Promote Yourself… Build a Network of Friends and Fans

In a difficult economic climate, organizations are seeking to improve business metrics by outsourcing operations that are not directly related to their core products. This strategy covers a myriad of services, including call centers, IT (or portions of it), accounts payable and receivable, distribution, and in-plant operations. Internal end-user education and self-promotion is critical when budgets are being cut and every internal dollar spent must have clear justification.

User departments are seeking guidance. Marketing departments want ideas about how to better reach customers and prospects. University admissions executives want to know how to better reach prospective students. Procurement organizations are seeking help with supply chain management, some of which include printed materials. In-plants need to reach users with an appeal that rings true and stands out, and that positions the in-plant as an expert partner that users can rely on to help them navigate the new world of cross-media business communications.

Every day, user departments are barraged with advertisements in magazines and newspapers, sales brochures for new product introductions, direct mailers for targeted campaigns, and e-mail blasts. There is no reason that in-plants shouldn’t be creating effective internal marketing campaigns to compete for the end-user departmental business.

In-plants should "walk the talk" by leveraging the many available communications options—including print and non-print media—to “promote themselves” and the “new services” that they are able to provide to current and prospective user departments.

Preserving (and more importantly, expanding) your role and value in an organization begins with ensuring that users and prospects are aware of the services that you provide. Awareness leads to consideration as a potential supplier. If you are considered in more sales cycles, your hit rate (or close rate) for new business should increase. Your overall value to the organization will also increase.

In-plants frequently ask, “What's the best way to reach new end-user prospects and customers to build awareness of what I can do?” There is no single “best” way. Getting your message across requires a coordinated and consistent approach across multiple media formats. In marketing jargon, this is your “marketing mix.”