Learning how to sell progressive ideas in a traditional marketing department from a diverse range of veteran marketers.

In marketing, innovation is everything. Whether you're preparing for the rise of VR or devouring a mascot on live TV, creativity is essential to successfully reaching and engaging consumers. But getting buy-in for those big, outside-the-box ideas sometimes feels impossible — especially in companies with a conservative culture or an omnipresent need to demonstrate ROI.

space150 recently hosted a panel of marketing leaders well versed in tackling this exact challenge. The esteemed group featured knowledgeable vets from a wide variety of industries, moderated by space150's own Allie Arends, VP Strategy. A part of our deepSpace series, the panelists' invaluable insights gave us plenty of food for thought. So we're sharing the top takeaways to help you successfully sell progressive ideas within your organization alongside the full video.

Our expert panelists were:

• Carter Jensen, Sr. Manager, Advanced Marketing Solutions, General Mills
• Jillian Davis, VP Brand and Marketing Comms, Minnesota Aurora
• Jordan Grace Miller, VP Marketing, Inspire Medical Systems
• Patrick O'Brien, Head of Global Marketing Operations, Beats by Dr. Dre
• Shelley Hamman, Global Digital Program Leader, Cargill
• Veronica Cowen, Sr. Director of Digital Marketing, Miracle Ear

Takeaway 1: Build Trust Through Storytelling (with Data)

Skepticism can be a major hurdle to seeing through unproven ideas, no matter how logical they seem. To overcome that "prove it" mentality, our panelists stressed the power of combining compelling storytelling with data. Jillian advised to "learn what is motivating the stakeholders, then determine how you can sell to them." Crafting a narrative that explains the "why" behind your idea and connects it directly to stakeholders concerns is sure to get their attention.

And data is essential to crafting a compelling narrative. As Shelley noted, "being able to articulate the business impact" is vital. She went on to note that while backing up any assertions with numbers is key, marketers don't always have the luxury of pure digital end-to-end reporting. And in that case, we can't rely on numbers alone to tell the entire story.

When analytics are still in flux, focusing on qualitative outcomes, industry trends, and other supporting data points can help build a convincing case when ROI analytics aren't immediately available. In Veronica's words, "Connect all the dots, telling a concise, clear story." Learn what will get people excited, internally or otherwise, follow the data and insights and connect it to motivators, whether driving sales or otherwise.

Part of garnering buy-in is learning who the decision makers are, and learning how best to reach them. "Learn how they like to communicate and how they like to be communicated to," says Shelley. For some, that could mean snappy decks, while many leaders may only have time for a text. "They're not going to read my email," she laughs.

Ultimately, selling change internally can take time. "Change can look scary. Take it one step at a time," advised Jordan Grace. And while pushing through innovative ideas can be a process, it can also be a fun one. "Make it a campaign!" she enthused. "Get people excited and talking about it… marketing a project instead of a product."

Takeaway 2: Fail Fast, Learn and Adapt

Don't try to change everything at once. In larger, more traditional settings, smaller, focused innovations might gain traction more easily, paving the way for bigger ideas in the future. "Don't try to boil the ocean," says Shelley. Instead of always chasing after what's new and shiny, prioritize the things that "move the needle for business needs." Other panelists echoed the sentiment that innovation can be incremental.

Being iterative means embracing experimentation to fail fast, learn, and adapt. As Patrick put it, "We're not afraid to be wrong. We like to be wrong, because we can learn from that." That means speed is as important as perfection. Jordan Grace advised, "Don't be afraid to bring unfinished ideas," and Patrick agreed. "Come early versus getting it perfect and polished… tell us what we can learn."

This agile approach can also open doors to conversations with stakeholders who are hesitant about large-scale overhauls, where small learnings can snowball into convincing, data-backed recommendations. A strong agency partner who knows your business and brings proactive thinking to the table can help pinpoint innovations, prioritize tests and manage any ongoing experimental projects.

Carter also focused on the importance of prototypes when it comes to shipping products. His advice? "Say no to no one." You never know where the unfinished product might take you, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Takeaway 3: Hire for Curiosity, Then Empower Your Team

Your team can be your greatest innovation engine. In Patrick's words, "Hire people who are in culture… Hire people not to tell them what to do, but tell you what to do." If you hire folks who are naturally curious, excited about the industry's future, and eager to explore, they'll be naturally tuned in to what's coming down the pipeline.

Jordan Grace further emphasized diversity of thought. "If you [only] hire within your industry, you're going to get the same thing." She stressed the importance of hiring talent from different industries and with experience levels. And to maintain an innovative culture, she ensures her team stays empowered at all levels. "At the end of the day no matter what ideas you have, your team runs it," Jordan Grace went on to say. They need to "feel safe to try new things."

Giving teams the freedom to take calculated risks, providing a safe space for failure, and shielding them from unnecessary red tape are all key to incubating change. Jillian emphasized the importance, asking her teams, "'What would you do without expectations?' Give them that latitude… I protect that time for them."

Or as Carter says, ask yourself, "How do I become a heat shield?" And be sure to celebrate their successes, big and small, to keep morale high and drive further critical thinking. "Let them celebrate the big wins and returns," he adds.

Empowering teams also means managing expectations up the chain of command, as well. Setting expectations goes a long way, according to Veronica. "Leadership gets the most frazzled when they don't know something," she added. So even when things don't go as planned, explain what's happening — and what you're doing to pivot.

Watch the Panel Recap

To catch the entire conversation, watch the video below.

In summary, innovation is not just execution. It's about sourcing smart ideas, validating them with data, and creating a culture where forward-thinking teams can thrive — all things that should come naturally to any great agency partner. But we're curious — let us know, what's your biggest challenge when selling innovative ideas within your organization? Get in touch today.

—Peter Lansky, Associate Director of Strategy, space150