Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes …
At the end of the day, nobody likes them. Sometimes, though, they’re just necessary. Sometimes we have to make them knowing it will upset some of our customers or clients. This is especially true in the technology arena, and it’s important that sweeping changes be handled appropriately. If they aren’t, annoyed clients could easily turn to former clients.
Today, I’m going to show you how to soften the blow and maybe even get people excited about major changes, like platform shifts, data migrations, and new site features. Some changes will directly impact how client sites operate or how the system fetches data. It can raise questions around security and cause less tech-savvy users to panic, wondering how difficult it will be to learn new policies, a new UI, or more. Here are a few things you can do to keep people in the loop.
1. Give Plenty of Notice
The best way to avoid negative reactions to major changes is to be transparent and give all kinds of notice before you do anything. You’ll get some negative feedback right off the bat, but people aren’t likely to bail on you at this stage. This is where nurturing and retention come into play.
Start with an email blast that explains the necessity of the upgrade and provides details about how the changes will enhance user experience. Lead with the most positive features and mention them in your subject lines. Limit your email messaging to one point per message. The thing about email blasts is that they can be as long or short as you want them to be.
You don’t need to convey the information in a static or technical way, either. Instead, try a more narrative approach. This allows the readers to put themselves in the thick of the action. It creates images of smooth transitions and easier processes. What circumstances led to the decision to upgrade? These are the pain points. Present them from the perspective of the user and keep the story open-ended until you’ve hit all relevant points in your messages.
2. Provide the Technical Data
There will always be the ones who will insist on knowing everything about the upgrade. For these people (as well as your investors and employees), I recommend developing a white paper. White papers are intentionally technical but also have a level of readability that a layperson can understand.
Most of all, white papers are thorough. Most people won’t read the entire thing, so be certain to showcase every section prominently so the skimmers can find them easily. Keep in mind that white papers are both informational and promotional in nature. Keep the pain point/solution model in mind when developing your white paper, and develop each section in a manner that presents the conflict and the resolution in a concise but detailed way.
3. Keep Reminding Them
As the date of the rollout gets closer, you will want to stay in close communication with your client base. You can do this by really driving your email campaigns, but there are other things you should be doing, too. Here are a few suggestions:
Blogging — Write blog posts that coincide with your email messages and link to them directly in your emails.
Social Media Posts — Couple good blog writing with links to your blog from your social channels and add calls to action to your social posts that encourage your followers to get educated about the changes.
Social Engagement — Be there to field questions and respond positively and professionally to comments, even the ones that paint you, your brand, and the upcoming changes in a bad light. No matter how much research and effort goes into this rollout, there will always be the ones out there who think they know better. Your presence on social media will help them and others figure out who the real authority is and pay attention to you, not your detractors.
4. Provide Social Proofs and Real-World Data
Do your research and offer searchable, observable, and verifiable evidence of the efficacy of the changes that are coming. What problems has this new tech solved for other hosting companies? How you do know? How can your clients see for themselves?
Oh, and what do you do with all this data? Well, you can start by peppering all of your content with it or with references to it. This creates a more homogenous feel for your content. When the same information is presented in ways that are effective for the type of content in which it’s mentioned, it starts making sense in multiple contexts. You will have a much easier time getting people to trust your decision to upgrade if the details are adequately explained and make sense to the average client.
5. Stay Visible, Empathetic, and Responsive
Feedback can tell you quite a bit about the effectiveness of your content. If it seems like there is confusion among your social audience(s) but you get loads of opens and click-throughs via email, you might want to consider adjusting your messaging to bring all your relevant audiences together.
The more you pay attention to what people are saying, the easier it will be to make those adjustments. Tweak the messaging, monitor the responses, and thank people for drawing attention to the chinks in your content armor.
Getting Help When You Need It
If all of this seems a little overwhelming, it might be time to seek a little help from experienced sources. At BeezContent, we understand the intricacies of technical content marketing and can help you develop content that delivers your messaging in all the ways described above. Contact us today to discuss your project and get some advice on how to line up your content marketing in a way that makes people feel more comfortable about the changes.
