It’s an age-old question businesses ask themselves when change is coming: “Will our employees get on board?”
Most change management initiatives fail to meet goals and expectations. Why? Because the change comes from the top down; consists of one-way, dry communication; and mandates boring training, leaving people feeling hesitant or even resistant to jump in.
Think of Nike’s “Just Do It,” Coke’s “Share a Coke,” and Apple’s “Mac vs. PC” campaigns. Marketing can be so successful when it’s done right and inspires consumers. Change campaigns should be just as compelling and drive people to act — or, in this case, adopt change.
So, are you forcing change, or inspiring it?
Back to the basics
Consider the basics of marketing when managing change. What does marketing do? It inspires. It understands customer needs and aligns solutions to meet those needs. It makes aware, educates, entices, inspires, creates preference, influences, causes action, compels action, and secures loyalty.
Consider this quote from Seth Godin in This Is Marketing: “If you do anything that matters, it means you’re trying to change something. The act of changing other people is called marketing. We don’t spam people. We tell a true story that resonates with people and helps them change their mind.”
Now apply these ideas to change management. Just as you need potential customers to passionately believe in and purchase your product, you need your employees to excitedly adopt the change.
When it’s done right, people want to change. They want to lead the pack. They want to be part of the change community.
We believe that empathetically knowing people, guiding them to change through marketing, and structuring it all through the practice of change management undoubtedly gives the best and longest-lasting behavioral change.
Here are four steps our change experts use to walk through the process:
Step 1: Know your people
The first step is to truly know your employees – just as you strive to completely know your customers. Employees are not just cogs in the machine; they are individuals with their own aspirations, concerns, and motivations. Understand them, care for them, and discover where they want to go.
Step 2: Establish your vision
Establish your vision and a compelling story behind it. This storyline is the most crucial part of change management, bringing together inspiration and aspiration. It makes the change emotionally relevant, both professionally and personally for your employees. It casts the vision of what could be and how their purpose of work is realized through the new change.
Step 3: Create a campaign
- Concept: Use that story to create a campaign concept and core messaging centered on your vision.
- Content: Develop motivating content and creative, uplifting visuals for your change campaign. Consider the promise, the positioning, the pillars of your change. Use it to overcome objections (or resistance). Create alternate versions based on roles and where employees are on the “change curve.”
- Communication: Create a strategy and develop “ads” to spread the word via the right employee channels—the intranet, internal social, executive comms, town halls, presentations—and always include a call to action to keep employees engaged and moving forward.
Step 4: Guide your people through the marketing change funnel
Remember, we’re marketing change like we’d market a product or solution, which means we’re guiding people through the “change funnel.”
Awareness
Just as marketing campaigns begin by making potential customers aware of a product, change campaigns should start by making employees aware of the need for change. Authentic, enthusiastic, unified messaging from management outlines the vision—for people, the culture, and the business. Use various channels to communicate the vision and the benefits of the change.
Interest
Now that you’ve grabbed people’s attention, turn it into interest. This is a critical step because interest causes engagement. Employees accept or resist the storyline of the change at this point. Ensure that the story paints an emotional picture that resonates by showcasing the benefits and how they can personally positively affect effective change in the company.
Consideration
This is where we entice the employees to embrace the change by providing compelling reasons to get involved. Inspire employees by connecting the change to a higher purpose.
Show how their contributions will make a difference, not just to the company but to the community and beyond. Use motivational speeches, videos, and events to keep the inspiration alive. Drive home the personal and professional benefits they will gain and share success stories from early adopters.
Purchase
In change management, this is the adoption phase. Employees eagerly participate in the change process—they are driving the change rather than having it imposed on them. Providing clear steps and support to help them implement the changes in their daily work is crucial. Recognize and reward those who take the initiative, and reinforce their success and confidence as they become proficient with the new processes and experience the benefits firsthand.
Loyalty
Just as marketing aims to build customer loyalty, change management should aim to build employee loyalty. Implement activities that foster a sense of belonging and pride in being part of the change. Show appreciation for their hard work and dedication. Your messaging now secures long-term commitment by creating a culture of continuous improvement. Keep the dialogue open, seek feedback, and make adjustments as needed. Celebrate milestones and acknowledge the collective effort.
Advocacy
You’ve now created a culture that embraces change—and knows how to do it right. More importantly, employees tangibly see the impact of change and how it betters the person and the profession. These people will advocate future change—and most likely be the early adopters that you can build your story and change network around.
Remember, not everyone will go through the funnel at the same pace. Create various forms of collateral that speaks to people where they are at each stage of the funnel. Use the power of those that have progressed faster, capitalizing on early adopters to become advocates and “change catalysts” for peers.
With your people, not at them
Like Seth Godin says, “What I’ve found is if we can change that word from market to help, if we can adopt a posture of generosity, suddenly we get out of our own way. We don’t feel selfish, and we market with people instead of at them.”
By understanding and supporting employees through each stage of the change journey, or funnel, organizations can enhance the effectiveness of their change initiatives, improve employee satisfaction and engagement, and build a resilient and adaptable workforce.
Facing an organizational change? Take our change assessment to see how prepared you are to tackle it.
Our experts can help you craft the right plan to inspire people to jump on board with change. Schedule a free chat today.
