Building your brand from the inside out

For years our team has talked about how important it is for our clients to train their people so everyone within the organization is on-brand and aligned in thinking, voice and actions. With the massive exit of expertise occurring as baby boomers retire, this is even more critical. And as people move into (and out of) positions at an ever-increasing pace, the need to be on-brand within the organization first, especially for externally facing people, is imperative.

We have the privilege of working with global Fortune 1000 organizations, and we see the revolving door of talent spinning faster and faster. In some cases, clients have even told us that we know their business better than they do. Hard to imagine, but in some cases, it’s actually true. We know their competitors, their history, what other groups in their business are doing, and we know what’s worked in the past and what hasn’t. And, we understand their brand and what it takes to deliver an on-brand experience.

We see this as an opportunity for our clients to launch and maintain an ongoing internal brand management program. This is not a “one and done” kind of initiative. It needs to be ongoing and consistent always evolving and emphasizing different aspects to keep it fresh. How often depends on your organizational culture, amount of turnover and complexity of brand messaging. But at least once a quarter. And don’t forget to include it as part of your onboarding process with new team members.

We can guarantee that you will get tired of it. But, those in your organization who don’t focus on brand regularly – and there are many – will thank you for it. Anything you can do to help them deliver a consistent on-brand experience to your customers will be worth it in the long run. Every single point of interaction matters.

For more information on employer branding, read identityWise | Five Ways to Improve Internal Brand Alignment, our newsletter that shares perspectives on branding and identity.