Marketing leaders today are grappling with a familiar set of challenges: rising acquisition costs, shrinking organic reach, and platforms that once delivered results now offering diminishing returns.
Take LinkedIn, for example. Company pages — once a valuable tool for brand-building — now reach less than 1% of their audience organically. Your beautifully crafted post might never be seen by the very people you’re trying to influence. The same story plays out on other channels. Email open rates are volatile. Paid CPMs are climbing. Cookie-based targeting is on its last legs.
So where do you turn when the traditional levers no longer deliver like they used to?
You look inward.
Because often, the most powerful marketing asset in your business isn’t your media budget. It’s your people.
The Overlooked Power of Internal Comms
Internal communication has historically been seen as a support function. Important for alignment, sure — but rarely treated as a growth driver.
That’s a mistake.
When your people are informed, aligned and inspired, they don’t just perform better — they become amplifiers of your brand. They speak about it with confidence. They attract talent. They bring ideas. They unlock relationships. And they do it in a way that’s authentic, trusted, and unfiltered.
Think about it. Who are you more likely to trust?
A sponsored post from a brand account?
Or a genuine recommendation from someone who works there — someone you know, like, or respect?
We know the answer. Nielsen found that 84% of people trust peer recommendations over any form of advertising. That’s not a trend. That’s human nature.
From Alignment to Amplification
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about turning your workforce into walking adverts. It’s about giving your team the information, tools, and purpose to speak confidently about the business they’re a part of — when and how it suits them.
That means shifting internal comms from passive updates to active enablement. Here’s what that looks like:
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Clarity over noise – Clear, consistent messaging about the business’ direction, values and impact. Not just quarterly updates, but ongoing narrative-building.
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Storytelling, not reporting – Communicating wins, learnings and ideas in ways that are human, relatable, and shareable. Give people the “why,” not just the “what.”
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Inspiration meets utility – Equip employees with content they want to share — whether that’s celebrating a product launch, showcasing a client success, or just shining a light on the team.
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Two-way by default – Internal comms isn’t a loudspeaker. Build in feedback loops. Listen. Capture ideas. Make communication participatory, not prescriptive.
Done right, this doesn’t just align your team — it activates them.
The Real-World Impact of Advocacy
Companies that get this right are already seeing results.
Take brands like HubSpot and Gong. They’ve built cultures where employee voices are encouraged — even expected — to contribute to the brand narrative. Their people post behind-the-scenes moments, share product insights, and engage publicly with the company’s values and goals. The result? Massive reach, higher trust, and brand engagement that doesn’t rely on paid distribution.
This isn’t just true for big tech. Professional services firms are increasingly building structured employee advocacy programmes — recognising that their consultants, strategists and account teams are the brand.
And it’s not just internal teams that can amplify your story.
Suppliers, partners, and clients often have highly relevant networks. When they share your content, co-author thought leadership, or celebrate a project win, that’s marketing gold. And unlike your company page, it gets seen.
How to Start (Without Making It Cringe)
You don’t need a complex advocacy platform or a formal programme to start. But you do need to be intentional.
Here are some steps you can take right now:
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Start with storytelling
Instead of dry performance updates, share real moments. A customer success. A team win. A big learning. Make it human, visual and short enough to share. -
Curate and simplify
Provide shareable content — suggested posts, images, talking points — but leave space for personalisation. It’s got to feel authentic, not scripted. -
Celebrate and reward
Spotlight people who share and represent the brand. Not with generic badges — but with recognition in meetings, shout-outs in updates, and even growth opportunities. -
Include your extended ecosystem
Bring in suppliers, freelancers, even customers. Feature them in content. Co-create where relevant. Make them feel like part of the story. -
Close the loop
Share the results of advocacy — impressions, leads, comments. Show that it’s not just a nice-to-have — it’s a growth engine.
The Commercial Upside
Let’s not pretend this is only about culture or visibility. This is about performance.
Internal comms and advocacy — when connected to a wider marketing strategy — can:
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Generate warmer, higher-quality leads via referrals and network sharing
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Reduce hiring costs by improving employer brand visibility
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Increase retention through purpose-driven communication
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Lower media spend by driving organic amplification
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Improve campaign effectiveness by aligning messaging from the inside out
It’s a growth strategy. Just not the kind most marketers have been trained to focus on.
Final Thought
The landscape has shifted.
We’re entering an era where human connection beats brand broadcasting. Where authenticity wins over polish. Where employee voices — not algorithms — hold the power to influence.
So, before you chase the next channel or burn more budget trying to outspend the competition, ask yourself:
Are our people aligned with our story?
Are they empowered to share it?
Are we tapping into the trust and reach they already have?
Because the future of growth doesn’t just run on data and distribution.
It runs on belief, belonging, and buy-in.
And it starts from the inside out.
