The best marketing plan takes into account the value of grooming your employees as ambassadors for your company.

How many people does your organization employ? That’s how many ambassadors you should have at your command, embodying the very qualities you want your brand to represent to the world.

Your employees—each and every one of them—have the power to either reinforce or undermine your brand every time they interact with a client, prospect, colleague or opinion-maker. In a very real sense, building a brand begins inside your organization, organically. Here are a few ways to insure that your internal culture reinforces your brand and brings it to life:

Walk the Walk: It’s impossible to overemphasize the power of action over words. Slogans and posters are one thing, but if you and your executive team don’t embody the qualities espoused by your brand, you can’t expect your employees to do so. Ask yourself and your team whether you recruit, reward and promote based on your core values, and whether you offer leadership and training that reinforces these values.

Break Down Walls: Specifically, those that may exist between marketing and human resources—that is, the outside voice and the inside voice. They should be speaking the same language, promoting the same ideals and executing in sync with each other.

Never Stop Communicating: Walking the walk is critical, but that doesn’t mean neglecting the talk as well. Be sure your internal communications align with your brand. More importantly, be open and honest with your team, and keep them in the loop so they gain pride of ownership. After all, owners are the best evangelists.

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