Ilana Como, head of marketing and communications at global talent acquisition and management consultancy Alexander Mann Solutions, on why internal company communications is at the core of an effective marketing strategy.
While the need to publicise a business to external stakeholders has been universally recognised since ancient civilisations carved adverts in stone, engaging with internal populaces has perhaps historically been viewed as a less vital element of the marketing mix. However, the two are not mutually exclusive: communicating the vision and direction of a business internally is crucial to enhancing customer brand perception – particularly at a time when social media means that every employee is effectively a spokesperson.
The case of HMV staff infamously commandeering the company’s Twitter account to live-tweet mass redundancies is an extreme example of what can go wrong when effective employee engagement falls short. But aside from preventing a potential full-on PR crisis, the wider benefits of a detailed and dedicated internal communications strategy cannot be ignored. ...