Why does one company win more business than another? Why do certain companies retain customers longer than their competition? Today, it is NOT because they simply outspend the competition on paid media and advertising campaigns.

It’s because they spend time, energy and dollars to ensure every employee knows how to bring the corporate story to life in everyday customer interactions. This week, we share quotes from market leaders and experts who understand why infusing a clear, consistent corporate message throughout the customer experience … will always outperform paid media investments.

“Starbucks is not an advertiser; people think we are a great marketing company, but in fact we spend very little money on marketing and more money on training our people than advertising.”
— Howard Schultz, Starbucks

Did you know, companies that bring their story to life throughout the customer experience spend only 1 percent of annual revenue on paid media while those that don’t have to spend 3–4 percent to get similar results?

“An organization can only ‘walk the talk’ when its managers deliberately shape its internal reality to align with its brand promise … [the brand’s] values must be internalized by the organization, shaping its instinctive attitudes, behaviors, priorities, etc.”
— Alan Mitchell, Journal of Marketing Management

Customers do not engage directly with your brand. They experience your brand based on the experiences and conversations they have with your employees. According to market leader Ken Irons, “70 percent of customers’ brand perception is determined by their experience with your people.” So the real question becomes: Can you afford not to infuse your corporate message throughout your organization?

“When making a purchase decision, customers use an average of six different channels, which are often managed by different parts of the organization. That series of interactions highlights a crucial issue in today’s business world: brands need to work across multiple functions to deliver a coordinated and consistent experience.”
— Harvard Business Review

Harvard Business Review also states companies that excel in delivering a consistent message throughout the customer journey can increase revenue growth 10–15 percent and lower costs 15–20 percent.

If those quotes and statistics don’t get you thinking about the powerful role your employees play in bringing your corporate story to life, maybe this last one will …

According to a recent Gallup poll, higher-than-average levels of employee engagement produce 27 percent more profits, 50 percent more sales and 50 percent higher customer loyalty.

Engagement can only be achieved when employees have a personal understanding of and connection with your corporate story: what you stand for, what you do and the value you deliver. What are you doing to ensure employees passionately share your story in everyday business interactions and conversations?