Where psychology fits into an employee advocacy launch

Radically Transparent Published: September 15, 2022
Where psychology fits into an employee advocacy launch

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Episode summary

How do you mobilize an entire organization to market for your brand?

There are of course dozens of ways to encourage, incentivize, and gamify your colleagues to share the right content, at the right time. However, without marketing leading an employee advocacy initiative, and truly understanding the type of persona that defines your organization, you most likely will fail.

As a general rule, just as marketers create buyer personas, any marketer in charge of an employee advocacy program should know the personas that make up the advocacy program.

In this episode, Barney O’Kelly, Digital Marketing Director at Alix Partners, reveals what Alix Partners did differently when building the framework of their advocacy program, and why he went to great lengths to truly understand the personas that made up the program.

According to Barney, marketing is too important to be left only to the marketing department. If you want to tap into creating brand evangelists, you need to understand your employees, the same way you understand your customers.

Barney tackles the tremendous level of insight he has gained while leading an advocacy program.

He even opens up about some of the psychology he’s learned about the type of people who work at Alix Partners, why not all people want to share content, and how to help his colleagues overcome their fear of thought leadership on LinkedIn.

Hot topics of this episode include:

  • The psychology behind why your advocates may not be participating in your advocacy program, and how you can easily overcome it
  • How to mobilize an entire organization to be marketing for your brand
  • Barney’s top tips to ensure the extraordinary work your team is doing every day doesn’t become ordinary

Meet Barney

Barney O’Kelly is currently serving as the Digital Marketing Director at Alix Partners, a financial advisory and global consulting firm best known for its work in the turnaround space.

With over 20 years of experience as a commercially-focused marketing leader, Barney is a trusted advisor to many B2B organizations on how to achieve successful business outcomes through marketing and communications.

With a strong background in working globally, having been part of and led teams internationally for more than a decade, Barney is renowned as an original thinker with a reputation for versatility, ingenuity, and being someone who gets the job done.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can B2B organizations effectively mobilize their entire workforce for brand marketing?

Mobilizing an entire B2B organization for brand marketing requires proactive leadership from the marketing department. It involves treating employees with the same depth of understanding as customers, developing specific employee personas, and empowering them to become genuine brand evangelists. The goal is to integrate marketing so deeply that it's seen as a collective responsibility, not solely a departmental one.

Why do B2B employees hesitate to participate in advocacy programs, and how can this be addressed?

Employees often hesitate due to psychological barriers, such as a fear of public thought leadership or uncertainty about what to share, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn. B2B marketers can address this by first understanding these underlying fears through employee personas, then providing targeted guidance, training, and encouragement to help colleagues overcome their apprehension and confidently share content.

What role do employee personas play in building a successful B2B employee advocacy program?

Employee personas are as crucial for B2B advocacy programs as buyer personas are for customer targeting. By understanding the distinct profiles, motivations, and comfort levels of different employee groups, marketers can tailor content, communication strategies, and participation incentives, ensuring the program resonates with each individual and maximizes engagement.

What foundational elements are crucial for building a B2B employee advocacy framework?

A robust B2B employee advocacy framework hinges on strong marketing leadership and a deep commitment to understanding the organization's unique employee personas. This foundation enables the creation of a program that not only encourages participation but also provides the necessary support and resources, helping employees overcome initial reluctance and leverage their expertise effectively.

How does robust employee advocacy benefit a B2B organization's marketing strategy?

A robust employee advocacy program significantly enhances a B2B organization's marketing strategy by transforming employees into authentic brand evangelists. This expands brand reach, builds trust through credible voices, and generates valuable thought leadership organically. It democratizes marketing efforts, making the extraordinary work of the team visible and impactful across broader professional networks.

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