People = Success More than Products and Services

At the end of the day, the people within your company determine your bottom line much more than do external marketing, advertising, PR and brand building. Although external marketing and brand building must have strong and durable budgets and must be a focus, they cannot succeed without the passion, knowledge, and buy-in of your people, from administrative assistant to CEO. It's just common sense, not to mention the case studies that show how companies such as H-P, 3M and Starbucks became great on the foundation of building a culture that cares, is passionate and is innovative, creative and eager to grow the business.

Ask yourself these questions, and then ask yourself what is the key to success. In every instance, the answer is your internal audience: your employees, managers and executives:

• Who determines the quality of your products and services?
• Who determines the innovation and creativity applied to your products and services?
• Who ensures your products and services meet your best customers' wants and needs?
• Who controls productivity levels, determining your costs of doing business?
• Who determines your budgets and your final costs?
• Who determines the success or failure of your marketing campaigns?
• Who determines your sales numbers and the margins you achieve?
• Who determines the quality of your customer experiences?
• Who determines the level of your customer service?
• Who determines whether or not a customer is happy or angry?
• Who determines business growth?
• Who determines whether or not your customers are loyal and make up most of your sales?
• Who determines your success?

Everything your business says and does starts and ends with the people in your business. Are you communicating with them openly, honestly and daily? Do they know your goals and are they held accountable for achieving them? Do they receive regular training on the company's brand and where you want your company to be at the end of this year, in five years and in 25 years? Are they given the tools and processes to be innovative and cost-conscious? Do they know that they are the most important ingredient for your success? If not, what are you doing?

We believe that internal communications is so important that although we are a marketing and communications firm, we offer internal strategies and tactics because they are integral to your marketing and sales success. To repeat: Your people should be the key component of your integrated strategic and marketing plans.

P.S. This post was inspired by CK. Check out her post: New report, new best practices. Sorry! New report, SAME best practices.