Seven Guidelines for Managing Your Internal Brand Communication

Many techniques can be used for effective communication. However, a number of specific guidelines apply when communicating internally about a brand.

1. Communicate from your audience's point of view. Internal brand communication must relate to employee issues, concerns, and aspirations about the brand. Staff desperately want to know what their work means to them, and they respond best when their views have been heard and understood. Before the executive team of Vodafone New Zealand (see previous chapter) embarked on a comprehensive communication process to engage staff in the brand and culture, the team members tested their messages with a group composed of staff relatives. Vodafone executives reckoned that if brand messages made sense to and inspired husbands, wives, and so on, they would do the same for staff.

2. Connect with the heart as well as the head. Thomas Gilbert once said, "we live in stories not statistics," ^[9] yet so much of corporate language is lifeless and sterile. Hard messages are so much more powerful and motivating if they are enveloped with emotion that reflects the brand. The key is not to focus solely upon information. Relationship marketing is about breadth and depth of communication, so you need to develop a range of communication styles that will connect with different types of people within an organization.

   For example, TMI New Zealand created a cartoon character, AJ, to act as the brand champion to support an internal change process that was aimed at embedding a new brand position (business adrenalin) within a client's internal culture. AJ, short for Adrenalin Junkie, was the epitome of the brand values in action. At breakneck speed, AJ constantly reinforced the key messages, applauded the progress of an on-brand organization, and quietly challenged examples of off-brand behavior. AJ had a special newsletter, intranet page, and even his own e-mail address and phone number. He regularly "called" staff and customers to gather feedback. This proved to be highly effective because AJ brought a unique style of visibility that was both memorable and engaging.

3. Use electronic communication as a complement rather than a substitute for in-person meetings. Intranets can be great communication media for detailed information that staff must have. Similarly, e-mail has revolutionized our ability to communicate quickly and efficiently. However, in general, electronic media, including intranets and e-mail, are less effective because they are indirect and devoid of nonverbal cues. They fail to capture the emotional dimensions required for effective internal brand marketing.

4. Be proactive in communication. It is said that nature abhors a vacuum. This is also true about employee communication. When staff are not told what is happening, they will make up a reality as they talk with each other. Communication is especially critical during times of significant change, such as during mergers, or when a company is trying to build a connection to its brand. Even if everything has been said before, new and interesting ways need to be found to support key brand messages. Take charge by profiling examples of on-brand behavior. Promote far-out ideas to spark alignment between the brand and service. Share strong feedback about customers' experiences. It's also all right to repeat your communication; in fact, this can be highly effective. Americans have heard the national anthem more than once, and many still get teary when it is sung well.

5. Use the grapevine. Because staff are often more likely to trust their peers, the company grapevine is a distinctly powerful tool. All too often managers either neglect it or react only when they hear misleading rumors. Smart organizations not only acknowledge that the grapevine exists, but they also harness its power by identifying key employees who influence it and then ensure these people are champions for brand messages.

6. Focus on communication outcomes, not quantity of inputs. In employee surveys, staff are often asked, "Do you feel you receive enough communication?" Almost inevitably, the response is no. The solution, however, is not more volume but rather more effective communication. Some organizations measure the quantity of internal communication—the number of newsletters, e-mails, and presentations to staff. Rather, managers need to inquire about every piece of communication: What was its impact? Did it support the desired outcome? Was it understood by all, and what did staff do differently because of it?

   All too often managers assume that because they have sent out a message, it was heard. In fact, we have worked with dozens of companies where many staff outside the corporate office either never read the newsletters, memos, and e-mails in question or simply do not grasp what they were all about if they do read them.

7. Remember that communication is a multidimensional process. Many organizations operate from the premise that internal communication is about telling employees what is going on. However, today's workers have moved well beyond this paradigm. They seek an environment in which they can make a genuine contribution. Consequently, a company's internal communication strategy needs to ensure that it creates an exchange, not only between the management and staff but also among different staff groups. By giving staff regular opportunities to have their say, a means is developed to check and refine their understanding. It's the same principle as finding out what your customers are thinking and feeling. Face-to-face communication, preferably in small groups or one-on-one has the greatest impact on building consistency in interpretation and commitment.

^[9]Gilbert, Human Competence, 90.