The theme of the most recent seminar by the Isle of Man branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, which took place on Thursday 17th September at the Claremont Hotel, was 'Inside Out Marketing.'
Sponsored by Home Strategic, the seminar was given by Michael Dunmore and Tim Lewis, respectively director of strategic communications and head of brand at London integrated design consultancy Small Back Room, and looked at how marketers can successfully link brands to internal communications and change.
The two speakers were familiar with and impressed by the Chief Minister’s Freedom to Flourish strategy and the audience included a number of the strategy’s Isle of Man Champions.
In his presentation Mr Lewis spoke of the challenge organisations faced in articulating clear messages internally when ‘complexity reigns’, creating ‘barriers to clarity’.
He said that the key to effective internal communications that support and drive positive change was to have ‘a thorough understanding of your brand and your people.’
To achieve this demanded uncovering ‘the ownable truths’ about an organisation, truths he described as ‘something that is commonly recognised, identified or believed in by employees as demonstrating the genuine character and realisable aspirations of their organisation.’
One of the keys to developing an internal communications strategy was to build on the complementary strengths of ‘logic’ and ‘magic’.
He explained. "Logic is the evidence-based thinking that defined the best plan to get you where you want to be, magic is the creativity –the flash of inspiration – that makes the journey a great one to be on."
Mr Dunmore said that understanding the ownable truths about an organisation can help make change happen.
"Understanding those ownable truths unites people to create change. It’s a rallying point to bring people together, make them receptive to change and in so doing creates a platform for internal communications. In short, an 'organised intelligence' that touches everyone in an organisation."
Mr Lewis concluded, "The spirit, character and energies of an organisation’s people are just as important in bringing change to an organisation as new technologies, processes or special facilities.
"Great people make great brands."
Pictured (l-r): Home Strategic’s Jo Orton and Lee McLennan, Isle of Man CIM chairman Richard Slee and Small Back Room’s Michael Dunmore and Tim Lewis
