Companies are realizing that internal brand positioning and messaging are key to actively engaging, informing and inspiring employees to embrace business strategy and drive business results.
Just as a company’s external brand engages current and prospective customers, its internal brand needs to do the same inside the organization. It’s important for employees at all levels – from senior executives and managers, down to the most junior personnel, to feel connected to the company that employs them.
If planned and executed correctly, the internal brand can transform employees into internal and external “brand ambassadors,” who voluntarily promote the company (and, in turn, enhance their own reputation) to its audiences and stakeholders. The internal brand also gives the company a benchmark for assessing performance and rewards – and for celebrations.
Your employee communications needs are my business mission.
The challenge: Creating clarity
The company strategy is changing again, but internal audiences are still not quite sure of what’s happening and why.
- I work with clients to clarify their company’s evolving business promise and help them deliver on that promise through internally driven brand values and behavior. Plans are prepared using a variety of methods including:
- An internal brand communications/content audit and S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, Opportunities) analysis to help update/validate business strategy and goals for employees and internal stakeholders.
- Internal audience segmentation that recognizes audience needs (the “what’s in it for me” message for diverse internal groups) and information preferences (intranet, social platform, mobile) in order to lead employees on a more meaningful journey from awareness to interest, understanding and commitment to company business goals.
- Engaging planning and feedback vehicles (tweet-chats and jams) that yield greater employee participation and buy-in.
- Messaging framework, content creation and strategy that articulates the company’s strengths and key brand attributes through storytelling, for all types of internal communications including: intranet articles, podcasts, videos, internal community direction, emails, business memos, executive talking points and presentations – as well as company-wide programs.
The result:
Interactive, purpose-driven communications that uses a measured approach, with defined success criteria, to create a clear line-of-sight between employees and the brand.
The challenge: Social Media Know-How
How to close the gaps between the wide variation of social media knowledge and experience (at all levels) within company ranks.
- Creation of structured internal programs that level the playing field for employee participation and gives employees permission to get started in social media.
- Web-based “Social Media 101” employee training and education that gets everyone on the same page with regards to social media channels and best practices.
- Opportunities for advanced training and certification for employees interested in acting as internal and external brand ambassadors of the company.
- Customized training programs that get senior executives up-to-speed on social, so they can effectively lead company initiatives.
- Company-wide social media guidelines that outline simply stated agreed-on company expectations for employee social media use and behavior.
- Company-wide security campaigns that explain and promote the importance of safe and secure computing while active on social media.
The result:
Unified internal communications that empowers employee groups to move beyond business as usual to foster authentic brand-focused conversations and collaboration.
The challenge: Need to do more with less
Budgets are tight and head-count is way down. Temporary help is often inconsistent when an experienced professional is needed to hit the ground running to complete projects. I can help as:
- A quick-learning interim communications professional capable of operating in a wide range of workplace environments from small and medium businesses to global organizations.
- Add-on staff for communications campaigns and/or events (Town Halls, webinars, audio conferences) that drive employee engagement for a new business strategy, product launch or change initiative.
- A temporary intranet/internal community manager who is familiar with content management tools, internal social platforms, editorial standards and audience segmentation.
The result:
Fast reliable “snap-on” service that gets the job done right, on-time and within budget – any time there’s a need. One less thing to worry about.
Ask yourself these questions
- What is it that the organization’s internal brand promise, values and messaging is trying to achieve? In what tone should it be conveyed?
- What does the organization know about its audiences’ needs? How should its audiences be segmented?
- Which channels work best for the different audience segments? How will it maximize reach? Are there clear editorial guidelines for each?
- Are there clearly defined success criteria? What are the leading and lagging measures of performance? (ROI, message penetration, quality of feedback, employee learning, behavioral change, sentiment, etc.)
Then call me
Need to get things done? Call me to schedule a free 30-minute (that’s a serious offer) consultation. You’ll hang up with a better understanding of what you need for an effective employee communications roadmap (or single elements of sections above) – and a couple of new ideas to boot.
