Professional Documents
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Appendix A3 Internal Marketing Plan
Appendix A3 Internal Marketing Plan
Introduction
Implementation of a marketing plan will not function properly and effectively if the idea is not
accepted internally by management as well as the staff as they are the people who will actually
make it happen. After all, the DSO may have a strong marketing strategy and active advertising
campaign, but without its employees support, it will not be as effective. An Internal marketing
plan is an important implementation tool. It aids communication and helps the organization to
overcome any resistance to change1. Internal marketing obeys the same rules and has a similar
structure to external marketing. It is a planned effort using a marketing-like approached directed
at motivating employees, for implementing and integrating organizational strategies towards
customer orientation2. Once the DSO has identified that its internal customers are musicians as
well as other administrative staff, and develops and implements marketing processes specific to
those employees, the organization will become more strategically and tactically prepared to
address the challenges facing the orchestras future. The DSO will also gain not only
knowledgeable and prepared employees, but also embedded employees3. This means that they
will feel that that they are an integral part of the DSO, exuding confidence and satisfaction in
their work and service encounters, such that patrons and other external customers become aware
and also exhibit these feeling toward the organization. Internal marketing also informs and
involves all staff in new initiatives and strategies through ongoing training, enhanced
communication, and focused personnel administration. It gives employees a sense of belonging
and helps them to care more about their organization by creating powerful emotional connection
to the products and services they sell.
Before conducting an internal marketing plan, goals and objectives need to be set. Again, similar
to external marketing plan, objectives and goals are desired and expected outcomes resulting
from the marketing plan3. Goals of internal marketing plan should also take into account DSOs
mission statement. Objectives of our marketing plan here is to bring all employees within the
DSO in becoming one of the top 5 symphony orchestra in the United States and to provide
premier cultural events worth sharing for its patrons while increasing net profit and sales.
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNAL MARKETING PLAN
Management Support
First and foremost, the success or failure of the internal marketing program relies on the change
in attitudes and behaviors of DSO management; this change is then reflected in the attitude and
behaviors of DSO employees. Therefore, the first target group of internal marketing plan is top
management. President and CEO of the DSO, Fred Bronstein, and other executives and directors
1
Bannon, Declan P. Internal Marketing and Political Marketing. Paisley Business School, University of Paisley
(2005).
2
Jarvi, Pentti. Marketing and the Commitment of the Employees When Managing the Customer-Oriented
Business. School of Business and Economics, University of Jyvaskyla.
Oetjen, Dawn, PhD; Rotarius, Timothy, PhD. Internal Marketing: The Prescription for Dialysis Center Success.
Dialysis & Transplantation. Vol. 31, No.10 (2002).
Procurement Marketing Training Consultant. PHS Management Training. 17 July 2005. < http://www.trainingmanagement.info/Procurement/Marketing.htm>
Continuous management support is required from every manager and supervisor as part of their
normal daily functions. A top-down flow of attitudes from senior managers through mid-level
managers to employees will allow the employees to see a clearer picture of the strategy being
emphasized. Figure 1 gives an example of how the top-down approach would work if the
management would like to improve level of coordination among departments and employees, as
well as the musicians.
Dr. Bronstein &
Executive level
Management
Figure 1
Training
As an organization gears up for change and implementation of different strategies, it is necessary
to prepare the employees with necessary skills to help them with the transition. It is the quality of
employees that actually make an organization. In the case of performing arts, they are one of the
important touch points for a customer. Normally considered for new employees, training for
current employees helps them to adjust to rapid changing job requirements. Employees
frequently develop a greater sense of self-worth, dignity and well-being as they become more
valuable to the firm and to society. Increased productivity that results from training gives
employees a sense of satisfaction through achievement of company and personal goals.
The training process typically involves the following steps6:
www.zeromillion.com
Timing
Duration
Flexibility
Location
Facilities
We hate bureaucracy -- we're "lean and mean." Many organizations view a lot of
written polices as burdensome, and therefore elect not to write everything down.
http://www.mapnp.org/library/mrktng/org_cmm.htm#anchor470301
I told everyone, or some people, or ...? Many managers assume communication in the
organization just happens, so there is no need to make a conscious effort to make sure
everyone receives the information. However, if this approach is employed, one can
never be sure that everyone in the organization has received the information.
Did you hear what I meant for you to hear? Another issue is miscommunication.
