It’s time to ruffle some feathers. Don’t kill the goose that lays golden eggs. It turns out that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I know letting employees build a personal brand feels scary. What if they say something stupid? What if they get poached by another company? What if a junior employee is more well-known than the leadership team? Holding employees back from posting their perspectives on social is hurting you more than it’s hurting them. Strong personal brands attract new business, fill hiring pipelines, build referral relationships, and increase brand recall. When employees share their experience or expertise, it’s far more authentic and meaningful than a post from a brand. When a plurality of employees have personal brands, it is the fastest way to bring positive attention to B2B brands. They are force multipliers. Remember this next time an employee gets attention on social: Don’t flay the fowl, loose the goose. #personalbrand #employeeadvocacy #b2bmarketing #marketing #creator
I said this at the Industrial Marketing Summit in front of an entire crowd of managers... I know you think "what if we empower them and they leave?" But I say..."what if you empower me and I stay?"
WHAT IF The employee loves that culture and builds a huge personal brand. Leaves and now champions said company. You have now created an army of brand advocates at scale. Trust is a powerful thing. These aged mechanisms of management need to understand how this all works across functions. Social isn't something you sprinkle on top. It's now the heartbeat and lifeblood of your organisation. Just throwing that one into the mix 😆
This is always a very contested topic. From a marketing side of things - we love it and encourage it and embrace it... UGC and employee generated content are always well received in the marketplace. However, from the management side of things you do introduce a lot of potential for issues that all mainly center around trust... if trust is there - it shouldn't be an issue; if not, it is likely going to be a problem.
This exact situation is a big part of why I left my last company. If it works and it gives your company a positive image/growth/reach why shut it down? It’s beyond me…. Like others have already said stop looking at the bad things that could potentially come from it and view all the positives that have already and continue to come from it 🙌🏻
Raquel Borras🤘🏼 - I figured this would resonate with you!
Going through this battle currently 🤷♂️ let’s see how it plays out 😅 … wonder if anyone is watching 👀
Great analogy! So much good comes to companies when their employees have strong personal brands. They're not wasting company time on LinkedIn when they're building an audience that brings awareness and positive affinity to their company's brand. Love your illustrations!
I love this, I think there’s always a chance for an employee to go “rogue” which certainly needs to be taken seriously, but that’s what the marketing team is for. To help guide in the right direction without squashing creativity or enthusiasm! And better yet, to give them opportunities, tools and resources to shine within those parameters.
It’s all about growth - company, clients, employees- that’s what personal branding can do. It’s an open invitation to grow beyond what’s uncomfortable.
I help manufacturers tell their story to their ideal customer | Podcaster 🎙️ | Keynote Speaker 💬
8moHere's an idea: What if the leadership team just stepped up to the plate and started building their own personal brands? In some cases, they could even have the marketing team help them. I agree with all the things you noted. That said, if a leader sees that young employees are starting to outshine them in terms of personal brand recognition, it's literally a leader's job to adapt. That leader could start to take the time build up their own personal brand. Better yet, a true leader would step up their own game while helping more junior employees continue to grow their voice and presence in their industry. That's what real leadership looks like. My perspective: If "What if a junior employee is more well-known than the leadership team?" is something a company sees as a threat, that company probably lacks adaptable, selfless leaders.