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BRANDING

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING YOUR COMPANY'S IMAGE?

NEXT ARTICLE: WHAT IS BRANDING?

I think with the rise of the people side of the marketing mix, an update to this article is appropriate.

One only must look at the development of the “employer branding” to understand the importance of the “people” aspect of a company. But what is employer branding and is it related to the 5th “P” of the marketing mix?

Employer branding is the image projected on the job market by your company. This is a very simple definition that omits several elements, but often simple is better. In a job market where employees are scarce, companies have understood that having a good image as an employer is as important as attracting new customers. Because without employees, there is no business and no satisfied customers.

Is the corporate brand related to the employer brand? Yes and no. It is the same company and the field of activity is the same. If you are in sporting goods, then your target consumer market will be sports enthusiasts. Not necessarily for your employer brand. Among the people who want to work for you, not all will do sports, but they have the necessary expertise for the proper functioning of your business: accounting, finance, sales, marketing, human resources, technologies, etc.

But where there is convergence is in the comments and perception of your company, and social media is a great source of information. If you invest a lot of time and money in your branding, but your employment conditions are poor, with below-market pay, high turnover, etc. There is a risk of negatively affecting your employer brand and by the same token your corporate brand. An example? Think about the public perception of the Disney+ channel following the high-profile firing of Gina Carano for reasons that were not unanimous at the time. Much noise was made on social media following this dismissal and several subscribers canceled their Disney + membership in protest. Probably not the best way to manage corporate communication.

The employer brand is not the only “people” component that can influence your corporate brand. The "P/person" of the marketing mix mainly includes people involved in the marketing side. However, as you have just seen, I go beyond just salespeople, social media managers, the customer service teams, and others. I think that all corporate communications can have an optimal approach with both external and internal clients. And this approach helps cement your company's image.

The idea for this post came to me after completing a cold calling campaign for a training company. After 1,500 calls, I can conclude that the majority of companies in the Montreal and Quebec regions handle their communications very well... but not all of them!

Several companies did not need the service I offered, and those that stood out answered me "no" in the best possible way (I am not talking here about the companies that answered "yes" to my offer, because obviously, they all had a nice approach). With some companies, when they had determined that the service was not for them, the conversation was very short and sometimes downright unpleasant.

Why is this important? Because each interaction is an opportunity to stand out and be seen positively. I am not saying you should buy something you do not need just to have a great corporate brand. It is a great idea to have a simple approach, direct and friendly. If you are worried that your kindness will allow the salesperson to insist, know that there are several ways to be firm while still being nice. Here are some examples of answers to give to the seller:

  • - “We already have a supplier with whom we are very satisfied”;
  • - “We have not identified this need for the current year”;
  • - “We do not have the budget for this product/service at the moment”.

 

The reality is that all contacts, both internal and external, are important. And, generally, the time it takes to be pleasant is about the same as it takes to be disagreeable. But what to say? How to respond in certain situations? Having a base scenario is a good starting point. Afterward, have regular meetings where “problematic” interactions can be analyzed and see what would have been the best response. Without trying to attribute blame of course. Build scenarios that are representative of the various interactions with the different actors who may have an opinion about your company and make it known. A possible list:

  • - Your customers
  • - Your suppliers
  • - Your partners
  • - Your employees/potential employees/trainees/those who did not get the job
  • - Your investors
  • - Journalists/public relations
  • - Any other groups with whom you have contact regularly?

 

For my part, I want to improve my communication with the candidates I have not hired. Even if I say in my job postings that only selected candidates will be contacted, I think I can do better. I am working on it.

Which part of your business do you feel could benefit from this approach? Which part of your business could be friendlier? Who could help build your 5th “P” of the marketing mix?

Looking forward to reading your comments.

 

Stéphane Elmaleh-Riel, B.Ed, MBA
Marketing consultant