It is commonly believed that sole role of marketing is to sell products and services outwardly to customers. In fact, the first and most urgent job of marketing is often to sell inwardly toward a company’s people. It is only when the people of the company fully understand and are committed to the value proposition of the organization and its brands that external marketing can reach its full potential.

To that end, we suggest taking several steps, beginning with constructing an internal marketing plan that includes the following components:

• Internal marketing situation
• Recommended internal marketing plan outline:
  • Marketing objectives
  • Brand strategy
  • Key messaging strategies (targeting, positioning, tonal elements)
  • Brand contact strategy (where brand can be driven through organization), e.g., hiring, training, selling, technical support, etc.
  • Specific programs (see right column for what they might include)

Once the internal marketing program is completed, marketing and communications teams should be assigned to specific sectors in the company to implement the marketing efforts, with one overall goal: To rally the people of the company around the company masterbrand.

Specific Programs

• Internal celebrations of achievements that reinforce the brand strategy
• Internal "trade shows" with booths and exhibits
• Videotapes mailed to employee homes
• Printed collateral, in employee "kits"
• Online (email, proprietary communications system, intranet, customer contact via extranet, external website)
• Viral/guerilla marketing programs (programmed word-of-mouth)
• Physical marketing reminders, possibly including posters, intranet graphics, banners, screen savers, desktop novelties, etc. should carry the masterbrand name, logo, key phraseology and, where possible, a brief explanation of what the masterbrand stands for in the marketplace.