Using Your Internal Networks to Boost Your Media Campaign
Updated: Jun 18, 2022
The most underutilized resource at organizations is their staff. As a result, marketing managers often wholly ignore other departments when developing an external marketing strategy. Doing so is a huge mistake not only for your company culture but also for your marketing campaign.
There are two main reasons you should always include internal audiences when creating a marketing plan, even if it is a solely externally facing campaign.
To have buy-in from your most critical advocates (fellow employees).
Develop a culture of openness, engagement, and hope in your organization.
Your employees are vital to making sure the campaign works.
Consider your internal audience a significant stakeholder or audience in your campaign. Consider them a critical audience that you must meet and reach their needs before any other. That might be radical, but employees are more powerful than any eyes you will get online. They advocate for the organization, have deep networks, and will actively be a mouthpiece for the organization. If you don't now, train them so they can save your organization or business money on marketing in the future.
Who, when, and how do I inform internal staff?
Whether it is a new promotion, event, or program at your organization, making your fellow employees aware of your project early will set up your project for success in the long term. We help companies create these mini-communications plans to help enhance company culture and ensure your marketing campaigns succeed.
As a simple suggestion, inform your staff of a new marketing project you are working on at the beginning of the project. That could be a simple email with attractive imagery. Remember, internal staff members are just like any other audience; they need to be motivated through emotion to act. Include an outline of the project with milestones and direct ways that they can help.
Reach higher-ups first
If you think it will just be too much information, reach the higher-ups in that department so at least that department head will know and communicate it to their team. Have a list of asks to that department head. Better yet, ask for ways THEY think the campaign can better succeed. Now you are creating a feedback loop within our organization and growing buy-in.
Be vulnerable; this creates a warm company culture.
When people feel they have a say in how things will work, they take ownership but make sure you are looking for their help. For example, say, "I need your help. Do you think you could think of a few ideas and get back to me with how your department can be part of this so we can include it in the marketing plan?"
I suggest creating a deadline and making sure you and them settle on some goals and deadlines for how they plan on participating in the project.
Not only will your employees make your marketing campaign work better for you, but communicating with your employees can result in a more satisfied staff. In addition, by building an internal team to your communications plan, you create a culture of openness and trust.
Let us help you develop the internal communications strategy
When in doubt, communicate your projects. If your organization doesn't have a structure for the internal communications process, we can help. We make sure all your bases are touched when growing and building your organization, so your employees stay informed, engaged, and part of the group.
When your marketing campaign launches, you have an entire organization ready to respond appropriately, online, in-person, or engaging at company meetings. This move can transform your work culture and keep your employees committed long-term.