Internal Branding Series & Employee Engagement Series

Second of four thought leadership pieces - Keep an eye out for the complete set

Here is our second installment on Internal Branding/Employee Engagement. In our last email, we discussed internal branding by simplifying the complexity of the theory into; 1) an easy to follow model called Inward's Internal Communications Model, 2) followed by Inward's Internal Dialogue Marketing™ Framework, and 3) operationizing the framework into an action/delivery process called Inward's Brand Alignment Process.

In this email we will focus on Inward's Internal Communications Model specifically.

• The model recognizes that effective communications and change requires a sequential order - funneling through the hierarchy of effects which informs employees, educates them regarding how well they personally understand the consequences of the brand, gaining their commitment to adopt the brand into their attitudes/opinions, and finally to be recognized and rewarded for outstanding performance aligned with brand values and behavior.

• Secondly, these steps must correspond with a variety of cause/effect related and sequential tactical media and programs, such as broadcast corporate messages, training and workshops, peer-to-peer recognition and HR appraisal systems aligned with the brand values and, finally, rewards for living the brand values and adapting new behavior. Each tactic builds on the previous step to achieve greater personal relevancy.

• Thirdly, as employees filter through a media hierarchy funnel towards recognition and reward, there must be correspondent message architectures (Hierarchy of Relevance) that inspires the employee with personal relevant messages, delivered in such a way that it becomes valuable in their lives and daily behavior. This is often referred to as "WIIFM" (What's in it for me?) This is achieved through a message architecture process, whereby we create highly relevant/valuable corporate messages - why is the company doing this? Next comes a highly relevant individual message delivered from the local level --why is this internal branding important for me as an employee? Finally, an individual message given by the manager or supervisor to their employee that conveys what new behavior or attributes the employee must embrace in order for them to adopt new behavior - what does the company want the employee to do differently as a result of this new internal brand knowledge, and how will the employee be rewarded?

• Fourth, to round the model out, we recommend that when speaking at the value level, communications should come from corporate and be distributed in a common fashion company-wide. When distributing the message at the regional or local level or segmented employee level, the message should be at the benefit level and address their segment's needs. Finally, when speaking to an individual one-on-one or in small groups at the attribute level, the message should come from their direct supervisor or office/store manager/HR. No matter what the message is, or the form it is communicated in, there should be continuity of look, feel, tone and manner to convey one vision, a common purpose and one set of brand values and behavior.

This sequential order contributes to employee engagements and higher productivity and support for major corporate-wide strategic change to adopt new behavior.

If you would like to discuss the model in greater detail, please let me know and I would be very happy to walk you through the steps and make it relevant to your company.

In our next email, you will receive and spot light on making the model practical with Inward's Internal Dialogue Marketing™ Framework - making the model come to life.

We hope you are enjoying the series and encourage you to save the emails and forward them to your friends and colleagues.

Sincerely,

Allan Steinmetz
CEO & Founder
Inward Strategic Consulting
asteinmetz@inwardconsulting.com
617-558-9770

Internal Branding Series & Employee Enagement Series

Internal Branding and Employee Engagement Series

A Bit of History

Inward practically invented the concept of internal branding 11 years ago, this month, when we formed our firm to help educate, motivate inspire and enroll employees to support major change initiatives like reengineering, new brand launches and strategic M&A’s.

We were encouraged create the firm by the late Michael Hammer. Dr. Hammer who founded the reengineering movement in the late 80s/early 90s realized that unless you get your key stakeholders engaged and enrolled behind change, the likelihood of a corporate transformation was less likely to occur. So while I was the SVP, Worldwide Director of Marketing and Communications at Arthur D. little, I formulated an "Inward Marketing" methodology that would encourage employee buy-in and engagement through a sequence of persuasive communication techniques. I tested these ideas with a major pharmaceutical company that had made a recent merger and global acquisition that needed to enroll the employees of the combined company with a common vision mission and values. That experimental engagement turned out to work immensely well. Our credo at that time was, “Corporations have to educate, motivate, inspire and engage their people for the company to achieve its strategic results”. We still believe in this credo today.

Moving Forward

We are proud to say that we most likely are the first to recognize that employee engagement and internal branding can improve performance and enact cultural change. Because of our history and thought leadership, we have been able to invent and codify an internal branding model and framework that works. We engage employees to become involved in our process. In addition, we established the industry definition for internal branding which has become the category standard.

Inward’s Definition of Internal Branding

Internal Branding is an organized, outcome-driven approach to get to a desired state

while continually answering the question …

“What’s in it for me?”

Companies must work HARD to make the working environment relevant and important to every employee through SIMPLIFIED relevant communications, so that they change their behavior and know what to do to reinforce positive customer experiences every day, which makes it EASY to live up to the corporate brand values and external brand promises.

• The company’s employees are its brand. Employees must be educated, motivated and inspired about the customer experience — and realize the power personally. It doesn’t happen naturally.

• People deliver the brand promise — when they don’t, there is brand breakdown.

• It is about the customer experience and how associates/employees perform their jobs, as well as personal behavior in support of positive customer experiences.

