Three top tips to build your brand from the inside out
We’ve all been there. That shop with great product, beautifully-crafted interiors and slick marketing, with disengaged employees who ruin the whole experience. Or the creative agency with free fruit, a ping pong table and inspirational quotes on the walls, where bitching in the open plan kitchen resonates throughout the whole building.
Your people can make or break your brand, so it’s vital that you – and they – understand the role they play in your business’ success. Of course, engaging your people won’t happen overnight, but here are our top three tips to make sure everyone's pulling together:
1. Sell it to your team first
What you tell your customers about your business has to reflect what’s happening on the inside. Focus on bringing your brand values to life internally, through working practices, culture and tangible measurements of positive behaviour. Explain your brand and business strategy in terms your people can understand and reward those who live the values. Then, instead of just relying on your sales and marketing team to spread the word, you’ll have dozens of enthusiastic ambassadors selling your business in their own unique way, wherever they go.
2. Give them responsibility
No-one likes being told what to do or what to think, which is why bringing your people into the process is vital to building a strong employer brand. Involve them in focus groups to define your values, encourage them to curate your social media channels for a week, ask them to write blogs or speak at events in place of senior managers. Give them control, purpose and mastery and encourage them to build a brand that they can believe in.
3. Tell your stories
Folklore is central to any employer brand; the stories that get told time and time again and bring your values to life. Whether it’s how you started, how you innovated or how you overcame adversity, tell your stories with pride and encourage your people to do the same. Of course, it doesn’t all have to be happy clappy; be open about the challenges and any negatives but acknowledge them and move on. Make it clear to your people that your brand’s story is constantly evolving and that they can help shape what happens next.
The Clever Comms Co. provides strategic brand and marketing support, from values and brand creation to comms planning and content creation, across internal and external channels. We also provide training on a range of comms topics and can create bespoke packages tailored to your team’s needs. Need help building your brand inside and out? Drop us a line at liz@clevercommsco.com
