Internal marketing, impact on workforce

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As Forbes council member Kristopher Jones said, in enterprise business, there’s an old saying that goes, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” And that’s usually true. However, when you’re focused solely on growth, it becomes all too easy to overlook other important things. Among the most important things that sometimes get short shrift are a company’s employees. Typically, the bigger your business grows, the more employees your business needs. The more employees your business has, the harder it is to give them all the attention they deserve.

The irony here is that those very employees are actually your best resource for stimulating enterprise growth. So how can you foster a stronger sense of community and commitment among employees while also growing the company, so it’s bigger and better than ever before? 

The answer is Internal Marketing.

So what Is Internal Marketing? also called as Employee marketing. 

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When a lot of us think of the word “marketing,” we think primarily of external marketing. We think of promoting our brand to existing customers and expanding our reach to new potential audiences. Well that’s not all.

There is another important audience that marketing often overlooks; the one inside our own offices. The good news is, this audience is relatively easy to target and inexpensive to reach. So, why are they not part of your marketing communications plan? (Rochers, M. 2019)

Internal marketing is a management philosophy that places a high priority on employee engagement. The basic idea is that the first customers any business has are its own employees (Jones, K. 2022)


What can internal marketing do for an organization?

Good external marketing does more than creating brand awareness, it creates brand loyalty. Likewise, good internal marketing gets employees excited about the brand they represent. It makes them feel like a part of something bigger. They’re not just doing a job; they’re contributing to your company’s mission.

Internal marketing represents the set of activities that promote an organization’s mission and objectives to its employees. These practices are driven by goals such as increasing employee engagement and retention. In addition, internal marketing efforts can support employees in becoming brand ambassadors and advocates.

Gallup’s recent announcement states that employee engagement in the U.S. had ticked up to 34% was seen as a sign of progress

Benefits of Internal Marketing

Employees who feel deeply connected to their work and to the overall mission of their company are more likely to represent your brand in a positive light. Employee advocacy begins with employee education and engagement.


Happy workers are productive workers

It should come as no surprise that employees who feel fulfilled by their job and believe wholeheartedly in their employer’s goals do better work. But did you know they also do their jobs with greater speed and efficiency without sacrificing quality?

A study by Oxford University found that employees are 13% more productive when they are happy.


The benefits of internal marketing extend to many aspects of the business. Some of the top benefits include:
  • Reduced employee attrition. When employees feel valued — and feel that their work is important — they’re less likely to look for greener pastures.
  • Lower hiring costs. Organizations perceived as great places to work don’t need to spend as much money to attract top talent.
  • Higher productivity. Employees are more likely to focus on producing great work when they feel they are contributing to a worthy mission.
  • Improved employee satisfaction. Recognizing the hard work employees do helps them to feel proud of their accomplishments.
  • Better company cohesion. Employees have a better grasp of their expectations and long-term goals when they are angling toward a clearly defined mission.
  • Stronger alignment. When broader company goals are widely understood, there is a greater sense of alignment between leadership and team members.
  • Eliminating information silos. Organizations that share objectives are better able to exchange critical information cross-departmentally.
  • Enhanced customer interactions. Customers want to work with businesses they believe in. Mission alignment shows customers that your business is consistent and authentic.

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Three Internal marketing KPIS to track your progress

Effective internal marketing experiences will have a positive impact on a number of areas within your organization. The following key performance indicators can help you develop a sustainable and successful internal marketing program:

1. Employee Productivity
Taking benchmark measures of employee performance before and after implementing your internal marketing program can show you the impact it has on tangible deliverables

2. Employee Retention
Employee recruitment and retention are major concerns in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace. Now more than ever, skilled workers know their worth; if you don’t give them a reason to stick with you, they may be more than happy to find an employer who meets their needs.

3. Online Interactions
Are the employees communicating with each other? Are they sharing branded stories to their personal social media channels? While it can be difficult to monitor these digital interactions, they can show you exactly how your employees feel about the company mission. Engaged and satisfied employees are more likely to share their experiences and accomplishments with their personal networks.



Conclusion

Successful internal marketing campaigns can turn employees into effective brand ambassadors. This in turn can have a positive impact on your external marketing efforts. Organizations should consider cultural differences and consistency and effective strategies targeted at the right audience with the right message.

A note to remember: The key to enterprise growth isn’t just what the employees can do for the company, but what the company can do together.




Reference

Michael DesRochers (2019), Internal Marketing: What It Means and why It's Important | Forbes Councils Member | Forbes Boston Business Council. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbostoncouncil/2019/08/05/internal-marketing-what-it-means-and-why-its-important/?sh=2ea31f064086

Kristopher Jones (2022), the Benefits of Internal Marketing for Enterprise Growth | Forbes Councils Member | Forbes Agency Council.

Alexander Santo 2021 | 5 Internal Marketing Strategies.

GALLUP | Jim Harter | Employee Engagement on the Rise in the U.S. 2018. https://news.gallup.com/poll/241649/employee-engagement-rise.aspx 

Naz Beheshti, 2019 | Forbes Contributor.

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve et, al. 2019 | Happy workers are 13% more productive.

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