Internal Marketing: What it is and How to Start this Strategy on your Company
Before taking any step within your company, you must first connect your entire internal team, after all, everything your brand offers comes from the inside out. 😉
So, let’s look at some questions: how is your company’s Internal Marketing ? Have you engaged your employees? Is the communication well aligned?
If you haven’t yet applied this strategy in your business or if your actions haven’t worked out very well with your team, follow the content to better understand the subject and even get some tips on the main tools that will help you on this journey.
What is internal marketing?
As the name suggests, Internal Marketing is an internal strategy that aims to involve all the company’s workers in favor of the brand.
In other words, at the same time as educating professionals about the company’s values, objectives and goals, Internal Marketing engages teams and motivates them.
Using this marketing strategy, you will create internal communication channels so that all information is passed on in an aligned manner, in addition to building a solid company culture.
Not stopping there, this type of marketing goes beyond the benefits for the brand itself. Through aligned communication, it also brings benefits to employees who will feel more comfortable expressing themselves, bringing new ideas and engaging in their day-to-day work.
Is there a difference between internal marketing and internal marketing?
I’ll be honest, this is a very debatable question, as there are those who treat concepts in different ways and those (like us) who treat them in the same way.
I know: this in itself generates a bit of confusion. Therefore, I will present both sides of the coin.
There are those who say that Internal Marketing only takes care of aligned communication between the company and employees, while Internal Marketing is concerned with the emotional and motivational part.
In a few words: Internal Marketing is about the business, and Internal Marketing is about the heart. ❤️
But, as you may have noticed in the definition above, this text considers both points as Internal Marketing: from aligned communication to the employee’s good day-to-day work.
This way, you avoid confusion between terms and, when applying the strategy, it still benefits both sides — company and worker.
What are the areas of activity of internal marketing?
Now that you know the concept of Internal Marketing, it is important to explain the areas in which it is applied, so you can better understand when to use it and what the expected results are.
This way, you will leave here already knowing which channels in your company it can be implemented or improved on, and you will be able to see the first opportunities to do Internal Marketing today.
Here we have separated five areas of activity, check them out:
General company communications
The key to good Internal Marketing is transparency with your employees .
So, if a structural change has occurred in the company, new vacancies are open, work routines have changed, etc., it is very important that you generate general communications.
And of course, they must be easily accessible to everyone, in a formal and standard environment.
Think that when your team knows about the company as a whole, it will be more aligned with what is really happening, which reduces communication gaps , in addition to generating a feeling of trust , as your brand will always be open to employees.
Communication channel
Did you think that feedback, suggestions and comments would only be restricted to your company’s customers? Well, they aren’t.
In fact, having an open communication channel between company and employee is a great strategy to guarantee new ideas, in addition to improving the work environment , because you will be aware of what is being positive, what needs improvement and what is no longer working. having an effect within the business.
Creation of campaigns and awards
Who here doesn’t like competing for a prize or participating in activities in which you could be the winner?
It is this issue that you must pay attention to when creating campaigns and awards to promote Internal Marketing, as in addition to engaging employees , they become more participative and motivated on a daily basis.
Here you can explore everything from sales campaigns with commission and prizes. However, we must always remember that this type of award varies depending on the company , that is, it is necessary to consider the size, budget, relationship with employees, campaigns they want to promote, brand culture, etc.
Events
Nothing better than an event to exchange ideas, experiences and also talk about everyday life to get even closer to your employees – and them to each other.
Corporate events should always be designed to provide a connection between teams . Even if it’s just a coffee break , it’s important for managers and employees to be able to exchange ideas and become closer.
If you are unable to meet your team in person , online events are also welcome! The more interaction you have, the better your communication and relationship with the team becomes.
Once again I will give an example of Leadster. We operate 100% remotely, but that doesn’t stop us from constantly exchanging and hosting our weekly giveaways – 30-minute virtual meetings with the entire company – and happy hours at home.
Other than that, we always hold specific events, open to the public, on topics of general interest, so here’s a tip. 😉
Train engaged workers
Investing in training, lectures and courses is also a way to engage your workers — you will be enhancing their training and showing the company’s commitment to the continuous improvement of those who share its history.
The more knowledge the employee gains, the more he can offer in his work, and the more gratitude he has.
Other than that, there is nothing better than a company that grows together with its workers.
What are the most common internal marketing tools?
Ok, now you know the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘when’ to apply Internal Marketing, now let’s know the ‘how’.
Here we have separated six common tools in this strategy that you can start using today — right after you finish reading, of course.🤓
Let’s go?
Internal blogs
If your company is large and has several different teams, it may be difficult to align communication going team by team, person by person, meeting by meeting.
In this case, there is nothing better than an internal blog to publish messages ranging from general notices to congratulations for the day’s birthdays .
This channel is ideal for aligning your communication and creating an exchange between employees.
The good old (not so good) email is also a part of Internal Marketing.
Just like the internal blog, it will be used to send important information, news, congratulations , in addition to being able to carry out research through this channel and receive suggestions and feedback.
Wikis
Wikipedia Wiki? That’s right, only for companies!
The company’s wiki is like a central knowledge channel for the brand , where employees can share and organize internal information.
It is the entire team that writes, reviews and updates the information on the wiki, all in a collaborative and aligned way.
Think that from the corporate wiki you create a unique truth about your brand and you will be engaging and counting on employees all the time.
And of course: through it, you also share technical information related to your production reality. Most companies use Notion for this work or Atlassian tools .
Magazines
Magazines – digital or printed – are ideal channels for large companies that need to formalize messages and leave empty spaces for their branches to also publish news, updates and curiosities .
In addition to being collaborative, you will be aligning communication with all areas everywhere, if applicable.
Social media
If you want a fast, versatile channel that can be used on mobile, it’s interesting to think about corporate social networks.
In addition to being able to forward messages instantly, employees may feel more comfortable publishing their ideas, feedback and suggestions, as they will be in a usual channel – apart from the fact that this format is already part of our daily lives.
Brazilians’ favorite couldn’t be left out of this list 😅
WhatsApp has already become a work tool for millions of people , as well as being a channel that we access almost all the time, so there’s nothing better than creating a company group on it.
In addition to being fast, practical and simple, WhatsApp avoids the formalities that sometimes become a stumbling block to good communication, engagement and relationships with employees.
Therefore, investing in this tool can be ideal for companies that want to get closer to the team, as well as being a great option for smaller businesses .
So, is your company’s Internal Marketing up to date or still in need of repairs — or perhaps it doesn’t even exist yet? Tell us in the comments!
Oh, and for those of you who have made it this far, here’s a final tip: always start by listening to your employees and understanding their needs, after all, they are the foundation of the entire company.
Remember that Internal Marketing should not be seen as an expense, but rather as an investment that will bring significant returns to your business. 😉
Now, if you want to continue learning about business marketing and how to apply it in your company, I’ll leave you with some more content that can help you, check it out: The evolution of marketing: from Mesopotamia to Philip Kotler 😲
