Why Every Employee, within your Organisation is in a Sales and Marketing Role

 "Strengthening Your Brand from Within"

Did you know, approx. 70% of customers* base their buying decisions on the reputation of your company. Imagine if every one of your employees in your business contributed to building your organisations brand and reputation. 

Or reflect on, has poor employee behaviours had a negative impact on your businesses brand and reputation. 

* Based on research, "Voice of Customer" survey by PWC 2024, shares that 67% of potential customers seek out reviews and validate a company's image before purchasing, indicating that reputation plays a major role in the decision-making process.

In whatever sector you operate in today, which will be a competitive marketplace, it's not just the sales and marketing teams that influence your brand. Every interaction, from employees within customer service and the back office/operations, all the way to product/service delivery, shapes how your business is perceived.

In my latest blog below, I will explore and share why it's crucial for every employee to act as a brand ambassador and how this can significantly enhance your company's reputation.

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The Role of Every Employee is in Sales and Marketing

When I say every employee is in sales and marketing, what I mean is that at every interaction your employees have with customers, suppliers, and even with each other. These touch points impact and reflects on your brands reputation.

Consider the role of a *receptionist who greets visitors to your business warmly and professionally. Their positive attitude can leave a lasting impression, just as much as a strong sales pitch from a top sales executive.

*So, why do we traditional pay minimum-wage to those in receptionist roles? Receptionists often have the first contact and interaction with prospective buyers along with our existing customers.

By empowering all your employees to represent the brand, businesses can create a consistent and positive customer experience, fostering increased employee loyalty and hence customer loyalty that stimulates word-of-mouth referrals. (Sales Opportunities)

You're only as good as your Weakest Link!

A single negative interaction can undo the efforts of your entire team. This is why it's said that a brand is only as strong as its weakest link.

An example from my past, circa 1989 on Christmas eve.

At 11.50am, a breakdown call comes into the depot in Carlisle. A Mercedes-Benz truck is not starting and stuck on the A590 at Lindale (South Cumbria). A reluctant mechanic heads off in a branded liveried breakdown van, down the M6 and along the A590. Meanwhile all the staff at the depot have a traditional Christmas Eve early finish and head off to the Coach & Horses pub, Kingstown, Carlisle.

When the mechanic gets to Lindale (1hrs drive) the trucks not where it's supposed to be, mechanic finds the vehicle after about 30mins driving around the area. He jumps out the van, not happy, inspects the truck and refits a fuel pipe that's disconnected, starts the engine and the trucks running again. The mechanic, wearing Mercedes branded workwear and sensing that the breakdown could have been fixed by the driver, lets off a load of expletives to the driver,  jumps in his van and heads off, back up the road to Carlisle, a 3hr round trip. The mechanic then joins the rest of the dealer team, who are already full of festive spirits.

Towards the end of January 1990, February's edition of Commercial Motor Magazine comes out, the truck industry go-to tabloid. Transpires, they have carried out a market research exercise on each main truck manufacture's breakdown service, response times, breakdown mechanics professionalism, courtesy etc. in Cumbria.

Our main competitor Scania, their breakdown mechanic allowed the broken down truck driver to sit in their warm van and gave them a cup of tea out of a flask. However, we / Mercedes-Benz and our breakdown mechanic, are shared in a very poor light in the article. And a company that I once worked at, where I was within a Sales Executive role, gets the nickname "Comic Commercials". It took a couple of years for us to shake off the bad press and get our reputation back.

This example shows how crucial it is for every employee to be aligned with the brand's values and trained to handle situations appropriately.

Strategies to Empower Employees to become Brand Ambassadors

1. Training and Development: Implement comprehensive training programs that focus on customer service, brand values, and effective communication. For example, a hospitality company might train all staff on the importance of a welcoming attitude and attention to detail. 

e.g. My youngest daughter works at Pizza Express and all staff have access to the PE Employee App where they are pushed "customer engagement / employee behaviour tips". My daughter has noticed pretty quickly, that by engaging with the customers in conversation, at their tables, they spend more and tip higher!

2. Communication: Ensure that your brand's mission, vision and values are clearly communicated to all employees, ideally create visuals and display around your premises, for all to see. And ensure there are regular team meetings and internal newsletters, tool box talks, to help reinforce your organisations Vision, Mission and Values.

3. Recognition and Rewards: Create a recognition program to reward employees who exemplify the brand's values. For instance, a monthly 'Brand Ambassador' award can motivate staff to go above and beyond.

Practical Steps to Implement across the team

1. Tips: Consider conducting a brand alignment workshop to ensure everyone understands your businesses brand's mission, vision and your values. Follow up with regular training sessions and encourage feedback.

2. Tools and Resources: Utilise tools like online training platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Learning) and utilise internal communication apps (e.g., Slack, Monday.com, WhatsApp for Business) to facilitate ongoing learning and engagement.

3. Metrics and Evaluation: Create and track metrics such as; customer satisfaction scores, e.g. Net Promoter Score (NPS), employee engagement levels (eNPS), and monitor social media sentiment to check on how your brand is being perceived and ensure you respond and deal with any poor reviews quickly.

"Every employee plays a vital role in sales and marketing, and their actions collectively shape your brand's reputation."

So, start today, view every member of your team as a brand ambassador and implement some of the strategies shared above, then over time watch your brand's reputation flourish and grow.

Remember, a unified team, pulling in the same direction and with a clearly defined purpose, can build a brand that stands out in todays every increasing competitive market.

And as the saying goes, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Make sure every link in your chain is strong."

A couple of closing quotes; 

"Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients." – Richard Branson, CEO and founder of Virgin Group.

"Employees are a company's greatest asset – they're your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company's mission." – Anne M. Mulcahy, former CEO and chairwoman of Xerox Corporation.

I'm more than happy to discuss and share further examples and ideas around building your businesses brand, through your people, if you would like to meet over a coffee, do just drop me an email.

Author - Peter Fleming (180225)

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