How to improve your change management process

Now, we don't know if you've heard but... "the digital marketing landscape is c h a n g i n g".

(Cue: huge eye roll 🙄)

But for real, change truly is constant in marketing, and shockingly—or maybe, it's not that much of a shock to you—only 12% of marketing change initiatives are actually successful. That means the odds are kinda stacked against you in this reality of AI and tech transformation.

So, instead of 1) facing the internal panic and 2) slightly traumatizing your team with poor alignment, lack of transparency, and projecting that aforementioned internal panic, you want a strong process in place.

Avoid slowing down the marketing momentum with actionable strategies for a real good change management process; one that reduces resistance and accelerates adoption.

Go from reactive and chaotic to proactive, structured, and successful with this quick guide.

What is change management and why does it matter?

Change management is (shock) all about how you manage change, whether that be new tools, teams, leadership, acquisitions, digital experiences, experimentation programs... you get the gist.

We're talking a structured approach that's split into:

• Preparing for change
• Managing the change
• Reinforcing the change

And why it matters? Well, in a marketing context, we want to make sure momentum and innovation aren't lost during changes and transitional phases.

Is your marketing change management *actually* working?

Now it's time to take a long, hard look at yourself. Let’s be honest—most marketing change processes are more make-it-up-as-we-go than mission control. And if the data is anything to go by (hello, 12% success rate), yours might need a little love.

So before you dive headfirst into your next big transformation, hit pause and audit what’s really going on under the hood.

Here’s your checklist to diagnose the state of your change game:

1) Map out the madness

• What’s your actual process right now (if any)?
• What steps do you think happen vs. what actually happens?
• Who’s involved—and who’s in the dark?

2) Spot the usual suspects

• Where do things slow down, stall, or blow up?
• Are your goals clear, or does it feel like you’re chasing fog?
• Is leadership aligned—or are you dragging execs behind you like dead weight?

3) Watch out for siloes

• Are your teams talking to each other—or past each other?
• Are certain channels, departments, or geos always out of sync?

Odds are that you'll surface some invisible frictions that have previously turned a good idea into a month-long migraine (and no one wants that). Once you start to see the patterns, you can start fixing them with intention—not just optimism.

How to improve your change management process

(...without driving your team berserk).

So, you’ve figured out your current process needs a glow-up. Good news: better change management isn’t about blowing everything up—it’s about getting intentional, aligned, and a little more agile.

Here’s how to do it smarter (and faster):

1. Align on goals you can actually measure

   
   Less of the fuzzy visions—set goals that you can actually measure. Start every initiative with clear, trackable KPIs; metrics like adoption rate, time-to-market, or campaign velocity. If you can’t measure it, your team can’t rally around it.

2. Get stakeholders on the same page—pronto

   
   No more mystery sponsors or vague approvals. Use leadership briefings and RACI charts to map ownership, build buy-in, and avoid the dreaded "Who’s responsible for this?" spiral.

3. Pilot, learn, repeat

   
   Test before you transform. Start with low-risk experiments, learn what works, and scale smart. Feedback isn’t a bonus—it’s the blueprint.

4. Gauge change-readiness before you launch

   
   You wouldn’t send a campaign without testing creative, so why launch a change without checking if your team is ready? Use quick surveys or pulse checks to assess confidence and capability.

5. Tailor your internal comms just like you'd tailor a campaign

   
   Change messaging needs targeting too. What your creatives need to hear isn’t what your analytics team cares about. Customize by audience and keep it real—no corporate jargon (please).

6. Train, coach, empower

   
   Change sticks when your people feel equipped. Offer hands-on training, create peer coaching networks, and tap early adopters to lead the charge.

7. Use tech that de-risks change

   
   Tools like Optimizely let you test, roll out, and iterate without betting the farm. Gradual adoption = less friction, more confidence.

8. Measure. Reflect. Tweak. Go again.

   
   Track what matters—adoption rates, satisfaction scores, process speed—and build in retros or even A/B tests to continuously improve how you change. Focus on how structured change management helped align teams, reduce disruption, and maintain momentum.

The TL;DR of it all ✌️

Change doesn’t have to feel chaotic. With the right goals, tools, and human-centered approach, it becomes something your team can actually get behind. (And maybe even enjoy.)