We all know that no business, brand or product ever made it big without effective marketing, in fact Bill Gates once said that if he only had a single dollar left he'd spend it on PR. So who do you market your brand to and how do you do it?

Before you start planning how to target your ABC1s and circumnavigate the rigours of the ASA, refer back to the title of this column and I think you'll see where I'm heading: the people who work for you are your most effective marketing resource. Convince them of your company's values and they'll become effective brand ambassadors. And if your employees aren't able to relate your brand values when asked, how are your customers?

Consider the people who work for your business as internal customers and communicate to them the same as to external customers. As with most things, simplicity is key. If you are working in the service industry and building your reputation on punctuality, it is important that you set the example by being punctual to meetings with your staff and paying them on time. The environment in which you work should reflect your brand's values, with pictures of your products on the walls perhaps. Some brands have even taken this as far as job titles, such as the joint head of Innocent smoothies, Adam Balon, Chief Squeezer. Rewards or incentives could also reflect the brand and the sort of Christmas parties or conferences you hold certainly say a lot about your brand - think of Virgin's notorious parties. UBS pays its staff £3,000 for introducing a new member of staff, actively encouraging staff to promote the organisation.

If you are finding it challenging, communicate your brand values internally, your brand probably does not merit the values you are trying to attach to it. And if this is the case you need to revaluate your brand and communication strategy. Why not start by asking your staff what they think the brand stands for? Tesco is a good example of a company whose brand is understood and adhered to by its employees - everyone in the company knows ‘Every little helps' and how this translates to their job function to drive down prices and increasing customer value.