"Internal and external branding isn’t a chicken-and-egg scenario – if your team isn’t sold on your brand, your customers won’t be either.
A strong internal brand isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. Research shows companies with solid internal branding see significantly better brand performance. In other words, the success of your brand starts from the inside out.
In fact, according to the Journal of Asian Business Studies, strong internal branding drives brand loyalty among employees, particularly when they feel empowered in their roles.
So, how can you build an internal brand that resonates, motivates, and ultimately strengthens your external brand? Here’s the breakdown:
A set of brand values might look great on your office wall, but if they aren’t guiding decisions and actions, they’re just words. To get everyone on board, your brand values need to be the heartbeat of your business. If “innovation” is a core value, make space for people to bring new ideas to the table and recognise them for it. If “customer-first” is a priority, empower people to go above and beyond. When the team sees these
values lived out daily (and this starts with senior leadership), they’re more likely to feel connected and committed to upholding them.
The concept of psychological empowerment is key to building brand loyalty among the team. When staff feel they have a say and are trusted to make decisions that reflect their brand, their loyalty grows. So, make sure your values are actionable and empower all team members to live them.
Team members need to be the first brand ambassadors. According to the Journal of Brand Management, companies with strong internal branding cultures see higher engagement and deliver a better customer experience as a result. Team members who feel engaged and informed are more likely to communicate the brand’s values with authenticity.
Keep your team in the loop about brand goals, ask for their input, and acknowledge their contributions. Engagement goes both ways – when employees feel valued, they’ll represent and promote your brand with genuine enthusiasm. Have them share positive experiences, take part in company initiatives, and contribute ideas. This sense of ownership turns team members from unengaged employees into active advocates.
A strong internal brand isn’t just about what happens in the office, it’s about creating a consistent, reliable customer experience. When team members understand and believe in the brand, they deliver a consistent experience that aligns with what the brand is promising to its customers.
Why? Because when your team is all on the same page, customers get a clear, consistent message wherever they look, and that builds trust.
The bottom line? If your brand doesn’t resonate with your own team, good luck getting customers to buy in.
A team that believes in the brand doesn’t need to try to reinforce it – they just do. When employees know and live the brand values, customers feel it too."