CHALLENGES OF LAUNCHING A BRAND INTERNALLY AND ACHIEVING STAFF BUY IN

“Customer experiences define the brand. Great brand experiences are the result of great

common, consistent, customer experiences.”Interbrand

Challenge #1 – Does everyone internally know what a brand is?

• “It’s our logo; our slogan, our font; our advertising; our product.”

• Everyone thinks they know...

• Solutions: • Clearly define what a brand is and get everyone on the same page • Avoid patronising those that know what a brand is

Challenge #2 – What’s wrong with our old brand?

• Staff will have strong emotional ties to the old brand

• Resistance is natural when asking staff to do things differently

• There can be mistrust with something new and unproven

• Solutions: • Share positive stories of rebrands from similar organisations• Explain the strategy for rebranding and what it will do• Always invite feedback in a format that suits staff• Enlist brand champions across the organisation• Base brand conversations on research-based facts – internal and

external research• Prepare staff for switchover

Challenge #3 – Did our messaging on the rebrand get through loud & clear?

• Staff are engaged in different ways

• Everyone is different!

• This means saying the same thing about the rebrand via different media; in different formats – this is expensive and time consuming but essential

• Solutions:• Find out how staff want to be communicated with• Segment staff audience ‘types’ and treat them differently• Assess the most effective communication media and formats• Continually adjust and test communications to suit internal audience• Make communications relevant to staff

Challenge # 4 – What, when and other ‘Ws’

• When will public facing staff be trained? How will branding be rolled out? What brand tools will be available? Who is leading on the rebrand? Which offices will be rebranded first? Why are we even having a rebrand?

• Rebranding can mean uncertainty for many as it’s ‘The Unknown’

• Solutions• Be very clear about what is happening, when and why• Engaging staff so they are involved or have some say when activity

takes place can create additional buy-in

Challenge # 5 – Consistent Colin not Jekyll and Hyde...

• To be a credible brand, staff need to reflect the brand values. This means all staff , services and communications being consistent with the brand.

• Everything the organisation and its staff do either builds on the brand or works against the brand. Consistency reinforces brand values resulting in a stronger brand.

• Solutions:• Give staff time and space to understand the brand values• Explain ‘We are all in this together’ – everyone needs to pull their

weight• Continually review staff understanding of the brand, send reminders

and share feel-good stories about staff and the brand

Challenge # 6 – Remember: it’s marathon not a sprint

• So too, is knowing where to invest time and money in the brand’s development

• Maintaining momentum and interest in the brand values is challenging

• Some rebrands require a change of culture which requires strong leadership

• Solutions: • Get the thinking cap on Plan, Plan, Plan ways to keep the brand values

top-of-staff-minds • Ensure the CEO and directors are seen as brand champions that

continually communicate about – and live – the brand

Challenge # 7 – Measures of Success

• What is the best way to measure the success of the internal comms around the rebrand?

• How do we measure the success of the rebrand with staff?

• Solutions:• Use tools available to measure internal engagement such as hits on the

intranet; logo or brand guideline downloads; staff survey responses or attendance at brand talks

• Overlay internal data with external brand metrics and benchmark against other organisations

Final Challenge – We got a new brand, now what do we do with it?

• Once the rebrand has taken place, it’s just the start...

• Ways to maintain staff buy-in after the launch:

• Ensure on-going staff training, dialogue and sharing of successes

• “Get them early” – present the brand at new staff inductions

• Ensure staff feel equipped, supported and confident about their brand knowledge

• Promote continuous communication/dialogue from the top to maintain momentum, importance and relevance

• Keep measuring to make sure staff are engaged

• Most of all, make it fun!