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Employer branding isn't a tap to be turned off when hiring runs low: brand specialists

Have you read Brett's latest book,  Employer Brand Leadership-A Global Perspective?

Oringal artilce published at www.shortlist.net.au click here for the pdf copy.

An employer branding strategy won't work if it's switched on and off according to hiring activity, say branding experts, but periods of low demand can be used to review what works and what doesn't.

Employer Brand International CEO Brett Minchington told Shortlist that companies with hiring freezes or that were undergoing restructuring shouldn't shelve their employer brand efforts.

He said regardless of the economic environment, an employer brand should be up-to-date, distinctive, and should stay front-of-mind with candidates and current staff.

Employers who weren't hiring should instead review the areas of the business where inefficiency and waste existed, "cut costs there and use some of the savings to invest in areas where they may be most needed, for example an internal engagement program or a new applicant tracking system – which will enhance their employer brand".

Minchington said the brand should also be aligned with the company's corporate and customer brand, "unless there is a very good reason not to" – for instance if the wider organisation had developed an image problem due to high-profile redundancies, or had otherwise suffered bad press.

Experiential Marketing: Emotion and the employer brand

Have you read Brett's latest book,  Employer Brand Leadership-A Global Perspective?

Experiential marketing has successfully been used by brands over the past few years to connect with consumers to drive sales and profit. Appealing to a variety of senses, the goal of experiential marketing is to establish the connection in such a way that the consumer responds to a product offering based on both emotional and rational response levels. Are marketers missing an opportunity to make an impact on the employer brand at the same time as using experiential marketing initiatives to build consumer brand equity?

The role of experiential marketing in branding:

There’s no doubt that brand is about reputation. It’s what you hear, think and feel about a organization and its product or service–that’s the brand. What’s changed is the role people play in brands. We care more than ever about what other people say about a brand, or how they rate a product. In fact, 2012 marketing data shows that conversion rates are 105% higher when ratings and reviews are used by customers.

It just means that as customers, we’re smarter because information about a product or brand is more accessible. Since that information is there, we use it, we experience the brand before we make a choice.  And marketers are increasingly taking notice of this. I don’t mean social media–we all know marketers are making exceptional use of online channels.  I mean experiences–marketers aren’t just introducing products and brands. They’re giving customers ways to experience the brand in increasingly personal and emotional ways.

Think about it this way–you’re at the grocery store staring at the shelf trying to decide which shampoo to buy. There’s no interaction and likely no emotional component. Instead, you’re just recalling information consciously and subconsciously in your head: commercials you’ve seen, what your friends use, what you’re typically loyal too. Then you make your choice.

But marketers have evolved. They know some things either can’t be sold on a shelf or can’t be sold well. In 2011, Nokia embraced this, launching their Lumia 800 phone with a dazzling 4-D light show featuring the popular cult DJ Deadmau5.  It’s a wild show with incredible technology and pull-through marketing from the light show graphics displayed on the side of the buidling to the Deadmau5 ears given to attendees. Recently, Nokia jumped the most it has since 2008 primarily based on sales of the Lumia. Is experiential marketing the culprit? Well, the light show has over 4 million views on YouTube. You be the judge.

Your most important employer brand asset – Your EVP!

Full length article of shorter version published in Human Resources, New Zealand's Magazine for HR Professionals.

Click here for the pdf version

Have you read Brett's latest book,  Employer Brand Leadership-A Global Perspective?

Recently I caught up with International employer brand strategist and author, Brett Minchington to ask his thoughts on the question that causes alot of confusion!

Should an employer use different EVP-subsets in their employer branding activities if they target many different audiences?
 

The short answer to this is YES!

However before I delve into the details it’s important to define what an Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is.

NEW Research from EBI - Employees send a clear message to their employers

Employees send a clear message to their employers - “Make work interesting, develop my skills, pay me fairly, consider my personal values and I’ll stay!”

New research by Employer Brand International of more than 1900 organisations shows that in most regions around the world, companies who provide employees with an employment experience offering interesting work, career development, fair pay, authenticity and opportunities to grow with the business are best placed to attract and retain talent.  Failure to do so is likely to lead to higher levels of turnover.

The global study was undertaken to better understand the key drivers of the employer brand and the most important value propositions people consider in an employment experience, why people join companies, why they stay and how organisations can improve the delivery of the employment experience.

To read the media release please click here>

To obtain a copy of the full report please click here>