The customer is always right; yet, many companies do not realize that their employees are their first customers. Successful businesses build their brand love from the inside out by focusing on their best advocates - highly engaged employees. Yet a recent Gallup Poll found 75% of the workforce are not engaged with their jobs. Companies must adapt by shifting their corporate culture as a socially conscious, community-minded generation grows within the workforce. This session will explore the power of a brand's social impact on employee engagement and organizational performance and how building internal community can be transformed into external advocacy. I shared this talk at Columbia University's 2017 BRITE Conference on Brands, Innovation, and Technology: http://briteconference.com/agenda/

1. Lauren Perkins
Founder and CEO @PerksConsulting
Entrepreneur In Residence @Columbia
Author of “The Community Manager’s Playbook”
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
BUILDING BRAND LOVE FROM THE
INSIDE OUT
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

2. ©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017 @laurenperkins #CMplaybook
LAUREN PERKINS
Brand marketer, community builder and author of The
Community Manager’s Playbook
Founder and CEO of Perks Consulting
Triathlete & Coach
THINK LIKE A BRAND. ACT
LIKE A STARTUP.™
MARKETING BOTTOM LINECOMMUNITIES
INTRODUCTION

3. 3
MARKETING LEADERS TODAY ARE
EXPECTED TO CULTIVATE:
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
MARKETING EXPECTATIONS AND DEMANDS ARE EXPANDING
HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS
GROWTH AND INNOVATION
BRAND & MARKETING PERFORMANCE
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

4. 4
EMPLOYEE DIS-ENGAGEMENT
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017 @laurenperkins #CMplaybook
THE ADDED CHALLENGE
51% OF EMPLOYEES ARE DISENGAGED
16% OF EMPLOYEES ARE ACTIVELY DISENGAGED
33% OF EMPLOYEES ARE ENGAGED
*Gallup, 2016 State of the American Workplace: http://www.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx

5. 5
MAKE THEM WANT YOU!
WHY BUILD AN INTERNAL COMMUNITY?
We have a brand +
marketing strategy
Strategy inputs for Brand
& Marketing Execution
We have a
BRAND
= Brand Guide + Assets
(Ready to use in market)
We have a brand
customers LOVE
= Validation
(We have Community!)
Your Brand*
drives demand
Customers want you!
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
$
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

6. 6
ENGAGED EMPLOYEES BUILD
BUSINESS
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
THE PAYOFF
10% INCREASE IN CUSTOMER METRICS
*Gallup, 2016 State of the American Workplace: http://www.gallup.com/reports/199961/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx. “Teams” are referred to as business units
20% INCREASE IN SALES
21% INCREASE IN PROFITABILITY
HIGHLY ENGAGED TEAMS ACHIEVE:
10% INCREASE IN CUSTOMER METRICS
20% INCREASE IN SALES
21% INCREASE IN PROFITABILITY
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

7. WHAT DOES BUILDING BRAND LOVE MEAN?
A BRAND MAKES PEOPLE WANT YOU
BRAND
DRIVES
DEMAND
EMPLOYEES CUSTOMERS
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

8. HOW DO YOU BUILD BRAND LOVE?
START WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES
They are your first customer...
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

9. THESE FIRST CUSTOMERS (YOUR EMPLOYEES) ARE YOUR BRAND REPRESENTATIVES
CUSTOMER
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

10. 10
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY TO
AQUIRE AND RETAIN
YOUR TOP TALENT
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

11. 11
SOCIAL CONNECTION
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017 @laurenperkins #CMplaybook
CULTURE BEATS STRATEGY
YOUR INTERNAL COMMUNITY
VIA
INTENTIONAL CURATION
PLUS
COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
BUILDS

12. FALLING IN LOVE - HEAD, THEN HEART
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
Smart
Marketing
Sweet
Branding
Logical
Connections
Emotional
Bonds
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

13. HOW DO WE BUILD EMPLOYEE LOVE?
Does your talent
have the support
and tools to deliver ?
Does your talent believe
in your company's
purpose?
Do your employees feel
valued and appreciated?
Do your employees
have the right support
for communication?
WHAT ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES
THINKING AND FEELING?
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

14. HOW DO YOU CREATE PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN TEAMS?
BUILD BRAND LOVE THROUGH INTERNAL
COMMUNITY
Make a promise to your
employees
BRAND
DRIVES
DEMAND
Build the love to attract
and keep talent
Drive demand
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

15. 15
ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES YOUR
CUSTOMERS?
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
IF NOT, YOU SHOULD BE
WORRIED
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR EMPLOYEES FEEL THE LOVE?
YES
NO
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

16. 16
LET’S GET STARTED
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
"BAKE IN" EMPLOYEE INPUT ACROSS BUSINESS
PRIORITIES TO BUILD THE LOVE
IDENTIFY YOUR METRICS THAT NEED TO MOVE,
INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN FINDING SOLUTIONS
PRIORITIZE YOUR EMPLOYEES AND THEY WILL
PRIORITIZE THE CUSTOMER
BUILD INTERNAL COMMUNITY
YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE YOU FIRST CUSTOMER.
TREAT THEM AS SUCH (AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE
ACTUAL CUSTOMERS)
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

17. 17
ENGAGE WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
GET STARTED: BUILD INTERNAL COMMUNITY
ASK THEM (AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS TEAMS)
FOR INPUT
FOSTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AND
WITHIN TEAMS
SUPPORT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES,
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND PHYSICAL
WELL-BEING
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

18. 18
CONNECT YOUR INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL COMMUNITIES
@laurenperkins #CMplaybook
WORK WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES TO FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER
INCLUDE EMPLOYEES IN CUSTOMER DISCOVERY
CREATE INTERNAL ADVISORY BOARDS FOR
SPECIFIC CUSTOMERS
- BRING CUSTOMERS IN TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO EMPLOYEES ON
R&D PROJECTS
- CREATE CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS TO HOLD DISCOVERY
WORKSHOPS
CONNECT EMPLOYEES DIRECTLY TO
CUSTOMERS
- CREATE A MILLENNIAL ADVISING TEAM FOR STRATEGY ON
SELLING TO PEERS
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

19. 19
ANYONE WITH A BUDGET CAN BUILD INTERNAL
COMMUNITY TO DRIVE TEAM PERFORMANCE
YOU CANNOT HAVE A HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM
WITHOUT EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
PARTING THOUGHTS
ANYONE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT NOW
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017

20. QUESTIONS?
lauren@PerksConsulting.com
@laurenperkins
@perksconsulting
linkedin.com/in/perksconsulting
©Perks Consulting Inc. 2017
#CMPLAYBOOK AVAILABLE NOW!
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