Markets shift and products evolve; competitors rebrand and customer expectations rise. Through it all, organizations rely on their go-to-market (GTM) message to make sense of it all.
When that message changes, it risks becoming just another signal reps are expected to process and adopt.
“There is a constant inundation of information coming to our sales team, from new products or product details and features, as well as nuances within those customers’ needs, challenges, and business,” said Anna Duong, leader, product/solution marketing and sales enablement at Cisco. “Even if you get a hold of it, guess what? It’s going to change again next week, next month, or next year.”
Over time, this volatility results in change fatigue. Reps grow comfortable with their approach and resist changing it when the message inevitably shifts.
That’s when fractures start to appear: marketing moves forward, but sales doesn’t follow. In the market, buyers hear mixed messages at every stage in their journey.
The following framework outlines a three-phase approach for maintaining organizational alignment through messaging change:
Guide sellers through change that sticks
Rolling out new messaging may be one of the most challenging initiatives the GTM organization faces, but a phased approach for defining the message, activating the frontline, and reinforcing the new behavior can simplify the process. With time, the new message will become second nature.
Rolling out new messaging is one of the toughest challenges any GTM team faces. But a phased approach can find clarity and ensure that, over time, the new message becomes second nature.
Step 1: Define the scope of change
The moment a messaging shift becomes necessary, take stock of potential ripple effects. Consider how it will disrupt reps’ current workflows, as well as the investment it will require from cross-functional teams.
“Take a good look: What is the delta of the behavior you’re trying to change?” said Julie Cecilio, vice president of go-to-market revenue enablement at Collibra. “How much effort is it going to take to get that change to stick?”
Ask three key questions:
- What forces make this change necessary? A new product, a shifting market, or an evolving persona will each require a different approach. Identify the trigger first.
- What part of the message needs to change? Spell out the behavioral delta, meaning specific habits or language reps use. Ground these adjustments in observable behavior.
- How will each GTM team support the change? Build a shared bill of materials and delivery dates outlining marking, enablement, and sales’ role in driving adoption of the new message.
Get a clear lay of the land and communicate it broadly.
When leaders across the GTM organization share a common understanding of what’s changing and why, it will be easier to drive meaningful message adoption. In this way, organizations maintain velocity and ensure momentum isn’t lost to change resistance.
With that in order, it’s time to take the message to the field.
Step 2: Activate the frontline
With a plan in place, the next challenge is securing rep buy in, which won’t be easy. Reps are busy. They have limited time and mental bandwidth for non-selling tasks, especially those that disrupt their tried-and-true ways of working.
Lead with empathy and transparency. Show reps how the new message offers stronger differentiation, drives more effective conversations, and at the end of the day, helps them win.
If reps feel the new message is relevant to their success, they’ll tune in and make the change.
“Enablement needs to understand the life of a sales rep and, wherever possible, look to reduce their cognitive load,” said Christian Palmer, global revenue enablement manager at Riskified. “Reps are thinking about a lot of different things; they’re fluctuating between this deal, that deal, and what’s going on internally. The job’s hard enough as it is, so you want to position yourself as a teammate.”
To earn buy in and drive early adoption of a new message, focus on two things:
- Launching live and loud: Get in front of reps early. Tell the story behind the message change and help them understand why adapting to it will benefit them. A positive initial impression of the new message and its importance will pay dividends in adoption down the line.
- Provide bite-sized support: Fit learning into the moments between deals. Five-minute videos, quick hits, and cheat sheets are a great way to build knowledge without pulling reps away from the activities that matter most.
With the initial launch in the rearview mirror, it’s time to reinforce it. If reps only hear the message once, it becomes background noise to be filtered out and forgotten. However, if it’s heard over and over, it will eventually become a habit.
Step 3: Reinforce the new behavior
After the new message is launched, the real work truly begins, as reinforcement requires more than just weekly reminders or “checking in” emails.
It requires clear, intentional touchpoints and thoughtful measurement. In the weeks following the initial roll out, measure what matters:
- Internal engagement: Are reps opening, viewing, and sharing new materials?
- Real-world behavior: Are buyer conversations reflecting the updated story?
- Deal outcomes: Are opportunities influenced by the new message progressing faster or closing at higher rates?
At every turn, connect activities and touchpoints to observable behavior and business outcomes. Those insights reveal the success of the new message roll out, as well as how the updated story performs in the field.
With a pulse on both internal and external impact, the organization gains a comprehensive view of the impact and influence of the new message and can continuously evolve the story as needed.
Change shouldn’t feel synonymous with chaos
No message is forever. Market realities, competitive shifts, and organizational priorities will always evolve.
That means that change is inevitable. Your goal shouldn’t be to avoid it; instead, it should be to build resilient, trusting teams capable of adapting to it.
If change is on the horizon for your organization, take a deep breath. While it’s rarely an easy initiative to execute, the right approach can lead to quick adoption and high utilization of a new message across the go-to-market organization.
