Change Management Tips for Successful Account Engagement (Pardot) Implementations

As with any project, user-focused change management is crucial for project success and product adoption. Without this consideration, risks are created, which can range from minor grumbles to outright mutiny – with good reason!

Studies suggest that good communication about upcoming change can make whatever is ahead appear less daunting and be better received.

Reasons for an Account Engagement (Pardot) Implementation

Account Engagement (Pardot) implementations can arise out of many different scenarios. In my experience, these are generally one of the following. An organization could be:

• New to marketing automation: Previously they have only been sending out emails through their email client.
• Improving email marketing: Have an existing email marketing tool and are looking to improve it.
• Switching product: Switching from another marketing automation tool.
• Restructuring: They already have Account Engagement (Pardot) but need a new account or business unit.

These principles apply to all cases, but the approach will be slightly different for each. A clear understanding of where you’re starting from will help chart the journey ahead.

When it comes to implementing Account Engagement (Pardot), there are some things you can put in place that can support this, whether you’re implementing internally or with the support of a Salesforce partner. The examples in this article will relate to Account Engagement (Pardot) specifically, but some of the general advice could be applied to other CRM platform projects.

As with any other project, there are tools/methods which you can use to support the day-to-day running. Three of those are:

1. User stories: A great introduction to this can be found here.
2. Project management software: JIRA is my personal preference, but there are many other tools like Trello, Asana, etc. If your project team is already using one that they like, then ideally stick to that.
3. RACI: This establishes who is Responsible, Accountable, and needs to be Consulted or Informed across each aspect of your project. Planning ahead means that people are aware and can prepare for incoming change.

In this article, I’ll break down a few key project stages and discuss how change management considerations can support each one.

1. Discovery

Where are your users coming from? Where do they want to go?

Think about what the incumbent system is, if any, and take the time to discuss the comparison with Account Engagement (Pardot). Chances are you’ve already explored this in procurement, though often it’s a limited group who are involved with that. In some cases, marketing automation itself will be new. Short demo videos from Salesforce or introduction articles can be useful to share with anyone who may not have been involved in prior decision-making. Use information collated in that process (demos, case studies, RFP responses, etc.) to share with your users where relevant and get them up to speed.

For your knowledge, it can be helpful to compare an incumbent system to Account Engagement (Pardot) and identify key areas in which improvements will be made. This is an opportunity to get them excited about what’s ahead and see how the new tool can align with their future goals. Be mindful of what you share, with whom, and when, as some things can be overwhelming! The key thing here is to have an understanding of where your users are coming from and where they’d like to be in terms of their marketing automation journey.

2. Planning

What are your timelines?

Communicate timelines clearly and consider any implications. If you’re working with a project manager (or two!), they can help you plan this out and understand blockers, key dates, and the impact this could have on the team.

Tools like JIRA usually have the option for a ‘Due Date’ and reporting functionality. This can allow users to be aware if they need to complete things, and it’s helpful to keep all ‘to-do’ items in one place. During a project, additional tasks may come up, for example, “share image files with the designer”. By adding these as a task with a deadline, you can ensure people know when to do it and avoid creating blockers.

On Account Engagement (Pardot) implementations, one of the biggest blockers I’ve come across has been content. Putting together assets, email templates, and automated emails can take a lot of time. Ensure that the people responsible are aware of what they need to do in good time and that enough time is allowed so that it doesn’t affect dependent tasks.

3. Build

How will you communicate during the project?

Speak to your project team and understand how they’re feeling. This is incredibly important and can help you spot and resolve issues quickly. Change can be scary, and ensuring people have the opportunity to voice concerns and ask questions forms an important part of ensuring project success. Active listening is particularly important here, so I find these conversations are best done in person or over the phone. For longer projects, I recommend having fortnightly or weekly ‘drop-ins’ where there isn’t a set agenda, but people can come along to have more informal conversations. If appropriate, create space for the team to meet you 1-1 as well, particularly if you are leading the project internally.

I’m a big fan of having a shared space where everyone involved can communicate about a project. Tools like Slack or Teams can work well as they allow for both internal and external users to work together. Establishing a clear format for communication early on in the project means that important information can be shared widely. Arguably, it’s better to over-communicate rather than not communicate enough.

This example RACI shows how the people involved in an Account Engagement (Pardot) project may need to be ‘consulted’ or ‘informed’ even if they aren’t directly working on a task.

4. Go Live

What is your measure of success? What’s next?

With user stories, you should have clear acceptance criteria or a ‘definition of done’. This indicates whether a requirement has been met and ensures a project is completed technically.

A great way to help your team reflect on the project is to set higher-level project goals which can be reviewed after going live. Here are some examples:

• We would like to see at least five teams able to send out their monthly newsletters through Account Engagement (Pardot).
• We must have follow-up emails sent from Account Engagement (Pardot) for all Eventbrite events.
• We would like to have Engagement Reports easily accessible by the team when required, with a reduction in time spent on processing requests (currently around two hours per week).

Reflecting on your journey so far presents opportunities for the next steps or resolving things that haven’t yet been addressed. It’s an important step in iteration and feedback from the wider team and can be very valuable for ensuring good adoption of the system.

Summary

In summary, considering change management throughout your project can ensure that users are engaged and supported, ultimately leading to success! Using skills such as active listening and project management tools can help create a culture of positive change.

Any thoughts? Make sure to share them in the comments below.