What Is Internal Marketing And Why Is It Great For Your Business

When you and I think of marketing from a business perspective, we often focus most of our energies on selling our products and services to customers alone; we do everything we can to ensure customers learn about our products and are convinced to purchase them.

The one part of marketing that is truly essential and often overlooked is internal marketing.

This involves educating your employees (who are the driving force of your business) on the objects, goals and mission of your products and services.

You may think your employees already know this but most times, a lot of them aren’t really in the loop and are simply coasting along waiting for the next pay day.
What is Internal Marketing?

Internal marketing is a deliberate attempt by the owners and management of a business to sensitize their staff and employees on the importance, value and objectives of their products.

Think of it as selling your products to your employees.

This can be done by encouraging employees to give their input on leadership and corporate policies, accepting criticism and adjusting company activities to reflect this, letting employees know their contributions are welcome and creating avenues for them to sample your goods and services.

The true definition of internal marketing includes all the activities involved in promoting, company objectives, mission, and offering of a business to its people on the inside, its employees.

The goal of internal marketing is to have your staff so bought into your company roots, your culture, and focused on the goals and values of your business that they too become walking talking marketing campaigns.

No one sells your business as effectively as a satisfied employee who genuinely believes in your company.

They’ll convince everyone around them to use your products and recommend  your services via word of mouth and digital platforms thus increasing your turnover.

How internal marketing benefits your business

There are so many benefits your brand stands to gain from internal marketing. When your employees are fully onboard with your vision, they become a true part of your business helping you achieve your goals faster and with more commitment.

Proper communication of company policies and other methods of Internal marketing helps give your team a clear sense of direction that will work wonders for not only your business but your employees as well.

Some of the key benefits of internal marketing include:

1. Employee Satisfaction

Your company gains a lot from having employees that are happy and excited to work for you. When employees are satisfied, they are more likely to serve your customers better which in turn leads to higher customer satisfaction levels which  leads to more profit for your business. Their stress levels are reduced as they understand everything that happens at the company and employee engagement is high.

2. Employee Retention

Your staff are less likely to quit or look for other jobs where they are fully vested in your company. They see the value of what your products and services offer and they are committed to helping you achieve the company’s goals so they stay with you longer thus saving you the trouble of training and indoctrinating new hires.

3. Sense of Belonging

Your staff feel a sense of belonging in the organization which fosters a stronger team spirit. They feel more comfortable taking on responsibilities and making decisions according to set guidelines. This means there is no need to micromanage and chase employees to get their jobs done thereby freeing management up to face other tasks that require your attention and expertise.

4. Improved Internal Communication

Internal marketing makes internal communication between all teams in a company a lot easier and faster. When employees feel comfortable enough to express themselves, they can report areas where they have challenges and receive guidance instead of being stuck on one task for hours or doing the wrong thing due to confusion.

5. Employee Growth

When important company information is communicated effectively to staff, they are more motivated to develop themselves and grow their skills to meet the goals of the company. Knowing they have an important role to play in the success of a brand propels them to seek career advancement like taking training courses to improve their skills.

6. Improved Brand Reach

Employees that believe in their company can never stop talking about it. Especially on social media. Customers who engage with your employees on social will see how much fun they have working for your company and they in turn sell the value of your products with each post, this translates to more marketing and brand awareness for your company.

7. Improved Enthusiasm

Enthusiastic staff will only deliver high quality results and contributions because they are passionate about what they do. Internal marketing nurtures this emotion in your employees by communicating with them often through intensive internal marketing campaigns.

8. Better Customer Experience

Imagine an employee having to answer customers questions about a company they know little or nothing about. It spells only disaster as your staff will be unable to provide solutions, services, information or quick fixes to the challenges a customer faces with your product or services. This is why having employees that understand everything about your business is very important so that they can serve your customers better.

9. Reduced Staff Conflict

Your staff will hardly butt heads or get into disagreements when they are all aware of each other’s roles and the part they play in the company. Your employees have better disposition to work and come in focused on delivering their tasks daily.

Final Thoughts on Internal Marketing

Every employee would love to work with a company that adopts effective internal marketing strategies because it makes their work a lot easier and they feel valued and appreciated for their contributions.

Internal marketing benefits both employers and employees, as long as businesses put in efforts to nurture and communicate with their employees, they will remain loyal and even act as conduits to the marketing teams activities by becoming real life brand ambassadors for your business.

Joshua Heim is a freelance writer located in Provo, Utah. He enjoys writing about business development, company culture, and employer reputation management. He has most recently worked with RVWBOT. He loves the startup culture in Utah and is always eager to help strategize with and motivate those around him.