Mangers have to be sure that their message is conveyed in the manner it was
supposed to be. This is especially true if the information is technical. Some of the
employees might not have the background information that managers have; therefore,
they arent as clear about what is going on. They have to be sure to explain the
information in a way everyone can understand. For example, if the DSO is explaining
how to use a feature of Tessitura, it is essential that employees are aware of all of the
aspects.
So what's to talk about? Many managers feel that if there arent any current
problems, that there is nothing to talk about. However, it is just as important to spread
positive communication, as it is to spread negative communication. It is essential to
let employees know when they are doing a good job. Along with this, managers
should value the opinions of employees. They shouldnt assume that because they are
management, the ideas of employees are worthless. For example, the DSO could open
an employee suggestion box to hear their ideas. This could be anonymous, or include
their names. They could even implement a rewards program if their ideas are
implemented.
Ensure every employee receives an employee handbook that contains all up-to-date
personnel policies.
Develop a basic set of procedures for how routine tasks are conducted and include
them in standard operating manual. This is very essential for the DSO, especially
once features of Tessitura are uncovered, and the DSO is ready to start implementing
more of the aspects. Each employee should know how to utilize the features of
Tessitura that fall under their job heading.
Ensure every employee has a copy of their job description and the organization chart.
This is very important with all of the organizational changes that are being made in
the DSO.
Regularly hold management meetings (at least every two weeks), even if there's
nothing pressing to report. If you hold meetings only when you believe there's
something to report, then communications will occur only when you have something
to say -- communications will be one way and the organization will suffer. Have
Hold full staff meetings every month to report how the organization is doing, major
accomplishments, concerns, announcements about staff, etc. This could serve as
another opportunity to solicit employee feedback and ideas.
Leaders and managers should have face-to-face contact with employees at least once
a week. Even if the organization is over 20 employees (large for a nonprofit),
management should stroll by once in a while. It is important that each employee feel
needed in the organization. Personal feedback from high-level management makes
employees feel important. With the DSO, Fred Bronstein, and other high level people,
should make an effort to know the employees and know what they do.
Ensure all employees receive yearly performance reviews, including their goals for
the year, updated job descriptions, accomplishments, needs for improvement, and
plans to help the employee accomplish the improvements. If the nonprofit has
sufficient resources (a realistic concern), develop a career plan with the employee,
too.
Upward Communications:
Ensure all employees give regular status reports to their supervisors. Include a section
for what they did last week, will do next week and any actions/issues to address.
Ensure all supervisors meet one-on-one at least once a month with their employees to
discuss how its' going, hear any current concerns from the employee, etc. Even if the
meeting is chitchat, it cultivates an important relationship between supervisor and
employee.
Use management and staff meetings to solicit feedback. Ask how it's going. Do a
round table approach to hear from each person.
Act on feedback from others. Write it down. Get back to it -- if only to say you can't
do anything about the reported problem or suggestion, etc.
Respect the "grapevine." It's probably one of the most prevalent and reliable forms of
communications. Major "movements" in the organization usually first appear when
employees feel it safe to venture their feelings or opinions to peers. However, it is
also important to remember that important communication should be officially
communicated by management to each employee.
Have all employees provide weekly written status reports to their supervisors.
Include what tasks were done last week, what tasks are planned next week, any
pending issues and date the report. These reports may seem a tedious task, but they're
precious in ensuring that employee and their supervisor have mutual understanding of
what is going on, and the reports come in very handy for planning purposes. They
also make otherwise harried staff and managers stand back and reflect on what they're
doing.
Hold monthly meetings with all staff together - Review the overall condition of the
organization and review recent successes. Consider conducting "in service" training
where employees take turns describing their roles to the rest of the staff. For clarity,
focus and morale, be sure to use agendas and ensure follow-up minutes. Consider
bringing in a client to tell their story of how the organization helped them. These
meetings go a long way toward building a feeling of teamwork among staff.
Hold weekly or biweekly meetings with all staff together if the organization is small
(e.g., under 10 people); otherwise, with all managers together. Have these meetings
even if there is not a specific problem to solve -- just make them shorter. (Holding
meetings only when there are problems to solve cultivate a crisis-oriented
environment where managers believe their only job is to solve problems.) Use these
meetings for each person to briefly give an overview of what they are doing that
week. Facilitate the meetings to support exchange of ideas and questions. Again, for
clarity, focus and morale, be sure to use agendas, take minutes and ensure follow-up
minutes. Have each person bring their calendar to ensure scheduling of future
meetings accommodates each person's calendar.
