As an “external” marketer, I have to say that until I started writing this article, I had given little thought to internal marketing.
My first thought was…that’s not my job. But the more I looked into the topic, the more I realized that that’s not entirely true.
Every time I share a new content series or blog campaign on our internal channels and encourage my colleagues to help promote it, that’s internal marketing.
When I lead onboarding sessions for new employees or recognize my teammates for their great work as part of our performance review process, that counts too.
*quietly adds internal marketing to resume*
Here’s everything else I’ve learned about internal marketing—the benefits, the strategies recommended by experts, and a few more examples of what it looks like in practice.
Table of contents
What is internal marketing?
Internal marketing is the promotion of a brand among its employees. Companies use internal marketing to drive approval of their products and services, mission and values. The goal is to build a strong corporate culture for employees and ultimately turn them into brand ambassadors.
A satisfied workforce is the key to a successful internal marketing strategy Employee experience is a big factor here.
Every point of connection an employee has with the company – from onboarding to the exit interview – should be represented accordingly.
Internal marketing vs. internal communication
As a baby marketer, I couldn’t really understand the difference between marketing and communications as the two terms were often used interchangeably in the field.
This is how I simplified it earlier:
- marketing is brand advertising.
- communication is information exchange.
Internal communications and internal marketing go hand in hand, but the two don’t exactly fit together.
Back to our definition of internal marketing The focus is on promoting a brand among its employees to encourage them to embrace the company’s values and products.
For example, an internal marketing measure might involve giving employees free access to the company’s products for personal use. This is not internal communication in and of itself.
The purpose of internal communication is to keep everyone abreast of company updates and align them with core goals.
If HR sends out a company memo announcing a new process update, that’s an example of internal communication that doesn’t Really fall under internal marketing.
These are very rigid examples, but the reality is that these two processes work together and often flow into each other.
Internal marketing vs. external marketing
The main difference between internal and external marketing is the target audience.
Internal marketing focuses on employees, while external marketing focuses on prospects and customers outside of your company.
But the concept of promoting your brand and driving adoption of your products and services applies in both cases.
Why is internal marketing important?
Internal marketing is important because it provides direct support Employee engagement.
And Show data This high level of commitment leads to:
- An 18% increase in employee productivity.
- Up to 43% less sales. Pretty.
When employees feel connected to their work, they tend to work harder. All this extra effort leads to an increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty, sales and ultimately profitability.
Who is responsible for internal marketing?
The People Operations or Human Resources team is typically responsible for managing a company’s internal marketing strategy. Human resource management tasks such as employee relations, learning and development, and corporate culture are also tasks of internal marketing.
Remember how I said internal marketing wasn’t my job?
Well, technically it isn’t. However, as an employee, I participate in (and promote) internal marketing efforts.
*keeps internal marketing on resume*
Benefits of Internal Marketing
I mentioned employee engagement as a big plus for investing in internal marketing. I spoke to the experts and have put together a few more reasons to consider below.
You build a team that (really) cares about you.
Holly AndrewsManaging Director at KIS Finance, says the best internal marketing strategies help employees feel included in the bigger picture.
“An effective internal marketing strategy does more than just align people with company goals. “It creates a team that really cares,” says Andrews.
“I remember a new employee once saying, ‘I actually feel like I’m part of something here.’ That’s the goal – to make sure everyone feels like they’re not participating but connecting with the brand’s story.”
You cultivate a sense of community at work.
Mike SzczesnyOwner and Vice President of EDCO Awards & Specialties, shared how internal marketing allows him to connect with his employees – and why it’s worth it.
“An internal marketing strategy that celebrates successes, tells behind-the-scenes stories and highlights the impact of our work helps develop a critical sense of belonging,” says Szczesny.
“The benefits are numerous – increased employee satisfaction and retention, a stronger employer brand that attracts top talent, and a workforce that is truly invested in our success as a company.”
He continues: “Ultimately, our people are our greatest asset, and an internal marketing strategy that makes them feel valued and part of something bigger pays off.”
They create better brand alignment.
For Remy SmithBrand Strategist at Fazer, one of the biggest benefits of internal marketing is top-down alignment.
“If you walked into NASA in the ’60s and asked what they were doing and why they were there, everyone would say, ‘Put a man on the moon,'” Smidt says.
