Popular Mechanics Only employees can keep a company running like a well-oiled machine.

In branding your organization, keeping your employees topside iskey. As InteliTarget learned, employee buy-in can bring phenomenalreturns.

Before

When Joseph Smith, 51, started InteliTarget in late 1999,keeping the corporate culture afloat was a nonissue. After all, thecompany had just four employees, and every day was a race to gainnew customers and meet payroll. By April 2000, however, the companymade a dramatic sea change: It transformed itself from a databaseprofiling firm to a virtual sales and marketing organization.Revenues swelled 300 percent. The time was now to imbue the companywith the zest and zeal of its founder.

During

The firm's foundation was built on honest communication.All employees received the harsh truth and encouraging facts of thestate of the biz at monthly "All Hands" meetings."Whatever It Takes" awards were bestowed upon employeeswho took extra steps to satisfy a customer. And, to createcontagious enthusiasm, a huge musical triangle was hung in thecenter of the office. Representatives who achieved a milestone-fromclosing new business to booking promising sales appointments-rangthe triangle to the fervent applause of their teammates. Teamworkis taken to another level by referring accounts to the colleaguewho is the best fit.

After

Today, the results shine. Not only is business expected to growanother 200 percent in 2002, to sales of $4 million, but turnoverin this difficult sales environment is virtually nonexistent.Recruiting efforts are a breeze, as employees themselves refernearly all job candidates. Remember: Branding full steam ahead withyour employees can translate into huge returns.

Elizabeth J. Goodgoldis CEO/chief nuancer of The Nuancing Group, a brand consulting firmin San Diego, and author of the monthly newsletter Duh!Marketing.

Contact Source

• InteliTarget
  (703) 961-9020, http://www.intelitarget.com