Internal communications are often overlooked when it comes to PR. Many brands are so focused on looking at the outside world that anything inside their own four walls is an afterthought. The fact is, you can show your best face to the media, the public, and on social networks but if you aren’t looking inwards; it won’t have the same effect or hold the same weight.
VerriBerri are an Essex based PR agency, working across the UK to help individuals and companies positively promote their brands. Additionally, we encourage our clients to look at their internal communications strategy in order to support your overarching business vision.
In 2020 internal comms has never been more important. Many firms have people working from home and mental health across the UK has statistically never been worse. If you haven’t before, now is absolutely the time to look at how you can improve your business.
What are internal communications?
Internal communications is the act of keeping your employees connected to your brand and informed of what is taking place within the business. This creates a culture of shared goals, aligned values and clear guidelines.
It is critical to keep your team up to date with your brands latest campaigns, initiatives, and show leadership. Effective internal communications show strength and makes your team feel supported. Additionally, it facilitates clear communication which results in a happier team that stay with your company longer. Due to this, staff inevitably offer a better service to your customers which in turn increases retention and helps your business to grow. As you can see, it’s imperative; but often neglected.
Your internal audience is often the best public PR for your brand. If your own team don’t understand your core values and what is happening in the company; how will your customers trust you? In addition, if your team don’t know, they simply can’t get excited and help you to drive your business in the right direction. It’s understandable in many ways why internal communications are an afterthought.
After all, when your back is against the wall, you have a mounting pile of work and you can’t see the wood for the trees; are you thinking about holding a meeting? Controversially you should be. Through a variety of methods; from the aforementioned meeting to an email, internal communications can lighten your workload. If your team know why you are doing what you are, they will help. When the ‘why’s’ are answered, teams tend to pull in the same direction, lessen the load for each other, and drive the business forward as a result.
Where’s the ROI?
Studies show that for every 1% increase in employee engagement, there is a 1% increase in sales. By investing in this element of PR, you will grow as a brand. In fact, the same report indicates that engaging with your employees can be the biggest factor in company growth.
The benefits of hiring an internal communications agency are:
- The trust between the management and employees is enhanced, and bridges are built.
- Rumours are decreased.
- Company cultures are upheld.
- Expectations are better understood, and therefore met more often.
- Employees are engaged and morale is higher.
A team that is engaged is a team that is loyal. They encourage friends and family to use you and in many ways they become brand ambassadors in their own right. Additionally, they perform better at work, increasing your customer retention rate.
How can internal communications help me meet objectives?
A good internal communications agency can help you create a strategy. It should do three main things.
- Your direction as a brand should be clarified and fully explained. The reader should come away knowing exactly what is happening.
- You should inspire and excite your team. After reading or hearing the strategy they should feel eager to be an integral part of your company and keen to help you achieve your goals.
- It should resonate. People should not just feel your passion for your business but connected to it. You should also outline ways you will be keeping in touch and updating them in order for the team to know this isn’t a ‘flash in the pan.’
- Be honest. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and don’t run before you can walk. Your strategy should always be achievable.
Adapting and changing is normal for any company, but vital when planning and implementing an internal communications strategy. If you don’t evolve, you’ll die out. People don’t always like change though so you need to support them though the process and consistently help motivate them. As cliché as the saying is, you are telling a brand story. But the audience you are speaking to knows this story, they’ve heard it multiple times. So, you need to keep them engaged.
Contact Us
We are a specialised PR agency in Essex who excel in many areas, including internal communications. We would love to help you grow your business from the inside out. Click here to fill out our online form, speak to a member of our Senior Management Team and receive a bespoke proposal.