Effective Internal Communications: An Imperative for Successful Brand Management

By Donna Vetter
The most challenging aspect of internal communications seems to be one of the easiest: engaging brand stakeholders with need-to-know information, when they need to know it. The reality is, it’s not as easy as it sounds. No brand escapes the consequences of poor internal communications. And at no time is the need for internal communications more vital to brand success than during a crisis. Case in point: It was just post-launch for a brand that was to become the company’s most precious asset. The brand was launching into a fiercely competitive market—up against the pharma marketing heavyweights. Like most brands, it had an Achilles heel. Our savvy competitors immediately exposed that vulnerability as a "major and serious" safety concern, which was certainly not the case. That competitive assault turned the company upside down. A few select members of senior management caucused behind closed doors for days without communicating to internal stakeholders other than "Conduct business as usual, our drug is safe." The rationale, as we later learned, was concern that a defensive response—even to internal stakeholders—would somehow validate the threat, thereby shaking employee confidence and distracting people from doing their jobs. In fact, poor internal communication resulted in wild speculation and a level of fear that paralyzed the brand. Instead of stakeholders engaging in the usual brand management activities to quell concern, resumes were updated (some even sent to the competitor that sparked the crisis). And the field force—without being provided an objection handler or seeing evidence of PR in action—was terrified when calling on doctors, not knowing how to address the misperception head-on. Lesson learned: Internal communications drive and directly affect external communications. In this case, it cost the brand dearly in terms of sales and brand uptake. The communication skills that enable us to win the hearts and minds of customers seem to abandon us when it comes to internal communications for a variety of reasons. One is that in today’s pharma brand management environment we’re expected to do more with less and do it faster. Something has to give, and internal communications is usually it. Another reason is that the growing number of communication channels, the increasingly complex brand issues and challenges, and the sophistication of analytics and strategies have resulted in more points of contact for a single brand than ever before. Managing communication across the proliferation of stakeholders can be a daunting task. No doubt the pressures on internal communications will only continue to intensify, and the need for more effective planning and management has never been greater. Now, pharma brands require constant connectivity across functions to ensure integration. And we must operate with constant recognition that internal communications are the starting point for effective external brand communications. So how do we accomplish that seemingly "easy" aspect of internal communications? The key is grounded in five fundamental principles that should be tailored to the specific needs of the brand and organization.
  1. Engage rather than direct: Communication is a dialogue, not a monologue Several years ago it was enough just to improve access to information. Today, effective brand management demands stakeholder engagement through two-way communication. Communication is a dialogue—an information exchange that involves listening and feedback, not just informing or directing. The process of communicating should be thought of as a loop rather than an outward cascade of information. Effective internal communications management creates a culture of productive idea exchange that improves brand performance.
  2. Break down the silos: Horizontal communication is essential for cross-functional integration We’ve all experienced it: You’ve driven a project to near completion only to learn that it is not in sync with a project being launched by a colleague down the hall. Vertical (top-down/bottom-up) communication tends to silo information within functional areas. Nowadays, well-orchestrated horizontal (peer-to-peer) communication is essential to keep stakeholders aligned. One technique to help convey information across functional boundaries is creation of a "brand integration map." The map structure identifies major brand initiatives by function and by quarter over a one-year planning period, thus communicating what stakeholders need to know, when they need to know it.
  3. Make your message stick: The same golden rules apply to internal communications The fundamental challenge of communication is how to make sure it has impact or "stickiness," as Malcolm Gladwell refers to it in his book The Tipping Point. If your message doesn’t stick, need-to-know information is lost. When it comes to making internal communications stick, the same rules apply as with external customers: (1) Keep it clear, simple and consistent; (2) speak in a language your audience understands—avoid jargon; and (3) frame it in the context of the "what’s in it for me" factor. These rules will help drive brand performance when applied to all internal touch-points related to the brand, be it live contact (face-to-face or phone) or written communication (from informal e-mail to formal presentation decks).
  4. Filter communication: Not everyone needs to know everything about everything Free-flowing information from as many sources as there are brand stakeholders is a reality in most environments. While information sharing is essential to brand success, preventing information overload is equally important. Poor targeting of communication results in time loss filtering unnecessary information, thus compromising productivity. Irrelevant details in communication to the right target may lead to confusion and tune-out. Communicators should be encouraged to: (1) create targeted distribution lists instead of using a universal one-size-fits-all list; (2) filter content based on what’s relevant to that audience at that time; and (3) respect time sensitivity, communicating in enough time to allow for appropriate action. These best practices can reduce a bombardment of communication to those for whom particular information is unnecessary and help individuals who need to know stay tuned-in and effectively respond to what matters for the brand.
  5. Build a plan: And remember … channel is important but content is king The relative importance of information content versus the channel used for dissemination sometimes gets twisted when developing an internal communications plan. An effective plan is not a low-budget tactic that results in a newsletter or intranet site filled with unprioritized, unfocused content. First and foremost, an effective plan strategically assesses information value and timing—again, what people need to know, when they need to know it. Next, the plan should consider the channels through which stakeholders are willing and happy to communicate. It’s only when we distinguish the importance of content from channel that we can formulate an internal communications plan that works.
Smart brand teams view internal communications as a vital component of success and of equal importance with external communications. When effectively planned and managed, internal communications create a culture of connectivity and idea exchange, align stakeholders around the brand mission, and influence the behaviors that ultimately drive brand success.
Donna Vetter brings deep insight and a unique perspective to healthcare marketing, shaped by 20-plus years of experience on the pharma side (Pfizer and Schering-Plough), analytical side (IMS Global Services), and agency side (Grey Healthcare and Publicis). She currently offers a wide range of marketing and communications services and solutions to her clients. She can be reached at DVetter@att.net.