The Brand Inside - Pool Summer 2007

Editor's comment: Employees are often forgotten as part of a branding or rebranding programme. However, their buy-in is vital to the branding success. Karen Post explains how branding can an organisation can involve its employees more so that they become part of building the overall brand.

Breakroom Branding, an important part of a winning culture.

Many organizations spend a lot of resources and boatloads of time on building their brand. They hire smart consultants, map out an intense external communication program, print their logo on everything in sight, and then their brand ends up as a blurry, bland, and boring blob of nothing special.

How does this happen?

They forget their employees or they put them at the very bottom of the communication priority list. An organization’s employees are absolutely critical to building a strong, sustainable brand.

You’ve got a good story, a compelling visual look and feel, a category distinguisher; now bring your employees into the action. Their energy and buy-in can be a deal maker or deal breaker. It’s up to you.

Employees are your best brand ambassadors.

They can bring a higher volume to your brand voice and be walking/talking billboards and devoted advocates for your cause. How your employees feel about the brand, their level of passion towards it, and their willingness to be a loud, clear voice are key. It does not matter whether you are a 10-person service company or a multi-national leader. Breakroom and internal branding is vital.

Smart organizations understand that their culture and people are the foundation for their success. A well-executed internal branding program holds all this together and spawns great rewards.

Breathing brand in your operation.

A strong corporate brand can add value, instil confidence, create loyalty, and reduce a buyer’s risk. Translate this to the bottom line and companies who embrace the brand with their employees ultimately prosper more.

Studies show organizations who brand internally experience less turnover; attract the brightest talent; and foster healthier, productive environments.

Breathing brand within an organization has two distinct dimensions of power:

1) The brand ambassadors, branding the brands from the inside out.

The employees are a loud voice to all organizational brands. They are the cheerleaders, the big brother or sister who watches out for the brand and serves as the human front line to the market.

2) The employer’s brand, the competitive advantage in a tight talent market.

Your brand is the magnet that draws out superstar recruits, empowers loyalty from current staff, and adds to the overall corporate brand.

Both disciplines require commitment, resources, and innovation. Both are worthy initiatives.

The Conference Board, an international, not-for-profit organization that studies business trends, makes forecasts, and disseminates management information, conducted an extensive report on internal branding. The report entitled, Engaging Employees Through Your Brand, looked at experiences and practices of 137 leading companies.

As I walk you through the process of breathing brand in your organization, I will cite some notable findings from their study.

Getting started.

The size of your company may dictate how these efforts are managed and carried out. Larger organizations sometimes will shift internal branding responsibilities from marketing to the HR department. In any case, the activities need to transform thinking about branding from a pure marketing function to an organizational principle. And in all situations leadership needs to be an advocate of all brand initiatives and take an active role model position.

Your internal branding goals may include:

• Strengthening your brand’s visual identification.

By establishing branding communication standards internally, the brand will move to the marketplace in a more consistent, cohesive fashion.

• Launching new business units.

As organizations grow, new business units need to launch from within. Without that internal buy-in, the external branding process can be tougher.

• Serving as a catalyst for change.

Layouts, management changes, mergers, and acquisitions all shake up employees. The brand can serve as a security blanket through the toughest situations.

• Being the center point for your brand essence or corporate strategy.

The big brand is the glue that holds all the pieces together and keeps everyone on the same page and focused on the company’s mission.

• Connecting employees to each other as a brand family.

As humans we all have tribal instincts. We like to hang together with like souls. Internal branding efforts can unite a tight team even in tough market conditions. It gives them something to hold on to for security and a connection to shared values.

• Achieving “employer of choice” status.

Employees and recruits tend to gravitate to brands they understand, ones with clear identities, whose values they share. Recruiting top candidates and retaining skilled talent are the results of solid internal branding. Strong brands can reduce staffing turnover. Studies have shown that employees are more likely to stay with an organization that has strong positive brand.

• Instilling brand values in key processes.

As employees grasp the brand essence, they are more likely to infuse the same attributes into their work product and processes.

• Delivering brand promises through employees.

Employees are the customer contact team. As they engage the brand promise, they will naturally channel it to the customers through all service and touch points.

• Adding momentum to selling channels.

Strong brands ease the selling process. If your organization has any kind or size of sales team, the more they know about the brand and believe in the brand, the easier it is for them to do their job. Without consistent communication supporting the brand, selling can be like moving boulders, uphill in the rain.

From these goals, you need to decide if you create two separate initiatives or breathe brand in one unified effort. This will depend on how closely aligned the corporate brand is with the individual marketed brands and the degree of your employee needs. In a simple/perfect world, they would be very aligned, but as companies grow, sometimes their diversification makes this more difficult. Whatever track you take, you now must tactically touch your troops with the appropriate brands.

