Spend More on Internal Marketing

I’ve been working with a client on their communication and marketing strategies. Just finished reading a 30-page draft of target audience, markets, goals, and measurement points. Overall, the 30 pages were an excellent description and strategy of their customers and how to solve their problems through products, services, and educational communication initiatives.

There was one problem though. Not once was anything mentioned about the company’s “internal” marketing strategy. Since I became a follower of Don Schultz, it has become clear that internal marketing is essential, if not MORE important than external marketing.

Here’s a simple example of why: You spend millions on creating a brand relationship with your customers, through TV, billboard, print, magazine, newsletters, radio, internet, etc., etc. Of all that media, what makes the most impact on a prospect or customer? Any interaction with one of your employees. If the employee, or greatest stakeholder, does not have a firm grasp on the true meaning of the company’s brand and mission, how vulnerable is your company?

Internal restructuring saves the CMO?

We’ve seen so many CMO departures after such a short period of time. One real reason this is happening is because many of these CMOs don’t oversee customer service, HR, or IT – those are the locations where customer interaction takes place and is influenced. How can a CMO be successful if the most important brand communication source (the employee) is not a part of the marketing mix?