A Spoonful of HR, Helps the Marketing Go Down
by Kim Goodhart
If there was ever a time to have a message and mean it – it’s now. Why? Because what’s really driving us to be our best, and perform our best in business, isn’t as simple as a pay check or work-at-home option. What we’re really craving is a sense of purpose – a place to feel a part of, something worth sticking around for. And, this mindset is making its way into our brand loyalty too – we’re sidling with companies who don’t just sell, but speak to us.
As inc.com writer John Hall says in his article, “Why Organisations are Turning to Chief Heart Officers and Leading with Purpose.”
it’s those businesses who are blending the pathways between the ‘internal’ human resources side of the desk and those sitting on the ‘external’ marketing chair, that are leading the front line. They are the organisations intent on creating the best-place work culture for their employees and build long-term brand affinity with customers.
On purpose
Nowadays, internal communications within many an organisation is no longer about ‘delivering information’ it is about capturing hearts and minds of its people, and leading with purpose at the fore. To quote John:
Organisations are also realizing that purpose can be one of those driving factors for employees. What an organisation does, what it stands for and how it treats its employees can make the difference in getting people to stay – or even getting them attracted to a role in the first place.
It’s a win-win situation. When you know who you are and what you stand for then you can lead with purpose, and when you steer with purpose you simultaneously lead the way in creating effective long-form marketing content.
The key word here is purpose – and this is something that needs to be stamped out loud and clear. Because you can’t create long-form marketing content until your organisation is aligned with its ‘true’ purpose – otherwise you’re setting yourself up for an angry back lash.
Thus, to ensure everyone is on-board with the ‘real’, marketing to your people becomes paramount – strengthen the ties between human resources and marketing, and you strengthen the ties between employee and customer.
As John says,
The brands that do more within and think more about their community create more affinity. It’s a basic extension of human psychology,” and, “the same things that attract long-term customers are often the same things that draw in high-quality job candidates.
When you know who you are and what you stand for, then you’ll proudly to share it with your customers. And where there’s truth, there’s loyalty . . .
Can you feel it
So, what many organisations are realising is those ‘deeper connections’ carved with customers aren’t being forged on a typical marketing blueprint – we’re talking long-term brand building that speaks to the heart not the purse strings.
As John says,
the days of someone speaking to a camera for 30 seconds, telling you to buy something, aren’t dead – but the method is much less efficient.
Brand building that fosters emotional intelligence – channels the human – invests in personal development measures, versus traditional marketing techniques, is the motivation drawcard for many customers. We want to align ourselves with companies that are honest, true to themselves and their culture – not following the masses.
John says it well,
In a crowded landscape with too many channels to count, the breakthrough is the thing that doesn’t make sense, not the thing that does.
And this is where confidence comes into play. Why? Because openly building real relationships and conversations with customers (and employees) – those that are purposeful, and maintaining a long-term brand position – one that is revered for its unique identity, happens when you have the confidence to let people in.
As John attests to, neither marketing to your customers or addressing your company culture are textbook operations – lines have been blurred, and we’ve got to embrace the ripples to communicate the ‘real’.