Question

Topic: Other

Set Up/roll Out Of Internal Marketing Startegy

Posted by Anonymous on 9/6/2013 at 11:44 AM ET 250 Points
Hi there,

I, in collaboration with our Human Resources Dept, have been charged with developing an internal marketing strategy to improve communication flow between staff members/departments both horizontally and vertically. We are looking to put in place a structure that staff will buy into that allows for important corporate information/messages to be distributed efficiently.

I am wondering would any of our members be able to provide interesting articles, case studies or insights into how one should best go about this. This is the first time we have looked at something like this and have the go ahead from senior management.

In terms of some background information. We have roughly 150 mid to highly skilled staff based mainly from one location.

All help/advice greatly appreciated!

Regards,

PG
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  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 9/7/2013 at 12:51 PM Accepted
    Also try using "internal communications" ..

    Short article:
    https://www.leehopkins.net/2006/07/06/what-is-internal-communication/

  • Posted on 9/9/2013 at 4:01 AM Author
    Thanks for the replies folks!

    I do agree that there is an internal/corporate comms element. However we are looking to instill certain values in each employee, in essense making each one a brand ambassador.

    Is this bigger than just corporate comms?
  • Posted by Moriarty on 9/9/2013 at 6:56 AM Member
    Pint Glass,

    I have thoughts and ideas that will answer your question. However these will need you to consider what your corporation is doing when you are "are looking to instill certain values in each employee".

    Please do not read further if you feel that I am - or will - twist your question to my ends.

    So let me take you to something that Drayton Bird did for Ogilvy in the 1960s. He'd been asked to determine the qualities of various products when presented to the public. He hired a hall, spread all the things out, gave out questionnaires (as demanded by the commisioning contract) and gave each visitor a goody bag at the end for helping. They duly took all the answers, compiled them and submitted the data. The commissioning company director beamed at the response. Drayton however had other thoughts.

    Now as part of his own market research, Drayton left these products out on the tables overnight. On arriving in the morning found several had been stolen by the cleaners. The things they stole had but few things in common with the eulogies given as answers to the questionnaire the day before. He had gotten the marketing evidence he needed, and it told a very different story from the one the management wanted. These products were the ones people genuinely valued, not just the ones they'd been led to say something nice about.

    My point in telling this story is so that you realize what it is for an employee to say "yes" it is quite another to get them to do these things. More to the point, those who have commissioned you may well want answers that are caged in their own terms of reference, not those of your employees. Be warned that these are not always the same thing.

    The moderator knows that I do not pull my punches, and I do not give bland advice simply because that's what's expected of me. Sure, it gets me into trouble and I get stern warnings. The very reason I get into trouble is because the forum at MP is treated in the way a corporation is. They have a group ethic that I must adhere to - yet this has not yet been adequately explained to me yet. What's more, those who adhere to it are the very ones who perform the least well on this forum.

    This has direct relevance to your problem.
  • Posted on 9/9/2013 at 7:19 AM Author
    Thanks Moriarty,

    I appreciate the candid nature of your comments! I think the problem we face is that we would like to provide staff members with the tools/information that will allow them to promote our company to the best of their abilities.

    Our line of business is health related so we know that staff do care about what they do. From time to time there is a gap in the information they receive from management simply because communications mechanisms haven't been formalised. We want to involve all employees in the journey we are undertaking and also let them have their say.

    All ideas and comments on how best to do this are welcome!

  • Posted by Moriarty on 9/9/2013 at 7:52 AM Accepted
    Thankyou for your response. It's more than I'd expected!

    I want to tell you another story, again relevant. As our marriage began to fail, a process that took around five years, I realized that I'd never been listened to. I was allowed to speak, this was not the issue. I learned that my ideas and worries were not attended to, not finding an ear. I also realized that this was not something I was going to be able to change anytime soon - we'd been married for a very long time. All that time, I'd express my ideas and they'd be ignored.

    So, are your managers any different? Because this is my usual understanding of men: they lack the ability to listen. Not all of them, for I know one who does. The issue isn't just that they listen, it's that they both consider and act in total confidence. It allows the employee a degree of anonymity when discussing difficult issues. What's more, setting up something like this will avoid issues with whistle-blowers and other frustrations.

    Are you, have you the means to act in total confidence with them? Can you arrange to do this without raising your boss' suspicions? (That means, quite simply, does he trust you?) What I am trying to establish is a methodology whereby you can set up some kind of positive feedback loop. Problems are raised, ironed out to everyone's satisfaction without any blame being apportioned. A quiet thankyou from a trusted colleague will mean a lot more than some blather from the boss. The point is that the management speak, are listened to and comments get fed back to them. They can improve the way they speak, they will be listened to the more, trusted more. A lack of trust is a very dangerous thing to allow to get out of control.

    Bear in mind that all I know of your business is what's written here. That's not much to go on, so I could be well off course. I have no idea of the quality of your corporate dialogue dynamic. That is to say, how much reticence there is (or not). Just look at their eyes when you speak to someone about a tricky issue. How many will return your gaze, or look down thoughtfully? How many look to one side or the other? This kind of "non evidence" is extremely important if you are to establish the things you wish to.

    Additionally, the words you use can take on other connotations. Again, space and time. You must indulge me if I'm off course. Take it that my aim is to get as close to the truth of the situation that you may deal with as much of the reality as you can honestly expect.
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