Many times in my career, I’ve led Digital teams in implementing new tech tools, such as a new analytics solution or a content management system, and in getting the wider Marketing and Sales teams to actually use it. And because these projects can be a bit of a beast, I came up with the BEAST method.
So why is it called BEAST?
B stands for Business Benefits – these need to be clear to everyone. Avoid going after shiny toys that don’t deliver value, and give people a strong reason for learning the new tool or technology
E stands for Evaluation – it’s important to evaluate potential providers rigorously against a clear set of criteria.
A stands for Action – even though almost every vendor will tell you that their solution is "plug & play", you should plan an appropriate time to exchange data, implement and test the tool before you deploy.
S stands for Support - most people in those Marketing and Sales teams will need a lot of support to embrace something new, so you need a full change management plan that combines training sessions, documentation materials, "office hours" for Q&A, key users in each team or division, and so on.
And finally, T is for Tracking, so you can monitor usage and show the results.
Use the BEAST method to gain more systematic adoption of new tools! Drive change that sticks!