Ultimately, everyone knows what the company is working toward, is committed and excited about the mission, and understands their contribution to achieving that mission. This is the result of good internal marketing.
Internal marketing strategies
I Also spoke to the experts to unpack some internal marketing strategies they use in their own companies. Here are five of my favorites.
1. Personalize the onboarding process.
Every new employee has a different learning style and a different set of responsibilities, so make sure you have your own style The onboarding process reflects this.
As Hnatiuk notes, promoting your mission and culture code during onboarding is also a good way to gain employee buy-in from the start.
As an incoming marketer at HubSpot, I completed a general onboarding track to get to know the company and a team-specific blog and marketing onboarding track. The format was a mix of videos, live sessions and independent research.
It was comprehensive, engaging, and exactly what I needed to feel engaged as a new employee.
2. Use storytelling to engage employees.
Employees want to understand their role in your brand’s story as you work through each chapter together.
Sounds cheesy, I know. But I’ve left jobs in the past because I didn’t feel like I was actually contributing to the end goal.
I couldn’t understand why the work I was doing was worth it (and no one told me why), so I withdrew.
When you integrate your brand’s story into your internal marketing strategy and remind your employees what you’re working towards, you create transparency and trust.
Speaking of…
3. Create transparent communication channels.
This is where internal communication meets internal marketing.
Keeping your employees well informed is a special but indirect form of encouragement that inspires your employees to become your greatest ambassadors.
Your internal marketing strategy should clearly outline your communication channels and outreach processes so that you can easily share timely and relevant updates with your teams.
And don’t forget that communication is a two-way street. Make sure you provide employees with opportunities to address problems and concerns or provide them with feedback and suggestions.
As Glaser said, transparency builds trust. And the first step is effective communication.
4. Integrate values into daily actions.
I love this one.
Sharing your company values during onboarding is great, but it shouldn’t be the only touchpoint. As Stelle says, all of your internal marketing messages and materials should reinforce your mission, beliefs, and North Star.
Employees can easily advocate for your brand when they know what they are committed to and why.
5. Send out regular employee surveys.
I’m a big fan of asking people what they want instead of guessing. I’m willing to bet big money that the companies that give their employees pizza parties instead of tangible benefits aren’t asking the right questions.
Send out frequent employee feedback surveys and ask targeted questions about your internal marketing efforts. What do they like? What do they want to see more of? What doesn’t resonate with them?
Then use these insights to refine and improve your strategy.
Examples of internal marketing
OK, now for the fun part. I’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of my favorite internal marketing activities as a HubSpotter.
The cultural code
This probably goes without saying, but HubSpot’s culture code is SO good. It began as an internal document and has been publicly available for years in the interests of transparency.
Our culture code is also known to attract new employees, which feels like both an internal and external marketing win.
Product learning lessons
Every month, our Product Marketing team hosts a Product Learning Hour, an educational session for the entire marketing team on the customers, products, and use cases for HubSpot’s customer platform.
From product demos to ongoing learning, these sessions ensure everyone is on board with our messaging. This helps us do our jobs better as “external” marketers.
Side note: I also co-led a learning and development program specifically for the HubSpot blogging team. We focused our curriculum on topics that our colleagues were most invested in, such as technical SEO, networking and time management.
Here is one of the activities we did:
Just another example of internal marketing in action (and attempt #3 advocating for adding internal marketing to my resume).
Peer recognition programs
I 🧡 my colleagues, so I’m always looking for opportunities to praise them.
At HubSpot, we have multiple ways to provide peer feedback, including more formal submission through the portal feedback loop that informs performance reviews.
But one of my favorites is our weekly “Friday Props” roundup on Slack.
Every Friday, people in our media organization have the opportunity to tag someone they are grateful for that week and share a word or two about what makes them special.
Here’s someone who left for me a while ago:
“From my colleagues, I commend Alana Chinn, one of the hardest-working and most versatile people on this team. If you’re on the blog team, you know how strong she is.”
BRB, crying.
Let your company culture sell itself
Good internal marketing starts with an investment in your people.
By developing a strategy that encourages brand messaging at every level, you can put some of the hard selling strategies on autopilot while you focus on delighting your employees, prospects, and customers.
And then you can add internal marketing too your resume.