Simplifying the Complexity - Establishing three theoretical steps

We approach internal branding by simplifying the complexity of the theory into; 1) an easy to follow model called Inward’s Internal Communications Model, 2) followed by a framework called Inward’s Internal Dialogue Marketing™ Framework, and 3) operationizing the framework into an action/delivery process called Inward’s Brand Alignment Process.

Watch for our Internal Branding/Employee Engagement Series

Over the next few weeks, in celebration of our anniversary, I will be sending you additional emails devoting specific thoughts, ideas and examples of our theory to illustrate the how it all works together. Keep an eye out for it.

Lastly, I have to say thank you for all your support, encouragement and business all these years. We would not be a success if it weren’t for our devoted clients and friends.

Sincerely,

Allan Steinmetz

Internal Branding Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Quite often, and even as recently as last week, I get asked the question, "What challenges do you anticipate within the company when launching an internal branding effort and what strategies have you used in the past to overcome similar ones?" Well I decided to write them down and share them with you. Here are Inward's "Top Ten Internal Branding Challenges and Pitfalls."

There will be many pitfalls and challenges that most companies will have to overcome to have a successful implementation. Here are some of the challenges we have had to address over the last 11 years that get in the way of a successful internal brand program.

1. Challenge: Overpromising through external brand advertising without preparing employees to deliver on the customer expectations as a result of lackluster communications, training, recognition/commitment and rewards systems.

   Solution: Companies have to address this challenge by implementing effective communications and training programs that orientate and prepare employees before the external campaigns are launched and incentivize and teach them what is expected in their behavior.

2. Challenge: Failing to integrate brand-building initiatives with other internal efforts. Often internal branding is an afterthought and part of the external marketing program.

   Solution: Internal branding needs to be integrated with other corporate-wide HR, process redesign and strategic planning initiatives by demonstrating how individual brand behavior and values can contribute to the success of corporate wide strategic initiatives and not just the advertising alone.

3. Challenge: Over-relying on external communications to build the brand-driven organization. When the organization employs multiple thousands of people it is easy to communicate the message to employees through mass advertising.

   Solution: Internal branding is a process-driven approach that incorporates training, peer-to-peer recognition, alignment of appraisal/assessments, as well as rewards. Internal branding cannot be delegated to pass through advertising alone.

4. Challenge: Over-relying on internal communications that is the same for everyone, everywhere to motivate employees.

   Solution: Here, too, the company must recognize that an integrated communications program and experiential communications and dialogue are necessary to inspire people to change their behaviors. It often requires different messages, different media directed to different audiences, while keeping the original intent the same. It is not about one off communications. It is about process and integration of tactics with common design/themed elements that build on one another over time.

5. Challenge: Not enlisting support from senior management, operations, manufacturing, sales & marketing and HR to overcome cross organizational barriers.

   Solution: In order to have an effective internal branding program, senior management, marketing and HR have to be "attached by the hip" and partner with marketing/communications. They will need to reconsider changing their business processes for appraisals, feedback and incentive compensations so that they are aligned with the brand values.

6. Challenge: Not backing up internal branding with sufficient planning and resources.

   Solution: Often we see that internal branding is thought of as a tactic rather than a process. Therefore, insufficient resources and money are not budgeted to maintain a sustained program over time. We recommend allocating a third of resources and budgets to planning, a third to tactical rollout and a third to maintaining the program for at least three years.

7. Challenge: Going overboard so that employees perceive the internal branding initiative as corporate brainwashing, over the top, flamboyant, costly tactics/events can also counter the brand's message.

   Solution: Here, too, there has to be the right combination of tactics, messaging and symbolism to gather the attention of the rank-and-file so they can realize that the initiative is for real and not just another "one off" that people will forget about in a month or so. You need a proper balance of message and tactics.

8. Challenge: Over-depending on IT to disseminate brand knowledge sharing.

   Solution: The new buzz phrases are webinars, Web 2.0, social networking, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The list goes on. All can be facilitated by IT, which is wonderful. However, technology innovations and applications still need content that can be leveraged. And messages and creativity need to have the desired impact based on clear objectives and goals.

9. Challenge: Not changing employee performance measures to be aligned with brand behavior.

   Solution: It is not enough to realign all of the other components of an effective internal branding program and not realign employee feedback/appraisals and incentives, too. At the end of the day people are motivated by an inspiring message and incentives/rewards that demonstrates that the company is serious.

10. Challenge: Changing behavior is a slow proposition and does not happen overnight.

    Solution: Clear expectations of results, as well as patience and sufficient delivery timelines are important requirements so that management understands expectations, deliverables and changing behavior over time. A great mentor of mine once reminded me, "Sometimes you have to go slow before you can go fast".

So if you are planning an enterprise internal branding effort or change communications program to engage employees to change their behavior, heed our advice. Or just call us. We specialize in marketing strategy development, change management, internal branding, change communications, market research and all forms of qualitative research. After 11 years in business there is no challenge we have never seen. Let us help you overcome the challenges. If you would like to learn more about this topic visit our all new web site at InwardConsulting.com.

If you would like to share your internal branding challenges, add your thoughts to our community dialogue on our web site, drop me a line or call.

Happy Fall!

-Allan Steinmetz