Transitioning to In-House: Can Your Organization Handle the Change?
If you plan to transition some or all of your company’s digital marketing in-house, you’ll need to stay in front of the “Change Monster”. According to Terence Burton (President, Center of Excellence in Operations) all organizations facing change go through a similar cycle of adaptation:
Avoidance — Wait, this is going to require more work, right?
Denial — Why do we need this? Things are working perfectly fine as they are now.
Opposition — This is a stupid, unnecessary move that will be the end of us all!
Acceptance — There are some benefits to this change after all.
Overconfidence — Let’s do more of this, on a faster timeline.
In his article, “Are You Afraid of Change?” (Intelligent Manufacturing, 1995) Burton identifies four fear barriers people most often confront during the evolution of change. He then provides good tips to overcome those barriers in order to manage change successfully. (This article is timeless – a great read!)
Many companies mistakenly assume that taking digital marketing in-house is simply a function of finding the right people (either existing staff or an outside hire) and then providing training for any skills gaps that may exist. Not true! Setting up an in-house department requires planning and preparation in multiple areas, including:
Process: The daily business of each marketing channel (search, social, etc.) must be translated into an efficient process that ensures ROI and scalability. Going through this excercise will help you identify the skills and roles necessary and the requirements for a successful program. Being able to communicate the details of the process will reassure those who doubt that in-house is possible.
Tools: What tools will your in-house staff need to do their jobs? Who will be responsible for selecting these tools? Who will be responsible for deploying these tools and what is the timeline for doing so? Planning in advance will demonstrate that you have a handle on the workload required and calm the fears of those who suspect that your project will require too much of their time and be piled on top of their existing workload without prioritization.
Management and Organizational Structure: Who manages the in-house team? Where does it sit within the existing organizational structure? Does it shift power away from anyone? Addressing these issues early in the process will help you avoid fear barriers based on culture. It will also ensure that your in-house team isn’t left stranded, without the clout to do their jobs and make the decisions that accomplish organizational goals.
For most organizations, identifying roles, recruiting the right people for those roles, and establishing a training program can’t begin until the areas above have been addressed. And don’t forget that the in-house team won’t be successful in isolation. You’ll need a plan for ongoing communication and education within the organization, in addition to networking and knowledge sharing opportunities between the in-house team and others people/departments.
Transitioning to in-house can be an effective way to reduce costs, improve results, and keep your current staff employed in tough times. The reward is well worth the work required to ensure a successful transition.
