Employer Branding in Startup Mode - Why Iteration and Experimentation is The Key to Success

Why treating employer branding like a startup can be the most effective approach for organisations of any size or budget - Welcome to the the next episode in my series with Cliquify.

Employer branding isn’t just about large campaigns, polished EVP launches, big budgets, and award-winning programmes delivered by large teams.

Of course those things exist, and they can be powerful. But they’re only part of the picture.

Much of the real work of employer branding happens in the day-to-day. It’s about how teams test ideas, adapt their approach, learn what resonates with employees and candidates, and gradually build systems that help the organisation tell its story.

In other words, employer branding is rarely plug-and-play marketing campaigns. It’s an iterative process.

This is something we explore in Episode 151.

In this episode, I speak with Dennis Borchers from Tractor Supply Company about how their team is building employer branding inside the organisation.

The episode is part of a series supported by Cliquify – the Employer Branding Operating System for organisations – where I speak with in-house practitioners about how employer branding really works inside organisations and what the work looks like day to day.

Starting with the foundations

When employer branding came into Dennis’ team’s remit, there was already activity happening in the organisation. Recruiters were posting roles on social media, channels existed, and people in the business playing their part.

So rather than launching a large campaign, the first step was to look carefully at what already existed. Were the channels still reflecting the organisation as it is today? Were recruiters being supported with the right assets and resources? And was there consistency in how the company appeared across platforms?

This kind of foundational work may not always be the most visible part of employer branding, but it’s essential if the work is going to scale.

Recognising advocacy that already exists

Another interesting part of the conversation was around employee-generated content.

At Tractor Supply there were already employees sharing parts of their lives online — often because they genuinely enjoy the lifestyle the company supports.

The team realised this content was incredibly authentic. So rather than immediately building a formal advocacy programme, they simply started connecting with some of those employees and asking if they could share their posts on the company’s employer brand channels.

It was a small step, but it allowed the organisation to highlight real stories that genuinely reflect the culture of the business.

Why experimentation matters - Start Up Mode

One of the biggest things that resonated with me from the conversation was that employer branding evolves through experimentation. Teams test ideas, see what works, and refine their approach over time.

I like to call this “startup mode” - a mindset that allows the team to try things, learn quickly, and gradually build systems that support recruiters and share employee stories more effectively.

For many employer brand teams, particularly smaller ones, that approach will feel very familiar. And importantly, it isn’t a sign that something is missing.

In many cases, it’s exactly how effective employer branding should take shape. Because life doesn’t fit into a theoretical strategy deck.

Listen to the full conversation

If you work in employer branding, talent acquisition, or HR communications, there’s plenty more in the conversation with Dennis about how this approach is evolving inside Tractor Supply.

Employer Content Marketing Podcast - Episode 151 (Cliquify Series)

I’d be curious to hear your perspective too.

Does employer branding in your organisation feel like a carefully designed programme, or something that’s evolving step by step? It may be a bit of both!

Thanks

Chris

Chris Le’cand-Harwood

Host, Employer Content Marketing

Founder, Content Marketing Pod Ltd