Have supervisors met with their direct reports in one-on-one meetings every month
- This ultimately produces more efficient time management and supervision. Review
overall status of work activities, hear how it's going with the supervisor and the
To what key stakeholders do you want to convey the key messages (e.g., consider
clients, donors, community leaders, service providers, etc.)?
What is the best approach to reach each key stakeholder, including who/how should
the message be conveyed?
How will you know if you are reaching these stakeholders or not?
Marketing activities
Marketing support is intended to inform all DSOs employees, including musicians, of the
products of DSO, for example, the programming of symphony orchestras and other series prior
to the performance. These market activities are often accomplished through advertising
campaigns and brochures geared to employees who have an intimate knowledge of the inner
workings of DSO. These internal advertisements and related materials, however, are very
different than the types of materials that will ultimately be used when marketing to the public. Of
crucial importance is the identification of marketing's various internal customers, and how their
needs can be addressed successfully.
Marketing starts from the inside out. Often, for internal market activities, references will be
made to the mission statement and the organizational vision in order to show that senior
management is fully committed to both the DSOs product and to the concept of service
orientation.
Some of the questions that DSOs management can try to answer include:
Do DSOs employees and musicians believe in the product that DSO offers?
Are the employees and musicians standing 100% behind its mission of DSOs brand?
Are they living DSOs brand? It is important that DSOs employees and musicians be
informed and involved in new initiatives and strategies that are taking place within DSO.
If they are unable or unwilling to support the marketing efforts it can have detrimental
results.
How can DSO begin its internal branding campaign within DSO?
The process of involving DSOs employees is important because they meet, greet, and assist
DSOs customers in many different ways. They are the face of DSOs brand. They should be
engaged right from the start and encouraged to make individual input. They should be used as a
focus group - after all they know the customers much better especially those employees in the
Patron service center and marketing. Internal focus groups can be moderated by outside
facilitators with a guarantee of strict confidentiality. This qualitative diagnostic tool is
guaranteed to unearth latent concerns and discontent and can provide effective feedback for the
development of new corporate programs. DSOs employees and musicians are a great resource
of information on the product. DSO can use their perceptions, their experiences, their
interactions with customers to research and hone the product. The advertising message for the
product can be refined and improved when it is reflective of employees attitudes and
experiences. After all, the employees are the very heart of the DSO, who better to offer valuable
input into the product and the resultant experiences?
By doing this DSO will not only get support from its staff but will also be given insight and ideas
that the management may not have otherwise have considered. The value of internal marketing
activities derives from the opportunity that DSOs employees have to express ideas, ask
questions, and offer comments about the new programs prior to the public offering. For example,
when DSO decides to bring in a new band from out of town prior to performing to the public
through an extensive external advertising campaign, the employees are informed of the new kind
of music that will be played and are offered an opportunity to provide valuable insider
information to management.
These traditional external marketing activities have been successfully used internally where there
is strong coordination of the internal and external marketing programs. Market research, both
internally and externally, can be used to find out what customers and employees think of the
DSOs performances. Employee surveys and customer satisfaction questionnaires are two market
research methods that can DSO can use to understand the concerns within and outside the
organization. Employees can fill out surveys and questionnaires.
In many ways, more important than selling the product on the outside is selling the product on
the inside. There is no shortage of reasons why DSO should embrace the concept of internal
marketing: it leads to increased corporate loyalty and job longevity; employees are better able to
serve customers because they understand the product; employees who believe in the product
who DSOs customers are (e.g., general customer profiles and attendance)
whats important to them in dealing with DSO
how they feel about DSO (from customer satisfaction surveys, complaint tracking)
what competitive options they have
The management should share with the employees and musicians as much information as is
permissible. Excluding proprietary and confidential data, the more DSO employees know about
their customers, the better they can serve them. DSOs employees should also be given a quiz
sometimes about their customers.
It is essential that any brand and business building effort for DSO starts by identifying the gaps
between what the employees believes the essence of the business is, versus what management
wants it to be, versus how customers presently see DSO. This process helps drive better internal
marketing. The programs aim literally at the heart-they start inside with a clients top
management and staff.