You're facing pushback from stakeholders on product marketing changes. How can you win them over?

Embracing change in marketing strategies can often meet with resistance, but it's an opportunity to engage stakeholders in a meaningful way. By actively listening and addressing concerns, you demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and transparency. This approach not only fosters trust but also harnesses diverse viewpoints, enriching the marketing plan. Ultimately, it's about harmonizing different perspectives to innovate and move forward together. Such collaboration can lead to more robust and resilient marketing strategies that enjoy broader support and better alignment with stakeholder values.

By setting up regular check-ins with stakeholders, I create an ongoing dialogue that works wonders. These meetings allow me to share updates, address new concerns, and gather fresh input as we implement marketing changes. This approach has been a game-changer for me. It shows stakeholders that I value their opinions beyond just the initial discussion. Plus, it gives me a chance to show how I've used their feedback, which builds trust. Remember, change isn't a one-time event. By keeping communication lines open, I've been able to create a more collaborative environment and turn resistance into support. It's amazing how a simple commitment to ongoing dialogue can make such a big difference.

Align on the problem to be solved AND how important it is to the business to solve it now. You and your colleagues across the business are dealing with hundreds of issues simultaneously. Oftentimes, the pushback comes from competing priorities. Make sure your proposal is solving an issue that has a business-wide, net positive impact, and isn't a "localized" problem. If you first have agreement solving *this* problem is both urgent and important, it's so much easier to enlist and engage your colleagues in helping to implement the change.

It's really important to understand where they're coming from. Start by listening to their feedback and questions carefully. This not only shows you respect their viewpoints but also helps you learn more about what's important to them and what worries they might have. Once you have a clear understanding of their concerns, address each one directly with specific information and reassurance. This can help ease their doubts and show that you’ve thought things through. Ultimately, you want to foster a collaborative atmosphere where stakeholders feel their input is valued and considered in the decision-making process. By doing this, you're not just pushing for changes but building a partnership based on trust and mutual respect.

Like any good product marketing professional, please ensure that you have clear lines of communication (both positive and negative) with your stakeholders from the beginning. Resistance typically comes from not understanding the "why" behind a change. Asking what they are resistant to lets you fully hear what they understand of the changes before jumping to conclusions. Once you understand their reservations, you can form a better way of communicating the changes and the "why" behind them!

Good storytelling will get people's attention, but good data will get their buy-in. Winning over stakeholders isn't done in the meeting itself, but rather in the preparation beforehand. As a product marketer, the real work is in the lead-up, where you lay out your claims and build the data and research that support your narrative. Instead of relying on "my thoughts," I point to research and data that substantiate my claims, allowing me to focus the meeting on driving excitement and effectively making my case. Your strength as a product marketer lies not in making claims, but in effectively driving change. How you present your data and story is key to achieving this.

Validate any product marketing changes by referencing customer feedback, competitive intelligence, and market trends. Partner with customer success when you are gathering feedback from customers. Collaborate with sales and product teams when you are engaging in competitive analysis and market research and set a regular cadence for these activities because they are constantly in flux. If you work together and share your findings and actionable insights first, it will be a lot easier to align on proposed changes.

Visualizing positive outcomes is crucial for gaining stakeholder support for marketing changes. Imagine the benefits: increased market share, higher customer satisfaction, and stronger brand recognition. These changes align with our company's broader goals, enhancing our market presence and making our brand more recognizable. Enthusiastically and confidently sharing these potential outcomes can help stakeholders see the value in embracing change. It’s about driving the company forward and achieving long-term success. When stakeholders understand the significant positive impact, they're more likely to support these initiatives.

It is critical to maintain composure and open dialogue. Other perspectives may raise areas of concern/challenge/opportunity that you did not consider. I also embrace “assume positive intent” which can go a long way in providing better solutions in the long run and foster respect within the team.

We often talk about how important it is to interact with our customers, hold 1:1 interviews, capture feedback, etc. It's equally important to apply this same approach to the work you're performing internally. The dialogue between you and your stakeholders should be a continuous feedback loop that is always open. As your company evolves, so will the product and the requirements for your launch plans, the size of teams and their needs, etc. The more you can lean into this constant dialogue, the easier it will be to manage these conversations where you want to change something.

Being prepared to adapt your approach based on stakeholder feedback is essential. Flexibility demonstrates your commitment to finding the best solution for the product and the company, rather than rigidly sticking to your original plan. By incorporating stakeholder suggestions, you foster a sense of ownership among them, which can lead to more enthusiastic support for the marketing changes. This collaborative approach ensures that everyone is invested in the success of the project, making it more likely to achieve the desired outcomes.

To win over stakeholders, show your unwavering commitment to the product’s success. Emphasize that the proposed marketing changes are focused on long-term performance and that you’re fully invested in making them work. Your dedication and passion can inspire confidence and help shift their perspectives in favour of the new direction.