INTERNAL MARKETING

Internal marketing involves promoting your organization’s mission, objectives,

purpose, culture, products and services, and brand to your own employees.
Occasionally referred to as “employee marketing,” the purpose of internal
marketing is to “sell” your business to your employees so they are more
engaged, brand-aware, and knowledgeable about your organization.

Like other forms of marketing and advertising, internal marketing is a

necessity. It’s hard for employees to care about their work if they don’t
understand the value of your organization — and it’s no secret
that disengaged and disconnected employees can be costly. A lack of internal
marketing could also hurt your hiring and recruitment efforts, making it difficult
to find employees and retain talent, which, in turn, can lead to more
disengagement and negatively impact your bottom line.

That being said, it’s never too late to develop and execute an effective internal
marketing strategy for your organization. As long as you approach it
thoughtfully and deliberately, you, your employees, and your business can still
benefit from internal marketing.

Internal Marketing Examples

There are countless opportunities to put internal marketing into action at your
organization. You may have implemented a strategy or shared internal
marketing materials without even realizing it. Common avenues and channels
for internal marketing include:

• Social media profiles, company website, and other online activities;

• Job listings and promotion opportunities;
• Company benefits, perks, and work-life balance initiatives;
• Training, learning, and development sessions;
• Internal communications, including emails, instant messages, and
phone calls;
• Workshops, brainstorming sessions, and meetings;
• Employee performance reviews, feedback opportunities, and spotlights;
• Company, project, and product branding and marketing;
• Company news, updates, milestones, and achievements.
Benefits of Internal Marketing
Internal marketing can benefit both your employees and your organization as
a whole. Some of its major advantages include:

• EmployeeEngagement: Internal marketing can keep employees

informed about and supportive of your company. If their jobs have a
purpose and they feel like they’re a valued part of your organization,
they’re more likely to be enthusiastic about and devoted to their work.
• Company Culture: Since it allows you to communicate your mission
and values, internal marketing can help develop and strengthen your
company’s culture. Having engaged employees can further solidify
culture, making your organization a more positive and enjoyable place
to work.
• Brand Awareness: Not only does internal marketing help with
developing your organization’s brand, but it also boosts brand
awareness among employees. This helps employees become brand
advocates who publicize your company (both for customers and
potential employees) outside of the workplace. As long as your
messaging is consistent, this can also help with your external marketing
efforts.
• Staff Empowerment: With increased brand awareness, your
employees are better equipped to do their work. This is especially true
for staff members who work with clients, allowing them to improve the
experience customers have with your business.
• Recruitment and Hiring: Internal marketing can also support your
hiring efforts, making it easier to market job openings and recruit
talented employees. With more engaged employees and strong
company culture, your organization will gain a positive reputation,
making it a desirable workplace for more applicants.
• Retention: What’s more, this also can help you retain employees, both
new and old. It’s believed that increased employee engagement
reduces turnover, allowing you to keep the best workers on your team
for the benefit of your business.

Internal marketing is too important for your business to ignore or neglect.

However, it’s crucial to go about it properly for your internal marketing efforts
to be effective
The Keys to Effective Internal Marketing
To enjoy these benefits, you have to build an effective internal marketing
strategy. Like any other marketing initiative, internal marketing requires time,
attention, and care if you want your efforts to be successful. The key
components of any internal marketing include:

• A clear strategy for your business as a whole;

• Specific operational goals that support your strategy;
• An open and trusting relationship with employees;
• Honest, clear, and frequent internal communication;
• A high-quality employee experience, from beginning to end.

With these internal marketing foundations in mind, here’s how you can build
and implement a strategy that works well for your business:

Assess Your Current Marketing Strategy

You need to know the state of your current internal marketing strategy before
you can create a new and improved plan. Again, you’ve probably been
engaging in some kind of internal marketing without even realizing it. This
passive approach likely isn’t the best plan for your organization, but you need
to know what your current efforts look like and what kind of impact they’re
having. It can help to learn what trends are popular across the
marketplace and what is working for other companies. This may provide
insight into how your own organization compares, and where you have room
to be more deliberate with your approach.

After that, you can begin changing and tweaking your plan. Do more of what’s
working well and eliminate practices that aren’t benefiting you or your
employees. Further, don’t be afraid to experiment and try something new, as
even unconventional tactics may resonate with your organization

Consider Your External Marketing

Similarly, take stock of your external marketing efforts, analyzing what’s

working well and what isn’t. Consider what your current messaging is and if it
matches what you hope to project internally. It’s best to align your internal and
external marketing messages, as it creates a powerful brand identity and
allows all of your marketing tactics to work cohesively.

Sending mixed messages to employees and potential customers can come

across as disingenuous, harming your reputation as an employer and as an
organization. Additionally, it presents a missed opportunity to present a
strong, unified brand to the public. Simply put, mixed messaging may not
actively hurt your business, but it likely won’t help either.

Encourage Employee Involvement

Internal marketing doesn’t have to be a top-down initiative; it can be an

interactive and collaborative process across your entire organization. Asking
your employees what they think or inviting them to participate shows just how
much you value their opinions and contributions to your business.

Not only does this support your efforts to improve engagement and culture,
but it can also lead to innovative teamwork from your employees. Each one of
your employees brings a unique experience and perspective to the table.
They may suggest powerful ideas that you, company leadership, or your
marketing team wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

Further, your employees are on the front lines of your organization — they see
what’s actually going on, both good and bad. They’ll know what people care
about and what messaging would be sincere and helpful for their coworkers.
This insight is invaluable to effective internal marketing.

Reassess Your Strategy

You aren’t done with internal marketing once you have developed and
implemented your plan. As with external marketing strategies, you need to
carefully measure the outcomes of your internal marketing efforts. Re-think
your approach to marketing and look for ways to make it better.

There’s always room for growth and improvement. Your organization is

dynamic, so it’s wise to continually look for ways to respond to any changes
and shifts that occur. Keep making internal marketing a priority to ensure your
strategy and entire business is as successful as possible.