Internal Comms That Don’t Feel... Internal

Writing for your team with the same care you use for your customers.

We spend a lot of time making sure our customer-facing content sounds just right. Emails are edited, copy is reviewed, and tone is calibrated down to the emoji.

But when it comes to internal comms?It’s often bullet points and BCCs.

The thing is, your team is your first audience. And your most important one. So why does the voice stop at the intranet?

If it’s worth saying, it’s worth saying well.

Internal messages don’t have to be formal or robotic to be professional. In fact, they shouldn’t be. Clarity, warmth, and tone matter just as much internally as they do externally—maybe more.

Because your internal comms aren’t just about information. They’re about:

• Trust (Do I feel informed and included?)

• Clarity (Do I know what’s expected of me?)

• Culture (Does this feel like us?)

If your values include transparency, empathy, or “good vibes” (and honestly, whose don’t these days), your internal messages should reflect that.

So what makes internal comms feel... internal (in a bad way)?

Let’s call out a few common culprits:

• Passive, vague language (“As many of you may have heard…”)

• Corporate speak (“leveraging cross-functional capabilities”)

• Zero context or framing (an update with no why)

• Mass emails that sound like mass emails

It’s not about being casual or clever for the sake of it. It’s about writing like a real person, for real people—with context, care, and maybe even a little voice.

Try this instead:

Here are a few quick ways to give your internal comms the glow-up they deserve:

✅ Start with the “why” – People want to understand the reason behind the message, not just the message itself.

✅ Add structure – Clear headers, TL;DRs, or bullets help people scan (especially when they’re reading between meetings).

✅ Include your voice – You don’t need to sound like a robot just because it’s going to the whole team.

✅ Use signoffs, intros, and asides – “Hi team” and “Here’s what’s up” go a long way toward humanizing your updates.

✅ Invite conversation – Internal comms aren’t a broadcast. Make it easy for people to ask questions or give feedback.

If you wouldn’t send it to a customer that way, think twice about sending it to your team that way.

Your internal audience deserves communication that’s clear, thoughtful, and on brand. Not just because it looks good—but because it works better.

(And your team deserves better than “per my last email.”)