To keep track of emerging trends in HR tech, fintech, insurtech and healtthech, ValorUp engages with the startup community in a number of ways. The other week we taught Customer Discovery to founders at DivInc, a pre-accelerator program for underestimated founders. Working with founders to identify and understand their target markets created parallel insights useful for communication with employees. Here are some thoughts on building an outreach strategy.
- Identify the key roles necessary for engagement – No matter what the initiative, each organization has gatekeepers whose specific function can support your aim. These are the decision makers and influencers that help push ideas forward. There may also be stakeholders you wouldn’t necessarily expect, like a person’s supervisor or the louder voices on your staff. It’s not just titles and authority levels that influence action. Build a team of champions to support your cause.
- Meet employees where they’re at – Employee benefit selection can be overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like you need a PhD to figure out the best fit for yourself and your family. That’s why explanations need to be brought down to the simplest explanation of “what,” “so what,” and “now what.” Remember, it’s about giving employees the tools to understand the decision in the context of their lives so that they can take action.
- One size does not fit all – In creating personas, one has to find the key motivations that mostly hold true for a grouping of people. This means tailoring content and having the empathy to step into other people’s shoes. This part can be difficult because it can be time consuming. However, you can prioritize your outreach to the groups that have the most pressing needs as a starting point for which to build.
Let’s be as diligent in messaging to staff as we are with clients. Employees are after all representatives to the outside world.