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It’s one thing to go after new talent when your company is a household name. But what happens when your organization opens in a new region or country or you start a business and have no name recognition with the surrounding community?

Your employer brand is your company’s reputation with employees and candidates. It’s what candidates see and feel about your organization. In a competitive job market, a strong employer brand can entice a top candidate to accept your offer and a bad one can cause a valued employee to leave — and seek opportunities elsewhere. 

Your employer brand is what entices potential talent to follow your company on LinkedIn even when you’re not hiring. It tells candidates what your company stands for, how it treats its employees, and what the company culture is like.

When you’re building an employer brand from scratch, some of the general rules of employer branding will still hold up, but there are some unique considerations to keep in mind. “Understanding the local dynamics is very essential to establish an employer brand in an unfamiliar market,” writes Sneha Bhoyar, a client acquisition consultant in Singapore. You need to understand the culture, talent pool, and even the local employment laws of that region, she says. 

If you’re wondering where to start, here are seven tips to keep in mind.

1. Forget what you already know

One of the first things you have to do is know your audience. What do potential candidates care about? 

Even if your organization already operates in a different location, “you must be clued in to how employee populations may vary depending on market,” writes Lindsey Herman, an independent human resources and talent consultant. “The key word here is ‘research,’” she adds. “Become knowledgeable about variances, even within a specific age group, and tailor your employment branding strategy accordingly.” 

Candidate and employee surveys, internet searches, and social media monitoring can all give you some insight into what your target audience values and help you get started with your employer branding strategy.

2. Stay authentic to your overall brand

While you may adjust your message to adapt to the local market, it’s important that you don’t try to be all things to all people. Authenticity is a big part of building an employer brand that works since it enhances trust and gives your business credibility. 

Your company’s values and its mission should not change when you open up in a new location. However, you might emphasize one value over another in your messaging if it’s bound to resonate with potential talent in a particular region.

3. Be willing to educate the market

Whether you’re a startup or an established company entering a new market, you may have to convey to people what you do, as well as how great it would be to work for you. That might mean creating company culture videos about your organization’s work or publishing case studies about your success or even day-in-the-life videos of different employees. You can engage potential candidates with your storytelling and, by using employees in this type of content, you’ll also give your audience a peek at what working for you is like.

4. Keep cultural differences in mind

The way you present your company and reach out to potential employees in one region may not be effective in a different region. Relocate magazine describes an example of a global company where in one location employees are comfortable using constructive criticism as a part of their communication style while in another location such communication is considered insensitive and confrontational. 

You’ll need to know the nuances of the people in the new location and possibly adapt your brand messaging to ensure that they are comfortable with your approach.

5. Leverage relationships that have already been forged

Ultimately, you want to build an employer brand that evokes trust. One way to do that when your target audience knows nothing about you is to align yourself with organizations that they already trust. If people associate you with organizations that already have a positive reputation, they are likely to confer on you a positive reputation too. There are a number of ways you can do this. 

Start a corporate volunteerism program that helps community organizations that members of your talent pool already care about. 
Think of recruitment events as opportunities to market your brand, and look for local affairs to sponsor or have employees participate in such as career days at local schools. The more people see your organization in the community, the more familiar they will be with your brand. 
Look for ways to partner with local influencers who have a big following on social media and can introduce a larger number of people to your brand.

6. Reward employee ambassadors

While it’s always a good idea for employees to share positive experiences they have while working in your organization, it’s arguably even more valuable when your organization is initially building name recognition. 

Identify trusted talent who can serve as employee ambassadors and tout their experiences with your organization on social media and offline at regional events. Set clear goals and find a way to incentivize the program so employees are motivated to participate. For example, is your goal to expand your company’s reach on social media or to increase familiarity with your brand as evidenced through annual community surveys? Not only will ambassadors raise awareness, but they may also feel more engaged in your company’s work, which can help with employee retention down the line. 

7. Be willing to course-correct 

When you’re building an employer brand in a new region you’re going to have a learning curve. You may find that your messaging doesn’t quite connect with the candidates you’re looking for or you may find that your brand isn’t resonating with people the way you envisioned. 

Branding metrics can help you see where your strategy is working and where you may need to make some adjustments. Use surveys and social media monitoring to see if your company has growing name recognition. If something isn’t working, adjust and try something new. Other ways to assess your efforts include web site analytics, candidate referrals, and insights from candidates themselves.

Final thoughts

The good news about moving to a new location is that your company likely has no baggage or a bad reputation to overcome. On the flip side, potential talent may not have much motivation to work for you if they aren’t familiar with your brand. You’re a blank canvas and it’s up to you to paint a picture that your desired talent pool will want to see. 

Some principles of employer branding are universal. For example, you’ll always want to highlight your mission, values, and a positive culture. But when it comes to positioning yourself in a new market, you may have to take extra steps to educate your target audience, build credibility, and prove that you are a trusted member of the targeted community. While it may take time to do all of that, your recruitment efforts will benefit in the long run.

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