Why is internal branding important?
How effectively do your employees communicate your brand story to your customer?
Most businesses have no clue what internal branding means. After all, should not the focus of marketing be towards the customers? A brand focuses its marketing resources to drive demand for its product. The problem with this linear marketing model is that the brand fails in delivering its promises to customers, as it has not given any thought on training its front-line employees.
There are multiple reasons why a brand fails in its internal branding. For starters, most brand executives automatically assume that their HR department is handling the issue. However, they might not always communicate the brand’s positioning with their employees. More often than not, most brands do not see the value of brand marketing, as they think they already have a solid message to communicate with the customer. However, they fail to see that the message is tailored to customers and not the employees. The most important reason, however, is the automatic assumption that marketing budget is best utilised when it is directly targeted to the customers.
So, why should a brand invest in internal brand marketing?
Consistent message
While we have talked about the need to consistently communicate the brand’s story, we need to follow through this within our own brand as well. If what we put out through advertising to our customers do not match with the message our employee puts forward, it will drive your customers away towards your competitors.
Unfortunately, Nepal does not have a single brand worth mentioning that provides good customer service. While there are brands that are successful in spite of this, they face a significant threat if a competitor emerges with good customer service. For example, WorldLink was able to gobble a significant chunk of Subisu owing to its somewhat ‘better’ customer service.
Customer conversions
Once you have nailed down a consistent brand story and are able to communicate that through your employees, it will create a positive impression on your potential customer. Like the case of WorldLink mentioned above, once your front line employees are able to deliver your brand’s message, customers flock to your business.
Improves internal communication and cooperation
If you have successfully branded your brand to your employees, they will have a common vision, which makes cross-cooperation smooth and efficient. The more you are willing to invest in internal branding, the more your team will be able to collaborate. Moreover, as you go about team building with a simple coherent message, your brand will be more adept at managing internal employee conflicts. Remember, if the house is not in order, it will spill over to your customers.
