What is Internal Branding?

Internal branding is the active management of the company culture within an organization. The company culture might be where employees become more customer focused and more business focused. Internal branding is an organized, communications and behavior driven process, which leads to the desired brand identity.

Here are 5 steps to build a strong internal brand

1. Develop 3 to 7 Company Values

Company values represent to core of your business. These values are the reason the customers trust you and buy from your company. The best way to develop these values is to work with the executive team and revisit the reason why the company is in business. Revisit the vision and the mission statement and carve out the essence of your business.

2. Create Effective and Attractive Visual Touchpoints

Communicating the company values properly is as important as creating them. Don't stop after you created the company values and expect that everybody will start living by them. By creating visually attractive designs you remind people of these values is crucial. Then display them in common areas like reception desks or hallways. Doing a Google search for "company values reception" you will see some examples:

3. Create Meaningful Company Traditions and Events

When I worked for one of the big 5 consulting companies I was asked to name all seven company values during each annual review with my manager. Today, I know this was not so much to evaluate my loyalty to the company but rather more to measure how effective the company's internal branding works.
The company organized team events like leadership and management training events led by professional motivational trainers, and they organized team events like chartering a large sail ship and inviting the entire crew from one office location.

4. Encourage

Encourage your employees to live these values in their everyday work and even carry them to your clients and customers.

5. Revisit the values periodically and align your strategy

The best time to revisit your values is during the annual brand audit. Vision, mission, and values are part of the first brand audit process step.

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