The past few weeks have evolved almost as rapidly as the first few weeks of March. As workforces return to the office, shops reopen, and pre-Covid habits resume, attention will turn to recovery and thriving in the new environment.
Visible, clear messaging is as important as ever for kick-starting sales and reassuring employees and customers and, as always, speed is of the essence. There are many different channels that can be used to communicate with your target audience – press, social media, email marketing etc. – but one of the most effective mouthpieces is your staff.
So many people are proud of the company they work for and the suppliers they work with. They are familiar with the services you offer and likely to recommend your brand – for free! Yet when it comes to marketing strategy, this pool of advocates is so often overlooked.
Too often, organisations invest in beautiful branding and cleverly crafted messaging but it remains within the marketing department. Unless these assets are shared across the organisation and all staff are educated on how to use them, businesses will fail to unlock the true value of their investment. As a result, key opportunities to build your brand reputation are missed.
Build a “brand-led” culture
One of the biggest barriers to promoting a consistent brand message across your whole organisation is that employees outside the sales and marketing function don’t see it as part of their role. To overcome this, organisations should approach brand messaging in the same way they embed purpose and company culture to unite different teams and departments.
Educate and engage
When unveiling new campaigns, it is important to explain and educate your workforce on its objectives but, if possible, engage them from the outset. Keeping the message simple, relevant and authentic is paramount to success. Securing the team’s understanding will encourage them to use and promote messages as soon as they are launched but also motivate them to spot marketing opportunities that will push your brand even further.
Make it easy
In the same way that successful CEOs spend time getting to know every department in the company, great marketers work with the internal audience. Allocating time to understand how different departments communicate with key stakeholders ensures your marketing team can tailor materials accordingly. At the same time, simplify tone of voice documents and demystify brand guidelines to make them more accessible.
Consider how messaging can make individual roles easier as this will empower your workforce to promote your brand consistently. This can be as simple as properly using branded email signatures or creating set chunks of copy to include in letters and emails. Creating social media content that your staff want to share on their personal platforms will also amplify your brand messages further.
Talk to us about working with your internal teams to build your brand reputation, call 01732 779 087 or email Caroline Walker.
Experienced communications specialist who works closely with businesses looking to build awareness, grow sales and secure their market position.
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