INSIGHTS
In Brief
- As a result of our studies, we determined that having a great brand vision is insufficient to achieve great internal brand management. A company’s brand vision will not be translated in employees activities, if they do not feel inspired to do so.
- In reality, most companies internal branding activation is typically presented in the form of “dull key touchpoints,” without any strategy to persuade and encourage employees to apply the brand vision in day-to-day activities. Meanwhile, without a strong internal brand, employees are unlikely to understand what you have promised the public, resulting in them working at cross-purpose.
- Internal branding is essential because brands grow from within, and the success of the company depends on the experience provided by your employees as brand champions.
Employees as Brand-Builders
A more balanced approach to branding is essential in today’s business environment, with a particular focus on employees as brand builders. Internal brand building is becoming more popular, as it provides a means of integrating a company’s external promise internally. Internal branding is becoming just as important as developing your external branding, as a strong internal brand may improve employee morale, company culture, productivity, and, eventually, revenue.
A Common Misconception Resulted in a Long-Term Disaster
However, according to BrandPartner’s clients, very few still understand how to create an integrated internal branding activation. It is one of the most critical aspects of developing a successful internal branding, yet it is also one of the most disregarded. Many human resource profesionals may not realize that internal branding takes the same level of strategy as external branding does. Many of them still believe that announcing the company’s purpose and values as part of their effort to build a strong internal brand is enough, which is extremely problematic.
In reality, most companies internal branding activation is typically presented in the form of “dull key touchpoints,” without any strategy to persuade and encourage employees to apply the brand vision in day-to-day activities. Meanwhile, without a strong internal brand, employees are unlikely to understand what you have promised the public, resulting in them working at cross-purpose.
Developing Internal Brand Power
As a result of our studies, we determined that having a great brand vision is insufficient to achieve great internal brand management. A company’s brand vision will not be translated in employees activities, if they do not feel inspired to do so. To achieve alignment between the company’s mission and the employee’s vision, internal brand management must be followed by a series of strategies that ignites spirits among employees. Thus, a well developed internal brand strategy is critical to achieve a more consistent approach to internal brand management.
Following that, I’ll go over the phases of developing internal brand power in more detail.
Phase 1: Brand Identification
Brand management develops an externally focused promise and analyzes how employees within the organization may be coordinated to ensure a vibrant commitment to delivering on the promise. That is why it is critical to ensure that the company’s internal brand strategy is in sync with the emoployee’s goals. Following that, it is crucial to develop research mechanism for internal brand management and communication strategy, as well as how well it functions over time.
- Assess company brand strategy alignment with employees goals & objectives
- Evaluate internal brand engagement and communication strategy
- Assess current brand perception (internal & external)
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- Design tailored survey and approach
- Conduct internal focus group to validate survey messages
- Analyzing and mapping out the insights generation
Phase 2: Brand Development
When mechanisms are successfully built to examine the current state of brand perception among employees, now we can move on to the next part. A strong brand vision and employee value proposition (EVP) need to be developed based on the findings to guarantee that these variables work together to orchestrate the entire internal brand strategy. Thus, the developed strategy must then be checked internally to ensure that it communicates the desired messages and meets the company’s internal brand management goals.
- Develop aligned brand vision strategy
- Unify brand vision strategy with EVP
- Test BV X EVP messages, assets, & unique attributes with key influencers (ONA)
Phase 3: Brand Activation
If a corporation wants to succeed in delivering this messages, it should use tactics other than the standard promotional strategies of presentations, motivational quotes, and mission statements. The most crucial aspect is to develop a comprehensive internal brand communication plan and ensure that it is effective in transferring brand knowledge to employees’ daily activities. It should include a series of internal communication programs that reach out to all critical touch points, ensuring that employees are inspired to embody the brand. What most people failed to realize is that a change in behavior must be accompanied with incentives; therefore, it is equally critical to ensure that the company’s brand advocate will be rewarded in some way.
- The utilization of key influencers in organization structure
- Consistently developing internal brand communication program (Campaign, workshop, townhall, etc)
- Translating brand vision to every touch points
Phase 4: Brand Evaluation
Ultimately, it is essential to assess the extent to which company’s values are aligned in their day-to-day operations within the company. The brand engagement within the firm is identified through a relevant brand evaluation technique, which provides insight into the brand’s health. The findings from the evaluation process will serve as the foundation for constructing the internal brand strategy in the near future.
- Manage and measure key metrics
- Identifying, analyzing, and improving action plan
Strong Brand is Expensive, Bad Brand is Even More So.
The process of developing a strong internal brand can be time-consuming and expensive. However, it is also one of the most important variables affecting your company’s success. Internal branding is essential because brands grow from within, and the success of the company depends on the experience provided by your employees as brand champions.
“Always keep in mind that while a strong brand is expensive, a bad brand is even more so. ”
– ANDREW SOEHARTONO, SENIOR CONSULTANT
