Unlocking the Influence Inside Your Business

From Team Member to Thought Leader 

When did you last count how many genuine subject matter experts work in your organisation but remain invisible to your market? 

Some of the most credible voices your brand could be amplifying aren’t external influencers – they’re already working inside your organisation. Subject matter experts, senior consultants, engineers, advisors, or product specialists often have the respect, depth, and perspective that buyers trust. However, many lack the support needed to build their visibility. 

Developing these internal experts into recognised thought leaders isn’t just a nice thing to have. In B2B, it’s a strategic advantage. Find out how to identify and support your internal influencers – and why doing so is one of the most effective ways to scale employee advocacy and build brand trust. 

Why Internal Influence Works 

In B2B, trust drives engagement, and engagement drives buying decisions. Studies consistently show that buyers are far more likely to engage with content from an individual than from a company. Employee-shared posts can generate up to eight times more engagement and 561% more reach than identical content from the corporate page (Vantage Circle, 2025). 

The reason is simple: people buy into people. A technical expert discussing their problem-solving approach is far more convincing than a polished brand statement. And when those internal voices speak regularly and with clarity, the brand benefits from a halo of trust and credibility that advertising simply can’t match. 

How to Spot Internal Influencers 

The first step is knowing what to look for. True internal influencers are usually already trusted by their peers or clients. They’re the ones others turn to for answers, context or insights. They may already be speaking at events, posting occasionally on LinkedIn, or contributing to client conversations behind the scenes. 

You’re looking for a combination of expertise, clarity, and alignment. They don’t need to be flashy or overly active online – just capable of sharing knowledge in a way that resonates. With the proper support, those individuals can become public-facing assets that lift the credibility of the whole organisation. 

What Support Looks Like in Practice 

Most potential influencers aren’t posting because they’re unsure of the rules or lack confidence in their content. That’s something leaders and marketing can fix. 

Start with reassurance and permission. Let your people know it’s not only allowed, but encouraged. Follow up with basic guidance – how to write a strong post, when to link back to company content, and what topics to avoid. This doesn’t need to be a heavy policy document, but clarity builds confidence. 

Support can also include light-touch coaching: help with their LinkedIn bio, training on tone of voice, and a few examples of good posts in the wild. Better still, pair them with a marketer to co-create articles, videos or speaking opportunities that reflect their voice and your brand. 

Recognition plays a significant role. Publicly acknowledging a post that performed well or a colleague who consistently contributes is one of the most powerful ways to reinforce this behaviour across the business. UK research from the Institute for Employment Studies and European Mentoring and Coaching Council, which surveyed 644 industry professionals, identified that effective coaching processes and leadership support are critical success factors for organisational development programmes, with the study clarifying key factors that make coaching effective and should be included in any development process. 

Measuring What Matters 

Tracking engagement rates is just the beginning. To understand the real impact of internal influence development, organisations should monitor several key metrics: 

Reach and Visibility Metrics: Track follower growth for participating employees, share rates of their content, and mentions of your company through their posts. These indicate expanding market presence. 

Quality Engagement Indicators: Look beyond likes to comments quality, connection requests to employees from prospects, and inbound enquiries attributed to employee content; these signal genuine business interest. 

Pipeline and Revenue Attribution: Monitor speaking opportunities generated, client meetings initiated through employee posts, and sales conversations that reference employee thought leadership. Many CRM systems can now track these touchpoints. 

Internal Culture Indicators: Measure participation rates across departments, employee satisfaction with advocacy support, and retention rates among programme participants. Strong internal influence programmes often correlate with improved employee engagement. 

Brand Authority Metrics: Track industry recognition for participating employees, media mentions that cite your people as experts, and invitations to contribute to industry publications or panels. 

What the Evidence Shows 

This is more than anecdotal. What we’re seeing in practice aligns with broader shifts in how organisations approach employee advocacy. What the evidence suggests is a clear shift toward programmes focused on building thought leadership and industry authority, not just brand reach. The consistent pattern that emerges is that leadership involvement and support are cited as the top strategic priority for scaling efforts effectively. 

This makes strategic sense when you consider that buyers increasingly turn to thought leadership content as a more trustworthy source than traditional marketing when assessing potential partners. It’s this credibility gap that internal influence programmes are designed to bridge, turning your subject matter experts into recognised voices that prospects trust and engage with. 

Addressing Common Concerns 

One concern I often hear is: “What if they leave?” It’s valid, but it misses the bigger picture. First, even if a well-known internal voice moves on, the visibility and credibility they created while at your company continue to benefit you. Second, the bigger risk is not developing anyone and allowing competitors to dominate the conversation. 

Another concern is brand control. The solution is not to script everything – it’s to guide. Internal influencers should be encouraged to speak in their own voice, with agreed alignment on tone, disclosure, and brand context. That’s what preserves trust while protecting the company’s interests. 

From Individual to Ecosystem 

This work sits within a broader marketing ecosystem assessment. Internal influence development connects to employee engagement, client relationship management, recruitment strategy, and brand positioning. It’s not a standalone tactic but part of understanding how your organisation’s authentic expertise can be amplified across multiple channels and touchpoints. 

Helping subject matter experts build their voice is one of the highest-value moves you can make as a leader, not just for marketing, but for sales, recruitment, and client relationships. This is employee advocacy at its highest level – when individuals are equipped to shape the industry conversation on behalf of the brand. 

It’s also the bridge between culture and visibility. These voices prove your people don’t just work in the business – they lead in the market. 

Ready to discover what influence already exists within your organisation? The expertise is likely already there – it just needs the proper support to become visible to the market. 

This is part two of our Employee Advocacy series. Read part one: Employee Advocacy is a Leadership Strategy, Not a Marketing Tactic

 Read the final part of the series. How Employee Experience Drives Brand Reach