Marketing communication: principles and practice

I N T E R N A L M A R K E T I N G C O M M U N I C A T I O N
216

---

The formulation and coordination of internal and external marketing plans
is necessary, with the effective application of the former providing a bridge
between the formulation and implementation of the latter by creating
knowledge, understanding, involvement and consensus for marketing
strategy and plans. Ballantyne (1991) in particular has highlighted the need
for marketers to influence and motivate staff to change collaboratively the
internal processes required for the effective implementation of marketing
plans. Internal marketing is the overlap between marketing management 
and human resource management. The changes required for good service
can be facilitated if employees see the corporation as their customers see 
it. This in turn leads to marketing strategy having increased impact on
corporate strategy as a marketing orientation and marketing capability is
developed throughout the corporation. However, marketing is often seen
from too narrow a perspective and it is necessary to market the marketing
concept, function, and the necessary change. Problems can arise from
employees’ attitudes towards the essential purposes of marketing. Morgan
(1991) has suggested that strategic internal marketing can effect incremen-
tal culture change towards market responsiveness, i.e. operationalize the
marketing of marketing and a marketing orientation. Mercer (1992) has
also highlighted the marketer’s role as a change agent. Internal marketing is
continuous training to enhance the service providers’ knowledge of their
services and capabilities, their awareness of market opportunities and their
marketing skills. The mobilization of corporate knowledge as an inimitable
customer-value creator.
Marketing planning must take account of organizational culture by
considering it equivalent to consumer lifestyles. Then employees can be given
specific attractive guidelines and incentives that promote a system of strongly
held and shared values which emphasize customer consciousness and quality.
We need to consider the role, involvement and influence of marketing,
training, and even some personnel and recruitment matters. These are areas
which have a bearing on, or direct contact with, the market and therefore,
in effect, are part of the product.
The view that internal marketing enables external marketing is echoed by
Wilson 
et al
. (1992: 144):
the internal stakeholders . . . undoubtedly exert the greatest and most
immediate effect upon the mission and subsequently upon the
objectives pursued, since it is their expectations and patterns of
behaviour which influence the organisation most directly on a day-to-
day basis.
Kotler and Andreasen (1991) consider the purpose of internal marketing to
create and maintain customer orientation and service-mindedness by
ensuring that all in the corporation realize that every interaction with a
customer is a ‘moment of truth’ (Carlzon, 1987). In doing so, managers must
manage indirectly to influence service quality by creating a customer-friendly
system which reinforces the above concerns and empowers employees to take