he process of stakeholder buy-in entails the initial step towards the involvement of the key decision-makers in the project process in a bid to attain agreed consensus on their needs that are linked to the direction of the project. The primary stakeholders that are relevant in this case are the marketing and sales teams/employees, the company management, the strategic department of the organization, as well as the customers themselves. They are some of the major decision-makers, and thus their opinions in the adoption process would be crucial to its success.
Some strategies that would be utilized to achieve stakeholder buy-in would be to initially identify individuals within the team who have a background in change management, employee communication, or large-scale management of programs. Interviews and surveys would also be conducted to assess the baseline buy-in-level and thus undertake direct engagement, which is among the key areas of stakeholder buy-in (Upfront Stakeholder Buy-In: The Keys to Success, 2015). The main strategy behind engagement is to commence an open dialogue between all the entailed stakeholders in order to listen and communicate feedback while also noting their needs, ideas, and concerns. The key stakeholders would also be involved early in the process, and it will also be ensured that there is a clear rationale behind the project and that the benefits are clear.
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Some of the persuasion techniques to encourage a “no-sell zone” among stakeholders include the following (6 Tips to Persuade Stakeholders to Say “Yes” to Your Project, 2020):
Attention - this entails capturing the attention of the stakeholders by providing statistics that are relevant to the project.
Need - identification of the needs that the project will address and sharing with them. The more information one has about the business needs, the better the chances of approval from the stakeholders.
Satisfaction- this process entails informing the stakeholders of how the project will satisfy business needs as well as their needs and thus more appealing.
Visualization- explanation of the ideal scenario to the stakeholders such that it is enticing to them.
Action- informing the stakeholders of what they need to undertake in order to achieve the vision that was just shared.
Response to Student Post
Hello Paige Miller,
Regarding the primary stakeholders in your case, I do concur with you on the major stakeholders that you had mentioned, and your list is very comprehensive. While some of the persuasion techniques that you had mentioned might be effective, I do believe you need some additional ones that are highly persuasive, like ensuring the satisfaction of the stakeholders especially concerning their interests in the project as well as the company’s goals and objectives. I also believe informing the stakeholders on their role in the project is essential, especially if you want to keep them engaged. I also concur with you on the aspect of teamwork between the different departments, especially within the adoption process. Ensuring that everyone is on the same page and know their role is crucial to any new venture or project because it prevents any form of resistance to change, and also each person contributes evenly such that the project is a guaranteed success. Lastly, I like how you elucidated some of your choices by stating their significance and importance, as it makes one understand your point of view.
Hello Ellie Miller
I concur with you on the aspect of involving employees within the decision-making process, especially those that will be directly involved in sales and marketing and have direct contact with the clients or customers. This is because they will feel like they are part of the company and thus making them motivated and highly productive. Also, the list of relevant stakeholders that you had provided is comprehensive as they are all important in realizing the adoption process. In addition, the persuasion techniques you had mentioned are effective, but I do believe the list is not comprehensive enough as it should include the aspect of informing the stakeholders of their individual roles as this not only captivates them but also motivates them. Nevertheless, I do commend you on how you explained some of your strategies and stated their importance.
On-Ramp Analysis
Communication Strategies to Promote Stakeholder’s adoption of Design
Transparency and Openness in Project Presentation
In this communication strategy, the more one shares in an honest, easy, and factual manner, the more likely that the stakeholders will take the time to comprehend the intentions of the project and also understand their role and how the process might affect them (Communication strategy for stakeholder engagement, 2019). According to Everitt (2020), transparency is crucial to stakeholders because it builds trust, which aids in garnering their support and cooperation. It is also critical to the maintenance of positive relationships with the stakeholders and thus ensuring their long-term support.
Communicating with The Stakeholders in A Manner That Works Best for Them
This communication strategy entails the recognition of the various stakeholders and their interests and thus selecting different communication channels depending on the type of stakeholder. For instance, while some stakeholders prefer a face-to-face meeting, others are more inclined towards email communication, social media, or via phone or video calls. Nevertheless, each stakeholder should be given options in regards to the range of communication channels that they can utilize to provide their input or feedback.
Being Good at Listening and Understanding the Stakeholder Needs
Being a good listener is among the fundamental elements of an excellent communication process (Cruse, 2017). When the stakeholders feel like you are listening to them, they understand that their needs and those of the organization will be catered for. Maintaining an open and curious attitude will also help in understanding the concerns of the stakeholders and thus the capacity to attain creative solutions in a bid to overcome roadblocks and align interest and values, and this increases the chances of acceptance from the stakeholders.
