By Jennifer Herbison, Interim CMO of Exclaimer

With marketing budgets contracting for the first time in fourteen quarters, as shown in this year’s Q3 IPA Bellwether report, empowering employees as brand advocates is critical.

When go-to-market (GTM) funds are tight, every employee interaction – through emails, social media or conversations – becomes a vital way to promote the brand. Branding, after all, is a company’s secret weapon, and this approach is both cost-effective and deeply authentic. But it requires critical foundations: alignment between the external brand and the internal culture, the right tools and an empowerment mindset.

Why brand is both external and internal
A brand isn’t just a logo or tagline – it’s the essence of a company, visible to the outside world but rooted firmly within its internal culture. Employees need to not only understand the brand but also believe in it. Without this buy-in, attempts to scale brand reach risks feeling hollow or inconsistent.

Authentic branding starts with a strong internal culture. Employees must grasp the company’s vision, mission and values so they can naturally extend them to every customer touchpoint. When a company’s internal identity aligns with its external brand, employees become genuine ambassadors, and the brand resonates more deeply with customers.

Turning employees into natural brand advocates
Our research shows that 65% of consumers expect brand emails to maintain a professional tone, reinforcing trust and credibility. At the same time, a Lucidpress study found that consistent branding across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 23%. This consistency isn’t achievable without employees who understand and embody the brand.

Leaders can empower their teams with the right tools and mindset to amplify the brand, even in budget-strapped times. For example, email signatures, often overlooked, are daily touchpoints that can showcase initiatives, campaigns or contact details in a polished, professional way. Similarly, branded backgrounds for Zoom or Teams meetings ensure the brand stays visible, even in casual interactions.

The power of a brand-centric culture
To scale branding authentically, a company’s culture must reflect its external promise. This starts from within. All employees must embody the brand’s values – not just in words but in actions. Employees are far more likely to act as brand champions when they feel inspired by their colleagues and teammates who live and breathe the company’s mission.

Leaders can also reinforce the connection between culture and brand by hosting sessions that delve into brand values and unique selling points. When employees truly understand what the brand stands for, they can carry its essence into the world with confidence and authenticity.

Recognition plays a key role in sustaining this cultural alignment. Incentivising and celebrating employees who actively champion the brand – whether through shout-outs, bonuses or awards – encourages others to follow suit.

Simplifying advocacy with user-friendly tools
Employees are at their best when equipped with tools that simplify the branding process. Intuitive platforms that automatically incorporate brand elements – logos, colour palettes or taglines – into daily tasks allow employees to focus on impactful, creative work without worrying about compliance.

Centralised digital asset libraries ensure that employees always have access to the latest brand materials. Training sessions or quick-start guides can further boost confidence, making it easy for employees to create on-brand content in minutes.

The true reflection of the brand
In a tight-budget environment, leveraging employees as brand advocates offers a scalable, cost-effective solution to maintaining brand visibility and consistency. But for this strategy to succeed, the brand must be a true reflection of the company’s culture.

When internal alignment is strong, external messaging naturally follows. Employees who understand and believe in the brand take it into the world with authenticity and purpose, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond traditional marketing channels.

By building a brand-centric culture, equipping employees with the right tools and fostering internal buy-in, GTM teams can turn every interaction – no matter how small – into a moment of impactful brand advocacy.

Jennifer Herbison, Interim CMO of Exclaimer