How to Sell an Exclusive Employer Brand Budget to your CMO

For those in organizations new to employer branding, selling the C-suite on carving out an exclusive budget will be a challenge, no doubt. 

“Can’t you just tack it onto the general marketing plan?” they say. 

Not exactly. Here’s why. 

Your reputation as an employer is a part of your overall brand

Employer branding is a natural component of any long-term marketing plan. You’re asking for a budget that’s your own, but your CMO will want to know how it figures into the overall marketing strategy.

Like anyone in the C-suite, your CMO will want to see numbers. Marketing execs are on the hook for KPIs like sales revenue, cost per lead and customer acquisition cost, customer retention rate, and marketing budget ROI. The good thing is, strong employer branding can affect all of these. 

Here are a few stats you can present:

• Employer branding can affect the P&L: Consumers are willing to pay as much as 22% more for products if the company has a good reputation, including a good reputation for how it treats its employees. And according to Edelman, 78% of consumers say the way a company treats its employees is one of the best indicators of trustworthiness.

• Employer branding can influence investors: From the same Edelman report: 69% percent of investors say companies that prioritize their commitment to employees positively influence their trust in them, and 76% say ethics and standards drive their trust in where to invest.

• Employer branding can affect customer acquisition: 65% of consumers say they’re attracted to organizations that treat their employees well. 

• Employer branding can affect customer retention: As a result of the effects of the pandemic, in-demand talent are leaving their jobs en masse for companies that offer what they want—things like flexible schedules and the ability to work remotely. High employee turnover rates can erode your relationship with customers.

• Employer branding can save the company money: Employer brand investment can reduce cost-per-hire by 50% and turnover by 28%.

Your employees are your brand ambassadors 

The talent inside your doors are natural brand ambassadors. According to Nielsen, “92% of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth or recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising.”

Strong employer branding can improve your reputation both inside and outside your doors. 

You’re asking for a kind of sponsorship

Make sure you keep internal goals at the center of the conversation. The objective is not solely revenue or customer retention (that kind of metric is indirectly affected); your goal is to attract and retain great talent.

So don’t overpromise when it comes to revenue and the like. You need a separate employer branding budget because you will measure success against different KPIs.

Think of it this way: You’re asking your CMO for a form of sponsorship. A sponsor is a person who has great power and influence in an organization. When they use that power and influence on behalf of a person or idea, that’s sponsorship. 

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza writes about workplace culture, DEI, and hiring. Her work has appeared in Fast Company, From Day One, and InHerSight, among others.

ABOUT UNCUBED STUDIOS

Launched in 2016, Uncubed Studios is a full-service creative agency with a client list representing the most influential employers on earth along with the high growth tech companies.

The team that brings the work of Uncubed Studios to life is made up of award-winning experts in cinematography, journalism, production, recruitment, employee engagement, employer branding and more. 

Uncubed Studios is part of the Uncubed Group, which also includes Mediabistro, the leading talent & professional community in the media sector, and Finalist, the curated sourcing platform for early professional tech talent.

Interested in speaking with Uncubed Studios for a media opportunity? Contact studios@uncubed.com