Does your staff know your brand positioning? May, 2011 __________________________________________________________________________
If you were to ask your key employees to describe your company and what you do best, how do you think they would answer? How correct and consistent would their answers be? If your staff members have difficulty understanding who you are and what your brand stands for, how can you expect your current and prospective customers to know? Often marketers who are considering a new branding effort for their organization overlook getting a read on the impressions their own staff members have of their brand. There are many steps that you will take to develop a brand that is an accurate reflection of the strengths of your organization, and you should make sure that building your brand internally is on the list. One key thing to remember is that your employees can be your most important brand advocates. Just think of how many people they come in contact with and how they are an extension of your marketing and sales efforts. As such, you need to ensure that everyone on staff knows: - Your brand assets and positioning
- Why you should be selected over your competition
- Your unique selling points
- The brand communications direction you are taking
Don't leave your key staff members out of the branding process. Your sales, operational and business development teams can provide great insight on what the marketplace and your customers think about your products and services. And, once you have your branding and related communications strategy set, present those to your organization's stakeholders. Not only will they be better informed, they will appreciate how their input led to your successful branding initiative. | 
