Have you found a great new tool that will supercharge the way you work and make monotonous tasks a breeze? Great – now you just have to sell it to your boss.
And so often, therein lies the problem. Your boss doesn’t know the roadblocks that you face every day and just how much of your time they waste. Instead, they look at the decision from a purely financial viewpoint and in many cases, the answer is no.
So how can you pitch a new creative project management solution or tech tool to your boss to give you the best chance of success? Here’s our quick guide.
How to Pitch a New Tool to Upper Management
-
Demonstrate how it solves your problems
Showing is more powerful than telling. Explaining to your boss how a new tool or piece of software can solve your problems is one thing, but it’s far better to demonstrate it to them. Showing them the particular challenges you face, why they are so frustrating and how the new tool helps to solve them is the best way to get your boss on your side.
If you’re going to demo the tool during the meeting, then make sure you take the time to familiarize yourself with it and what it can do beforehand. There may well be other functionalities that you can demonstrate that will add more value to your projects and your teams. Having a more developed understanding of the ins and outs of a tool will also help you to answer your boss’s questions.
-
Get your colleagues on board
Senior managers will not see as much value in a tool that only benefits a handful of people. What will catch their attention is a solution that could be rolled out across a department or even company-wide. That’s why when it comes to pitching a new tool, there’s always strength in numbers.
The first step is to show the tool to your colleagues so they can see how it would benefit them. The next step is to get the support of team leaders in other departments. If the consensus is that the tool will simplify the workflow and processes of multiple teams, then you’ll have a much better chance of success.
Here are six ways to get your co-workers to love your ideas.
-
Seek approval from your line manager
Depending on your relationship with your line manager, this may be a step that you choose to skip. There is a risk that if your line manager loves the software, they could try to sideline you and take the software up the chain of command themselves.
However, if you have a relationship of mutual respect and trust, then getting the approval of your line manager is an important step. This will give you insight into the organization’s appetite for new tools and the sort of resistance you’re likely to face.
Your line manager will also ask the same sort of questions that you’ll receive during the pitch. For example:
- How much is it going to cost?
- What happens if it doesn’t deliver the benefits we expected?
- How long are we committed to the software for?
- Will we be able to revert back to the old system if it doesn’t work?
-
Take control of the pitching process
Pitching to senior management might be daunting but you should be prepared to lead the pitching process and take your idea all the way to the top.
Putting your head above the parapet and taking charge of the situation is an admirable trait. And even if the new tool does not get the support of senior management, you’ll be earmarked as someone who’s prepared to take initiatives to drive the business forward.
One Pitch Away from Redefining Your Career
Let’s face it, if you can deliver a great pitch for a new tool that makes your business more efficient, productive or profitable, then you could set your career on a new trajectory.
However, the process is reliant on a great idea. Only when you have thoroughly researched the technology and have the backing of your colleagues, team leaders and line manager should you take it all the way to the top.
Read more: Why businesses are turning to new digital tools to stay relevant after the pandemic.