Monday, June 9, 2014

When Matchy Matchy Is Important

Matchy Matchy? 

Interior designers often tell you not to flank your couch with two matching tables, topped with two matching lamps and to use different upholstery to add interest to your room. While I've never been a fan of anything "matchy matchy," there is a time when your company should be working toward making things match.

Consider
Company X tells prospects and customers they are all about creative ideas, embracing new thoughts and encouraging innovation. But in reality, Company X  requires employees to dress conservatively, work a strict schedule, limit cross talk, and only present ideas up the standard corporate chain of command. Internal communications is written in the third person and passive voice with a tone that delivers messages from the top down. The result? A deep disconnect between the internal and external brand.

Congruence
In recent years, I've had the chance to work with organizations who want to step up their communications programs. Some are focused outward and planning to only improve interaction with their customers or prospects. Others understand that the internal understanding of "who we are" and "what we do" drive the success of their external efforts. The second group are the ones I believe will be most successful.

Why? 
A simple explanation—it's not enough to simply change your ad campaign, website and marketing materials. Those items need to be backed up by a corporate culture that connects what you say with what you do.

Back to Company X
If instead, Company X created an atmosphere that welcomed any employee to email, stop in or call  management with their ideas, held regular group brainstorming sessions with people from different departments, and encouraged informal conversations to boost collaboration, Company X could SHOW their values of  creativity and innovation value. Their employees would likely be more flexible thinkers and come up with some outstanding ideas.

Your Turn
The example is extreme, and of course there is more to building your brand than making your internal workings match with your external brand, but it's a starting point. Think about the messages your company uses in public. Now think about what you say to your employees and how you want them to work. Do they match? If not, it's time for some changes. After all, your employees are some of your best brand ambassadors. 

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