Word of mouth is everything, right? You do everything you can to get it: spectacular customer service, memorable display windows, imaginative and effective promotional events, awesome ads. You Facebook and tweet and blog until your fingertips are bleeding. You keep your web site and your broadcast emails inspiring. But there’s one thing you may be overlooking:

Your co-workers.

Whether they are paid staff or volunteers, full-time devotees of consignment/ resale/ thrift or part-time employees whose main focus is school or kids or bowling instead of your shop….

you can make them your Brand Ambassadors by getting THEM to open up their moths and spread that word of mouth!

Think of all the places they go, people they see, friends they have that you don’t.

Now give them a reason to talk about your business.

Maybe it’s as simple as business cards for them. (Maybe you could even let them design their own business cards.)

Maybe they could have a card to pass out that gives the recipient some reason to come into your shop and shop.

Maybe they’d carry or wear something with your shop name on it. (Maybe you could even let them design their own tote bag or t-shirt or ball cap.)

Maybe each staffer could have a name day once a month: Everyone who comes in and says “Hi Lee, thanks for inviting me here” gets a discount that day, and Lee gets a bonus based on the purchases made.

Maybe it’s as simple as having a Volunteer Appreciation day in your thrift store, perhaps quarterly, where all volunteers may invite guests, have refreshments, and get something special (first dibs on the new season? BOGO? One of those tote bags? A chance at some wonderful door prize?)

How do YOU make your helpers Brand Ambassadors?