[Episode Ninety-Six of ‘The Employee Advocacy and Influence Podcast] 🎧
Before going global, Aptean started small on purpose. Their pilot group became the testing ground for feedback, proof of value, and the momentum needed for a successful full-scale rollout.
In this episode, Anna Laura McGranahan, Senior Social Media Manager at Aptean, reveals how she launched a global program to 680 employees in just a few months. You will learn the exact mental map used to research, build, and launch a program that generated over $357,000 in earned media value within its first two months.
Key Takeaways:
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- Why an email from the Head of HR outperforms a marketing invite every time.
- Using Single Sign-On and Microsoft Teams integrations to ensure a one-click sharing experience.
- How Anna Laura uses custom AI agents to turn brand guidelines into personalized, human-sounding social posts.
- Transitioning from a team of one to a network of Advocacy Champions across different product lines and geographies.
- Moving beyond vanity metrics to prove financial value to the C-suite.
Secure an Executive Leader to Drive Initial Credibility
Anna Laura emphasizes that at a global company like Aptean, a launch email from a new manager may be overlooked, but an invitation from a C-suite leader commands immediate attention. By partnering with the Head of HR, the program gained instant name recognition and weight, which helped facilitate a high initial signup rate. This strategy ensures the program is viewed as a corporate priority. For social media managers, finding a leader who is willing to model the behavior and who sees the personal branding benefits is the ultimate lever for adoption.
Use Beta Groups to Shape a Scaling
Before rolling out to hundreds of employees, Aptean conducted a controlled beta launch. Anna Laura conducted a three-week beta test with 30 participants representing diverse geographies and departments, including HR, sales, and marketing. This intimate setting allowed her to gather direct feedback, test new features, and design standard operating procedures based on real user behavior. This phase ensured that when the program expanded, the foundation was already functionally sound and capable of supporting a global scale.
Overcome the Blank Page With Generative AI
Even the most enthusiastic advocates often struggle with blank page syndrome, where they simply don’t know what to write. Anna Laura solved this by building custom AI agents that follow brand guidelines and social media best practices to provide pre-crafted copy. These agents offer advocates three different options varying in length and perspective, which employees can then tweak to match their personal tone. This approach is particularly effective for technical teams, such as engineers or R&D, who may have great pride in their work but lack experience in social copywriting. By providing a high-quality starting point, marketers can empower employees to post more frequently while maintaining brand consistency.
Ready to start your own employee advocacy program?
Whether you’re exploring employee advocacy or considering DSMN8 as your platform, we can help you get started with confidence.
Learn More About Employee Advocacy:
Selina Sher Gill
Selina has a Master's Degree in Marketing and Brand Management, and is DSMN8's Digital Marketing Executive. She's a pro at creating and editing video content, using these skills to create short-form social media videos and edit the Employee Advocacy and Influence podcast.
