So to the point, a large part of our job is to develop PR and marketing programmes that convey the virtues of company or its products to the outside world. To achieve this with the greatest success we often have to guide the client to think inwardly first.

There is no better place for the initial launch of a PR campaign than to the staff. These are after all, a company's first connection with the outside world.

Sell an idea to the team and they will start the process of communicating the message outside the factory walls.

A regular comment from staff not involved in the marketing process is that marketing ideas and initiatives often reach the consumer before the staff are aware, " Oh we never get to know anything until we read about it in the paper".

This is a waste of resources.

If the staff are on board with a marketing initiative before it is launched there are two distinct advantages. Firstly the staff feel involved with what their company is doing and are therefore more committed to it. Secondly they will be the first people to tell their friends, relations, business contacts and therefore will start to spread the idea with considerable conviction.

If they hear it secondhand the natural tendency is to decry the idea or not mention it as its nothing to do with them.

Consequently they will have a lower level of involvement with the company.

So when thinking about any marketing campaign, start the process of communication within the company.

Announce it with pride as something they will start to see develop over the coming months.

That way the campaign goes forward with an even stronger team behind it.

Clive Bartlett is a director of Saltwater Communications