Providing Feedback to the Stakeholders
The provision of feedback to stakeholders, especially in regards to how their interests and issues are resolved and addressed, is a crucial means of ensuring that the stakeholders take sides with you and support you in your plans and endeavors. This is also an opportunity to track commitments that had been made and thus ensuring that no promises are broken and trust is maintained. Most importantly, the provision of feedback to the stakeholders keeps them within the communication loop, and they will maintain an active role in the process, and this increases the chances of design adoption.
Maintaining Simplicity in Communicating the Design
Ensuring that the process of communicating the project to the stakeholders is as simple as possible is crucial so that they are capable of understanding the concepts behind them and thus provide honest opinions and feedback. Simplicity in the communication process ensures that everyone is on the same page and that no one is left out and feeling lost. Besides, Mether (2019) claims that simplicity is vital for effective communication. Stakeholders are more likely to adopt or accept concepts that they can easily understand and thus the significance of maintaining simplicity.
Three Possible Consequences of Customer Word-of-Mouth
Word of mouth alludes to when the consumer’s interests in a company’s services or products are reflected in their communication. Fundamentally, this is free advertisement for companies, but this is not necessarily the case as the impacts can also be negative, especially when customers are not satisfied with a particular service or product (Lorette, 2020). Therefore, the company should strive to make the experience as positive as possible for the customer so that they can communicate positively about the company’s services or products.
One possible positive consequence of word of mouth from customers is that the messages can spread quickly and increase the company’s market reach and consequently showing success for the new change. However, this can only be the case when the word of mouth entails positive communication about the company’s services or products. The positive word of mouth ensures that new customers are obtained while the previous customers become loyal and repeat customers because of the positive affiliation with the company. Another positive impact of word of mouth is the potential for better company reputations and publicity. For instance, when such word-of-mouth communications occur on social media, it improves the company’s reputation as it is always associated with positivity. However, one potential negative consequence is in regards to negative word of mouth. This usually occurs when the customers are dissatisfied with the new product or service, meaning that they are likely to look for services elsewhere while driving away potential customers from the company.
Potential Challenges and Opportunities for Adoption Strategies
When it comes to demographics, there is a plethora of ways that different generations react to new products or services or new means of undertaking something. One of the potential challenges is mainly in regards to how the conservative population would respond to the change. For instance, the older generations who are more resistant to change might react negatively and thus affecting this demographic of the customer segments. Usually, older generations are accustomed to norms are not easily adaptable to new situations, and this means that there is the risk of them reacting negatively to the change. This is a scientific phenomenon, according to Salleh (2016), as he argues that the brain circuit which helps one adapt to change fades with age. This is a potential challenge for the project as the older generation might react negatively. However, one opportunity is the capacity to attract younger generations and also be able to retain them. Younger generations can easily adapt and are thus more welcoming and receptive to change. This provides an opportunity to target a younger generation of individuals as they also have more purchasing power and can be repeat customers.
References
6 Tips to Persuade Stakeholders to Say “Yes” to Your Project. (2020). Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/8591/6-Tips-to-Persuade-Stakeholders-to-Say-Yes-to-Your-Project
Communication Strategy for Stakeholder Engagement. (2019). Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://www.sustainet.com/communication-strategy-for-stakeholder/
Cruse, R. (2017). It Is Important To Be A Good Listener. Why? Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://medium.com/@cruserose95/it-is-important-to-be-a-good-listener-why-8823ffb8651d#:~:text=In%20order%20to%20make%20someone,a%20clear%20and%20crisp%20communication.&text=If%20you%20are%20not%20a,of%20view%20of%20another%20person.
Everitt, J. (2020). How to Get Stakeholders on Your Side with Campaign Transparency. Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://www.wrike.com/blog/campaign-transparency-to-guide-stakeholders/
Lorette, K. (2020). Negatives to Word-of-Mouth Marketing Strategies. Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/negatives-word-of-mouth-marketing-strategies-1411.html
Mether, L. (2019). Simplicity over complexity is vital for effective communication. Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://www.leahmether.com.au/simplicity-over-complexity-is-vital-for-effective-communication/#:~:text=Simplicity%20over%20complexity%20is%20vital%20for%20effective%20communication.,understand%20what%20you%27re%20saying.
Salleh, A. (2016). Brain circuit that helps us adapt to change fades with age. Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2016-04-21/brain-circuit-that-helps-us-adapt-to-change-fades-with-age/7342736#:~:text=He%20and%20colleagues%20hypothesised%20that,located%20in%20the%20brain%27s%20core.&text=This%20confirmed%20that%20deterioration%20in,failure%20to%20adapt%20to%20change.
Upfront Stakeholder Buy-In: The Keys to Success. (2015). Retrieved 16 February 2021, from https://spendmatters.com/2015/07/21/upfront-stakeholder-buy-in-the-keys-to-success/
