. Live Target Sales

Stay on top of product sales and hit your daily goal with the help of real-time digital signage updates!

Store clerks in green aprons smile at a sales goal screen. Customers queue at checkout, surrounded by retail displays.
Hitting your target goal for the day or week in the retail industry is easier than ever with real-time updates through digital signage.

Every business in the retail industry has a goal that they wish to achieve in terms of sales. Whether these are yearly, weekly, or  daily goals, it’s important for staff to see the importance of reaching these goals. Digital signage can be a great way for staff to visually see these goals, and it can provide real-time updates to see where they’re at.

Improving aspects of daily operations is key to the success of any business in the retail industry, and this could start simply by providing live updates on the daily, weekly, or yearly goal on sales. Presenting these goals through digital signage can help give staff an idea of where they’re at for the day and even encourage them to do their part to upsell and convince customers to try out a new product or take advantage of an in-store deal to help the business reach their targeted number.

The CMS Platform That Does it All: How Shift Can Help You Reach Your Retail Internal Marketing Goals

Learn how Shift can help make content creation easier and lead your retail business and staff in the right direction!

Digital signage can help improve many aspects of the retail industry, and Shift is a reliable CMS platform for it.

Content management systems paired with digital signage make for an unstoppable team when it comes to internal marketing and daily operations in the retail industry. CMS platforms like Shift can make content creation easier to address staff and customers about daily promotions and sales, or be an efficient way to train staff, welcome new hires, and set reminders for company compliances. 

How Can Shift Help in the Retail Industry?

Shift is a great CMS platform for a number of reasons–the first being that it can help deepen staff relationships. Through staff shoutouts, such as employee-of-the-month, work milestones, and promotions, Shift can make all staff  feel valued and appreciated. It can also be a great way to update staff with essential key performance indicators (KPIs) and target sales goals of the day with its real-time updates and Content Navigator feature to remotely make changes as they occur.

Features of Shift that Improve Internal Marketing for Retail

Shift offers a ton of unique features with different ways to improve internal marketing in the retail industry. Here are some simple, yet effective suggestions that you can create through Shift to make a difference in the retail industry:

  • Boost employee engagement through recognition and appreciation
  • Celebrate staff birthdays, work anniversaries, and other achievements
  • Show training videos
  • Employee spotlights
  • Interactive polls for staff to anonymously complete
  • Expands internal communications 
  • Allows staff to retrain and re-skill in key trainings
  • Helps leaders learn more about staff
  • Encourages employees to do work harder
  • Increases productivity  
  • Create diverse content using pictures, videos, or documents
  • Use as a wayfinding and navigation system
  • Broadcast company announcements, updated policies, etc.
  • Use to post emergency alerts
  • Streamline workflow and post frequent updates about each day’s tasks

Use Shift For All of Your Internal Marketing Tactics in the Retail Industry

Digital signage can be a game-changer when it comes to improving daily operations within the retail industry. Whether you’re looking to boost sales or improve staff morale through workplace shoutouts and recognition, consider using digital signage as an easy way to create content and present the necessary information for staff to lead any business in the retail industry towards success.

Consider utilizing Shift and all of its unique features to improve internal marketing in the retail industry today!

Authored by 
Christina Lundin
Christina Lundin is a Customer Success leader at Shift platform, where she helps organizations across corporate communications, hospitality, and logistics transform how they connect with their frontline workforce. She partners with executives, operators, and managers to ensure critical messaging is delivered clearly, consistently, and in real time—where work actually happens. With a strong focus on execution, Christina designs communication strategies that cut through noise, align teams, and drive measurable outcomes—from operational efficiency and compliance to employee engagement and retention. Known for her hands-on, solutions-driven approach, she works as an extension of her clients’ teams, helping them turn communication into a competitive advantage on the front lines.
Read More
Reviewed by 
Kara Surrena
Kara Surrena is a seasoned executive with 20 years of experience leading teams and driving exponential growth in the SaaS software industry.
Read More
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An Invaluable Tool
"At Wingstop, we're always looking for innovative ways to meet our Team Members where they are. The integration between Schoox and Shift has truly elevated how we engage our restaurant teams. By embedding our Flavor Lab LMS into the Shift platform, we've made it easier than ever to spotlight training completions, share key updates, and celebrate performance—right in the flow of their day. Training is now more visible, more accessible, and even a bit competitive—and that's exactly the kind of energy that drives results at Wingstop."
Izzy Martinez

Manager, Operations Integration
Wingstop Corporate

Easy to use!
“We have been using QR campaigns to gether submissions from employees... so we can showcase what's going on at each facility. This has dramatically increased our company-wide culture & communication. The platform is easy to use with branded templates that allow quick announcements. We're really happy with [Shift] - nothing but positive feedback from facilities too!"
Spencer Trefzger

Director of Marketing Avamere Living

Foster a friendly, competitive environment
“The affordability of [Shift®] is incredible, and the sky is the limit for the effect it’s having on our culture... I feel really confident our work environment improves for our team members when they feel as though they’re being highlighted and appreciated. You can hear it as you walk through one of our stores. There’s somebody being wished a ‘Happy Birthday,’ or somebody saying, ‘I didn’t know that about you.’”
Jason Zieman

Owner/Operator

An Invaluable Tool
“Since we began using the Shift platform, we’ve seen a significant boost in team engagement across all our locations. The ability to connect with our teams through contests, goal-setting, and localized opportunities has been truly impactful. What stands out even more are the personal engagement features—like shoutouts and the ever-popular pet photo posts—which have created a fun, inclusive environment that keeps our team coming back to the platform. These features have helped build a strong sense of community and excitement around our internal communications. Shift has become an invaluable tool for enhancing our team culture, and we’re thrilled with the positive response from our staff. It’s more than just a platform—it’s become a part of our daily routine.’”
Sara Kokx

Senior Manager of Training and Development, Patton Wings, Buffalo Wild Wings

More effective suggestive sellers
"[Shift] enables our cashiers to be more effective ‘suggestive sellers,’ with sales leaderboards on our back-of-house TVs. Our cashiers naturally want to be at the top of the leaderboard to be recognized and rewarded, which results in them selling more than they typically would.”
Russ Lo Bello, COO

Burger King Franchisee, COO Phoenix Organization

It's a very powerful tool
"It's a very powerful tool. It can work either for a single restaurant owner or for a multi-unit owner and also for a restaurant group... I see it as a more modern, contemporary tool to communicate with your employees. Our Gen Z and Millenial employees especially love to interact with our [Shift platform]."
Jose Vazquez Barquet, VP

Subway

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