Employees are natural ambassadors for any brand. It gives them a sense of “feel good” responsibility and the opportunity to see the fruits of their efforts. Most organizations already have lots of communication vehicles, policies, manuals, training events, and many environments. Why not weave the brand or brands in and make these working tactics for a desired big Brain Tattoo™?

Companies polled in The Conference Board Study, who rated their branding programs as successful, pointed out these strategic traits.

Here’s what’s working:

Identify employees as a key target.
New infusions of funding dedicated to the employee communication effort.
Involve their advertising in strategy setting as well as execution.
Identify “delivering the brand promise to customers” as a key goal.

Now take the generic concepts and add some fun and innovation to breathe big brand into your internal organization. Inside branding adds muscle to your meaning.

Environment

The lobby/work space

Decorate in brand style on a special day or every day. Use giant brand characters, murals, neon signs.

The lunchrooms

Brand your cups, vending machines, and napkins and label your water unless of course that is already one of your brands.

The restrooms

Brand posters, branded TP, brand jokes bound in a book.

Communication

Newsletters/publications/forms

Brandzines, Brandbuzz, The Brand Street Journal.

Create newspaper funnies with the brand. Feature brand leaders, brand warriors, and brands busted. From fax cover sheets to memo pads and annual report to employee, all should prominently showcase the brand and represent the voice.

HR functions

Applications/training/orientation

Tell your brand story. Explain how the brand was born and where it’s headed. Test employees on brand knowledge and reward them too!

Welcome packages and performance reviews

If you can, give brand products and service to employees.

At review time, sprinkle the brand in the kudos.

Events

Unveiling of new brand. Brand parties and celebrations are a blast. Christening of a brand. Changes in a brand. Achievement of brand milestones. Birthday party for the brand.

Community affairs

Let your employees ride on the brand float. Sponsor branded teams that support hometown and employee interests.

Brand merchandise

Put the brand on relevant promotional items.

Measuring your success.

Internal branding and enhanced employee communications can certainly be an expense. So how will you know when and if they’re working? From my experience, there are several observational indicators. They range from reduced employee turnover, increased employee satisfaction, and increased productivity to overall customer relations and loyalty.

More quantifiable methods can include surveys and one-on-one interviews.


