If you are someone who started a business or organisation from scratch, or you are a CEO who worked your way from the bottom up, it can be hard to let go. Leadership is putting the right people in the right jobs. It’s acknowledging that even though you might be able to do it, using other people means you use your time in a better way.

Giving other people the opportunity to focus in their area of expertise can work to the advantage of your brand. If everyone is pushing in the same direction, you can achieve so much more.

The challenge, however, is when a CEO takes the spotlight or the brand always comes first, those doing a job for you tend to feel like they are fading into the background. This is where your marketing skills need to kick in.

I want you to think about giving credit where credit is due.

You see, marketing is not always about an external exercise, it’s sometimes about an internal exercise. Now, granted it’s not always possible to give an internal person the external credit that perhaps they deserve, you may have to do it in a more internal setting because it’s the brand. And often, the CEO can be the most important figurehead but that doesn’t mean you should not acknowledge them.

So think about this week finding an opportunity to publicly – at least internally – acknowledge the person that is responsible for something that has really made a difference to your brand. It might be as simple as sending them a card or an email, or giving them a presentation, or a voucher.

Acknowledge them this week because it’ll help your brand grow because they’ll feel so much more important and a part of it.

The value of internal marketing

Your external marketing will be so much more effective when you have a team behind you who are valued. Before you can market effectively externally, you need to market internally.

Think back on your own career and those moments when you received recognition for your role in something. It is rarely about having your name in the paper, sometimes being invited into the bosses office and thanked is enough.

Don’t be so focussed on your “brand” that you lose sight of the human element which makes it successful. The most successful brands come over as authentic/real/personable which can only be achieved when emotion is brought into it. The best brands have people who sell it for them because they are proud of the role they play in making a difference.

Great example

If you want a great example of who does this best, take a look at the Royal Flying Doctor Service which regularly tops the most authentic brand list. Why? It’s simple: their people are acknowledged and serve as ambassadors for a cherished service.

We recently worked with PPS Mutual who rather than putting up the CEO to participate in the Better Biz program, used two of the team.  They shared a number of stories from the ‘coal face’ about ways they have practically added value to clients.  The stories and the people are what people remember.

Who will be sharing stories on your behalf in 2023, so clients, partners and potential clients can relate to the full extent of your value proposition?

Take a moment this week and acknowledge someone for their efforts.