4 ways Smartsheet Mobilizers engage executives to increase organizational effectiveness

Smartsheet Mobilizers are ambitious, creative customers who work to build consensus among their teams and drive transformation across their organizations through the adoption of Smartsheet. To better understand this community of Smartsheet customers, we surveyed our Mobilizers — customers who have access to our Mobilizer Toolkit — to find out how they drive positive change across their organizations.  

One thing Mobilizers have in common is their desire to achieve more. They want to be successful at what they do and they understand that their success depends on others across their organizations. We found that 100% of Mobilizers surveyed believe that getting executive support was key to their success. Here’s a look at how Mobilizers engage executives to increase organizational effectiveness — so everyone can achieve more.

Strategies to engage executives

While there is no set formula for executive buy-in around a collaborative work management platform, Smartsheet Mobilizers have successfully used these strategies and tactics to effect change across their organizations and help everyone achieve more.

1. Focus on the business value of the platform

Executives are concerned with big-picture business outcomes; they care less about what Smartsheet does, and more about what the platform makes possible. So rather than focusing on the day-to-day work of the platform such as “automated workflows” and “project management” when pitching Smartsheet, use phrases like “act more quickly,” “make real-time decisions,” and “see better results.” Learn what your executive is most concerned about, and show them ways that Smartsheet can address their most pressing concerns to drive business value.

2. Make it quick — and show immediate value

Help executives understand the value of a collaborative work management platform like Smartsheet by setting up a short meeting in which you show the immediate value of the platform. 

“With executives, you have five minutes. They need to see immediate value.” 

A Smartsheet Mobilizer

One solution? Generate a comprehensive dashboard that shows executives a snapshot of where the business is — and where it could be. Then let the executives ask questions, drilling down to the source data as needed to answer all of the executives’ questions, demonstrating to them how Smartsheet can work for them. 

3. Open their eyes to real-time data

To run their organizations effectively, executives need a comprehensive view of their organizations in the form of real-time, aggregated data. Showing executives how Smartsheet can improve visibility and transparency across your organization can go a long way in proving its value to higher-ups.

One Mobilizer in the healthcare industry noticed that three company leaders were launching separate marketing campaigns around ultrasounds, x-rays, and other products, each unaware that they were log-jamming the creative team. The Mobilizer used Smartsheet to build an integrated marketing calendar for the chief strategy officer that made all of these workstreams visible. The chief strategy officer now uses Smartsheet every day to better understand the big picture in their organization. 

Another Mobilizer saw a new executive struggling to rely on Microsoft Access, which has limited reporting capabilities. The Mobilizer knew she needed to get the new executive using Smartsheet so the executive could get the information she needed to be successful. The Mobilizer showed the executive the reporting capabilities that Smartsheet offers. Within a month, the executive was asking for more Smartsheet licenses.

4. Find opportunity in failure

When complicated solutions and systems break down, Mobilizers can come to the rescue with a better alternative. In one instance, a Mobilizer told us how his CIO attempted to implement an expensive work execution and communication platform that no one adopted. There was no business champion or service line to ensure its success and the platform failed. The CIO was blamed for the catastrophe, and needed a way to make it right. This Mobilizer took the initiative and requested a 10-minute sit-down. “This is a solution that won’t fail,” the Mobilizer shared with the CIO, showing how Smartsheet could easily solve the problem and overcome the user adoption issue thanks to its easy-to-use interface. The CIO liked the approach and rescued his reputation by rolling out a popular and successful platform.

People that promote Smartsheet get promoted

Mobilizers know that when they use Smartsheet to solve big problems, they get noticed. In fact, 37% of those we surveyed report earning promotions after implementing Smartsheet. 

One recently-promoted Mobilizer said that Smartsheet enabled him to grow relationships, gain visibility, meet new people, repair broken bridges, and adapt to the thinking of other departments and lines of business. And all of the Mobilizers surveyed agree that sharing Smartsheet with executives continues to play a big role in helping them to realize their professional and personal potential.

Ready to grow Smartsheet at your organization? Request access to our Mobilizer Kit.