	*Number 38: Summer/Autumn 2007*
	: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
About Karen Post Branding Index	*The Brand Inside* *by Karen Post* Editor's comment: Employees are often forgotten as part of a branding or rebranding programme. However, their buy-in is vital to the branding success. Karen Post explains how branding can an organisation can involve its employees more so that they become part of building the overall brand. Breakroom Branding, an important part of a winning culture. Many organizations spend a lot of resources and boatloads of time on building their brand. They hire smart consultants, map out an intense external communication program, print their logo on everything in sight, and then their brand ends up as a blurry, bland, and boring blob of nothing special. How does this happen? They forget their employees or they put them at the very bottom of the communication priority list. An organization’s employees are absolutely critical to building a strong, sustainable brand. You’ve got a good story, a compelling visual look and feel, a category distinguisher; now bring your employees into the action. Their energy and buy-in can be a deal maker or deal breaker. It’s up to you. Employees are your best brand ambassadors. They can bring a higher volume to your brand voice and be walking/talking billboards and devoted advocates for your cause. How your employees feel about the brand, their level of passion towards it, and their willingness to be a loud, clear voice are key. It does not matter whether you are a 10-person service company or a multi-national leader. Breakroom and internal branding is vital. Smart organizations understand that their culture and people are the foundation for their success. A well-executed internal branding program holds all this together and spawns great rewards. Breathing brand in your operation. A strong corporate brand can add value, instil confidence, create loyalty, and reduce a buyer’s risk. Translate this to the bottom line and companies who embrace the brand with their employees ultimately prosper more. Studies show organizations who brand internally experience less turnover; attract the brightest talent; and foster healthier, productive environments. Breathing brand within an organization has two distinct dimensions of power: 1) The brand ambassadors, branding the brands from the inside out. The employees are a loud voice to all organizational brands. They are the cheerleaders, the big brother or sister who watches out for the brand and serves as the human front line to the market. 2) The employer’s brand, the competitive advantage in a tight talent market. Your brand is the magnet that draws out superstar recruits, empowers loyalty from current staff, and adds to the overall corporate brand. Both disciplines require commitment, resources, and innovation. Both are worthy initiatives. The Conference Board, an international, not-for-profit organization that studies business trends, makes forecasts, and disseminates management information, conducted an extensive report on internal branding. The report entitled, Engaging Employees Through Your Brand, looked at experiences and practices of 137 leading companies. As I walk you through the process of breathing brand in your organization, I will cite some notable findings from their study. Getting started. The size of your company may dictate how these efforts are managed and carried out. Larger organizations sometimes will shift internal branding responsibilities from marketing to the HR department. In any case, the activities need to transform thinking about branding from a pure marketing function to an organizational principle. And in all situations leadership needs to be an advocate of all brand initiatives and take an active role model position. Your internal branding goals may include: • Strengthening your brand’s visual identification. By establishing branding communication standards internally, the brand will move to the marketplace in a more consistent, cohesive fashion. • Launching new business units. As organizations grow, new business units need to launch from within. Without that internal buy-in, the external branding process can be tougher. • Serving as a catalyst for change. Layouts, management changes, mergers, and acquisitions all shake up employees. The brand can serve as a security blanket through the toughest situations. • Being the center point for your brand essence or corporate strategy. The big brand is the glue that holds all the pieces together and keeps everyone on the same page and focused on the company’s mission. • Connecting employees to each other as a brand family. As humans we all have tribal instincts. We like to hang together with like souls. Internal branding efforts can unite a tight team even in tough market conditions. It gives them something to hold on to for security and a connection to shared values. • Achieving “employer of choice” status. Employees and recruits tend to gravitate to brands they understand, ones with clear identities, whose values they share. Recruiting top candidates and retaining skilled talent are the results of solid internal branding. Strong brands can reduce staffing turnover. Studies have shown that employees are more likely to stay with an organization that has strong positive brand. • Instilling brand values in key processes. As employees grasp the brand essence, they are more likely to infuse the same attributes into their work product and processes. • Delivering brand promises through employees. Employees are the customer contact team. As they engage the brand promise, they will naturally channel it to the customers through all service and touch points. • Adding momentum to selling channels. Strong brands ease the selling process. If your organization has any kind or size of sales team, the more they know about the brand and believe in the brand, the easier it is for them to do their job. Without consistent communication supporting the brand, selling can be like moving boulders, uphill in the rain. From these goals, you need to decide if you create two separate initiatives or breathe brand in one unified effort. This will depend on how closely aligned the corporate brand is with the individual marketed brands and the degree of your employee needs. In a simple/perfect world, they would be very aligned, but as companies grow, sometimes their diversification makes this more difficult. Whatever track you take, you now must tactically touch your troops with the appropriate brands. Employees are natural ambassadors for any brand. It gives them a sense of “feel good” responsibility and the opportunity to see the fruits of their efforts. Most organizations already have lots of communication vehicles, policies, manuals, training events, and many environments. Why not weave the brand or brands in and make these working tactics for a desired big Brain Tattoo™? Companies polled in The Conference Board Study, who rated their branding programs as successful, pointed out these strategic traits. Here’s what’s working: Identify employees as a key target. New infusions of funding dedicated to the employee communication effort. Involve their advertising in strategy setting as well as execution. Identify “delivering the brand promise to customers” as a key goal. Now take the generic concepts and add some fun and innovation to breathe big brand into your internal organization. Inside branding adds muscle to your meaning. Environment The lobby/work space Decorate in brand style on a special day or every day. Use giant brand characters, murals, neon signs. The lunchrooms Brand your cups, vending machines, and napkins and label your water unless of course that is already one of your brands. The restrooms Brand posters, branded TP, brand jokes bound in a book. Communication Newsletters/publications/forms Brandzines, Brandbuzz, The Brand Street Journal. Create newspaper funnies with the brand. Feature brand leaders, brand warriors, and brands busted. From fax cover sheets to memo pads and annual report to employee, all should prominently showcase the brand and represent the voice. HR functions Applications/training/orientation Tell your brand story. Explain how the brand was born and where it’s headed. Test employees on brand knowledge and reward them too! Welcome packages and performance reviews If you can, give brand products and service to employees. At review time, sprinkle the brand in the kudos. Events Unveiling of new brand. Brand parties and celebrations are a blast. Christening of a brand. Changes in a brand. Achievement of brand milestones. Birthday party for the brand. Community affairs Let your employees ride on the brand float. Sponsor branded teams that support hometown and employee interests. Brand merchandise Put the brand on relevant promotional items. Measuring your success. Internal branding and enhanced employee communications can certainly be an expense. So how will you know when and if they’re working? From my experience, there are several observational indicators. They range from reduced employee turnover, increased employee satisfaction, and increased productivity to overall customer relations and loyalty. More quantifiable methods can include surveys and one-on-one interviews.
Disclaimer Contact Webmaster Pool Version 2.0 © Karen Post / Through the Loop Consulting Ltd 1998-2007