Inward branding and its pull effect

Positioning is a smart business strategy that enables an organisation to achieve distinct and advantageous market advantage by “pulling” customers with products or services that satisfy their needs and preferences.

The deliverables for achieving this outcome include: unique selling propositions, compelling value statements and most importantly, customer profiles.

Attractive market segments are identified by understanding customer preferences and needs, and products or services are tailored to create customer value.

Today, the uncertain market situation is making nonsense of this usually reliable strategy. Markets are shifting. Customer needs and preferences are changing. Also, the pros and cons of internal capability of resources are getting deserved attention.

However, in this article, I want to focus on that big question that, in view of uncertainty in the marketplace, how do we “securely” pull customers for value-adding patronage?

Please note that despite the huge costs, consumers are becoming skeptical about organisations’ messages coming from the various communication tools and platforms. They are even asking questions on whether we honestly, and genuinely care for them. Some do not even trust or have confidence in advertising again. “They believe that organisations do not tell us who they truly are”. The skyrocketing prices of goods and services have even further eroded trust between organisations and customers.

What are the immediate take outs? Organisations’ messages are no longer trusted. The people trust what employees say than what we say. Employees are proving to be the reliable touch point between customers and organisations. Employees’ messages will continue to reverberate, most appropriately, with customers and potential customers.

The immediate response of leaders should therefore be what I will refer to as “Branding from inside out”.

Strategy gurus, John Izzo and Jeff VanderWeilen in their book: “The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Create Engagement and Competitive Advantage”, pointed out that employees must constantly tell organisations’ good stories to customers and potential customers. They must be enthusiastic advocates of the beneficial values of the brand. They must talk about organisations’ people oriented attributes and actions. They must also take pride in their jobs and always talk about the wonderful things the organisation is doing for them.

The authors added that “a company’s brand is not simply the approval ratings of its products or services, it is inextricably tied to the people behind the brand. According to them, leaders must not fail the employees. “If we fail them, the company fails too”. Leaders must help team members stay connected to the organisation’s purpose. They must know and be committed to the fact that organisation’s products and services deliver beneficial values.

Employees must brand organisations from inside with “purpose congruence”. This action will evidently serve as the “moment of truth” between an organisation and a customer. It will “win a customer for life”.

Let us examine “Internal Branding as smart organisation’s compelling vision for growth”.

If leaders creatively use the Customer Community Strategy for instance, the result will be an effective strategic engagement between organisations and customers to market, sell and design products or services. It will, in a defining manner, expand organisations’ customer value and of course, profitability.

Outcomes of this value-adding partnership will obviously maximise and galvanize genuine commitment and energy. Results (on a sustainable basis) will be sincere and authentic value roadmap, useful and continuous feedbacks, reliable information on customers’ perceived value. It will also enhance credible word-of-mouth and its loop. Customers will feel genuinely heard and they in turn, will be confident and assured that “we are in this together”.

Customer partnership and not just customer relations, will be achieved and the results will be distinct buy-ins and continuous leveraging of customer endorsement as well as advocacy. For organisations, values’ adoption will be fast-tracked and sales strategy will naturally and effectively “rest” on customer value. Products (or services) will be comprehensive and robust. Genuine intimacy between the two parties will enhance personalized services and promote sense-of-belonging marketing approach.

Let us also remember “The Accelerant Curve”: intimate plus value relationship plus trust = immediate acceleration of sales.

Leadership credibility among other critical factors, will produce the “common ground” for employees’ genuine involvement in Internal Branding. Team members follow their leaders as a result of trust and competence. Trust, competence and effective communication play vital roles in the dynamics of effective team leadership. The leader must always generate positive enthusiasm, be forward-thinking and reassuringly competent. The statement from colleagues that “I can learn from you” is more poignant and powerful than any strategy in effective team building. Also, similar statements like: “I am willing to follow you”; “You have my best interest at heart” and “You are reliable and honest”.

Let me conclude with Dr. David Rock’s SCARF model which is about the five (5) factors that the human brain monitor and leaders can always utilize to achieve tremendous impact on effectiveness and value-adding motivation.

“Status” is the perception of who the employee is, in relation to colleagues in the workplace. It is a key driver of behaviour and evokes greater response than monetary rewards. “Certainty” is the sure antidote for ambiguity. Ambiguity dangerously erodes focus in the workplace.

Lack of managed “autonomy” for employees, leads to high stress level. Associates must have some levels of choice or control (autonomy).

The two remaining “brain science examples” in the SCARF model are Relatedness and Fairness. The brain perceives lack of “connection” in the workplace as “threat”. It negates team bonding. Fairness: leaders must always have sincere clarity about treating colleagues equitably. The leader must be open, sincere and transparent. Fairness makes colleagues productive, effective, engaged and always determined to work smarter.