By Priya Bates
Internal communication has finally earned a seat at the strategic table—so why are so many pulling up a chair without doing the work?
As someone who has worked in this field for more than 25 years, I’m increasingly concerned by the number of individuals and agencies entering the space with little to no hands-on experience. They may come from PR, marketing, or event backgrounds. Some were internal but stayed tactical. Many have never managed transformational change, advised C-suite leaders, or built communication functions aligned with business results.
And yet—they’re calling themselves internal communication experts.
That’s a problem. Especially when real internal communication work—done well—has the power to influence culture, drive performance, and build trust from the inside out.
🧭 What Real Internal Communication Expertise Looks Like
In my career, I’ve:
- Led internal communication teams inside four organizations during moments of profound transformation.
- Conducted 25+ internal communication audits that helped employers become recognized Top 100 Employers.
- Supported some of the world’s largest mergers and acquisitions with communication strategies that stabilized cultures and aligned workforces.
- Helped clients measure and prove the value of communication—earning resources, respect, and recognition.
- Coached leaders to communicate with clarity, authenticity, and consistency during uncertain times.
This isn’t launch-and-leave work. It’s roll-up-your-sleeves, build-trust-over-time work. It’s not about tactics; it’s about transformation.
✅ Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Internal Communication Consultant
If you’re hiring, don’t just check boxes. Ask the questions that reveal depth, credibility, and experience:
- What’s your experience with organizational change?
Have they worked through M&As, restructures, digital transformations, or crisis moments? - Can you walk me through an internal communication audit you’ve led?
What did they find? How did they turn insights into action? - What’s your approach to leadership communication?
Do they coach leaders? Are they trusted advisors or just message writers? - How do you measure success?
Can they show how communication made a difference beyond clicks and open rates? - Can you give examples where internal communication solved a business problem?
Listen for stories that show alignment with strategy and outcomes. - Have you led internal communication inside an organization?
If not, how can they truly understand the realities of navigating culture, politics, and operational complexity? - How do you ensure communication isn’t just a campaign, but a sustained conversation?
Great internal communication isn’t a one-off. It’s about building relationships, not just delivering messages.
💬 Final Thoughts
Internal communication is too important to be handed to someone who’s learning on your dime.
It’s not about who talks the loudest on LinkedIn. It’s about who delivers—consistently, strategically, and with integrity.
You get what you pay for. Choose wisely.
BLOG POST TITLE:
“Want Results? Hire Real Experts in Internal Communication”
Intro:
Lately, I’ve noticed a growing trend—and it’s both frustrating and concerning. More and more agencies and practitioners are hanging out their “internal communication” shingle without real, relevant experience. Public relations professionals, marketers, and even tactical communicators who’ve never led change inside organizations are suddenly claiming to be experts in internal communication strategy.
But here’s the truth: internal communication is not an afterthought. It’s a specialized, strategic discipline that takes more than just good writing or creative campaigns. It’s about understanding how organizations function, how cultures shift, how employees react to change—and how communication can help solve real business problems.
I’ve seen it firsthand.
For more than 25 years, I’ve conducted communication audits and helped organizations—from some of the world’s largest mergers to complex digital transformations—navigate change and build cultures of trust. I’ve worked in-house with four major employers before becoming a consultant, and I’ve helped clients become recognized Top 100 Employers. This work isn’t about quick wins. It’s about conversations over time, not launch-and-leave campaigns.
So if you’re hiring a partner to support your internal communication needs, ask the right questions. Your business results—and your people—deserve better than guesswork.
💡 Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Internal Communication Consultant:
- What in-house experience do you have?
Look for practitioners who’ve led internal communication from within. There’s a difference between supporting and owning strategy. - Have you supported real change initiatives?
Mergers, digital transformations, cultural shifts—have they helped leaders and employees navigate real disruption? - Do you conduct internal communication audits?
Experts use data to drive decisions. They don’t guess—they assess, benchmark, and measure. - Can you share measurable results?
Ask for examples of how their work helped organizations increase engagement, improve alignment, or drive performance. - How do you align communication with business strategy?
Internal communication is not just about messaging—it’s about solving business problems and delivering results. - Do you focus on leadership communication and accountability?
Great internal communicators coach leaders, build trust, and hold people accountable for meaningful communication. - Do you understand the difference between communication and culture change?
This work takes time. It requires strategic alignment, leadership buy-in, and consistency—not just a poster campaign.
Final Thought:
Internal communication is not a fallback career. It’s a specialty that requires empathy, business acumen, strategic thinking, and experience earned in the trenches.
If you want results, hire someone who knows what it takes to earn them.
🙋♀️ About the Author:
Priya Bates is an award-winning Internal Communication Strategist with 25+ years of experience helping organizations build cultures of trust, navigate transformational change, and deliver results from the inside out. She is the founder of Inner Strength Communication and co-founder of A Leader Like Me.👉 Ready to work with a real expert? Let’s talk.
