How to market your business to your staff

The notion of marketing your business to staff may seem a little odd. After all, your business is their livelihood; of course they want it to do well … don’t they?

But wishing a company well and being a true blue believer in it are two different things.

Imagine having a team of walking talking advertisements for your business. A team of people so passionate about what you do that they never miss a chance to ‘spread the word’.

Your staff may be diligent, hardworking and professional, which is great. How much more could they achieve if they shared the vision and belief that you have for your business? What if they felt that their work was more than simply a job; that they were part of something special? 

This is why marketing to your staff makes good business sense.

So, how does a business market to its staff?

The first thing to remember is that marketing is marketing. This means that whether you’re marketing to customers or to staff, the basics are the same:

1. Know your target audience

2. Highlight a particular problem or challenge they face

3. Explain how your product will solve that problem

4. Show why your solution is the best

5. Speak to your target audience in the right voice.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Know your target audience

Now your staff will not necessarily be part of the target audience for your product; however, marketing to them will meet their needs as employees in different ways.

For example, some things that may be important yet challenging to your staff are:

• feeling good about what they do
• being paid what they’re worth
• feeling that their efforts are appreciated and acknowledged by management
• a sense of achievement
• being able to take pride in their work.

2. Highlight a particular problem they face

Perhaps there’s a sense of the ‘mundane’ in some sections of staff, a feeling among them that what they do doesn’t really matter much. This is a problem that can affect not only productivity; it may also affect employees’ self esteem. This can be addressed as part of a business to staff marketing plan.

3. Explain how your product will solve that problem

The solution here is twofold:

1. Explain the benefits of your product to the marketplace

2. Show how your employee’s role is an integral part of providing that benefit.

Let your employee see the benefit of your product from the customer’s perspective. What problem does the customer have and how does the employee’s role impact the customer’s life?

4. Show why your solution is the best

The aim here is for your staff to feel proud that they work for you and not the competition. Show them what makes your business unique and better than the rest.

5. Speak to your target audience in the right voice

Using the right voice means communicating with your target audience ‘where it’s at’. In this case that audience is your staff and you need to connect with them.

(Heads up: Management-speak and technical jargon may not be the best mode here.)

Instead, think about the tone and language your employees use in conversations with you and with each other. Do they differ? Put yourself in their shoes and look at what’s important to them.

Once you begin marketing your business to your staff, keep the momentum going.   Celebrate the company’s achievements, big and small, and the people who help make it all happen.

And remember, the biggest part of marketing is COMMUNICATION.

© Carol Dorman 2010  

Carol Dorman, owner of Quill Writing Services , also publishes Communicate, the monthly newsletter for small business owners who want to raise their profiles and increase their profits by harnessing the power of words. Subscribe today at: http://www.quillwritingservices.com.au and receive a free copy of her report: How to Convince your Target Market to Buy from You.