- Have you ever gotten an email full of feature releases that you don’t understand?
- Tired of dry and boring communications flooding your corporate inbox?
- Feel like you need to connect better with your team?
All too often, the default communication for the PLM department is a laundry list of technical jargon and system facts that users don’t get. However, working together with your team on an engaging communication strategy will restore your team’s enthusiasm and commitment.
In this blog post, we’ll share some easy ways to spice up your PLM communications and get one step closer to users.
#1 – Make Things Personal With a Selfie Video
Create a short selfie video explaining why PLM is important, where you are planning to invest the next year’s PLM budget, or what the current priority is. Videos allow you to add both a visual and personal element to your message, which can be more engaging and interesting for your audience. Not only will you hold the audience’s attention, but your message will be more memorable!
Working together is all about building authentic connections. What’s more authentic than a homemade video? When people see you on video, they will feel like they are getting to know the real you.
Communication centered around a personal video will be the first step in establishing a meaningful connection with your audience, one that fosters trust. Remember that less is more here. Shoot for sending a catchy message that sticks!
#2 – Skip the Formal Introductions
How often do you shake someone’s hand and immediately forget their name? Chances are that this occurs pretty frequently and even more so in the office.
So how can you get people to remember who the PLM architect, PLM specialist, and system developer is? Try this out for size: Let your team introduce themselves in a written interview series!
The interview series should be a break from the monotony. Ask your PLM team to interview each other. Make sure they highlight who they are, what they do on the team, a personal anecdote, and their favorite quote or fun fact.
By publishing these interview-style articles, team members have a chance to get outside their comfort zones and users have a chance to actually get to know who is behind digital initiatives.
Consistency is key here. Create a timeline for the series and follow it! That way, users will have something to look forward to. Before you know it, a sense of belonging and purpose will begin to flourish.
The positive environment that these informal introductions offers will translate into people working together in new ways and unexpected collaborations. What more could we ask for?
#3 – Make Training Fun With Microlearning
Microlearning has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its ability to provide short, targeted, and effective learning experiences. This type of learning is especially beneficial for businesses that need to quickly upskill employees, build knowledge, and keep up with industry trends.
Additionally, microlearning is a great way to engage learners and make working together more enjoyable. You can think of microlearning as bite-sized bursts of training content. It’s a new-age training method for Gen Z.
From single-screen challenges to visual flashcards, the possibilities for microlearning are endless. That’s partially why microlearning is so appealing, it offers even more freedom for users than the traditional eLearning course.
For instance, you could send out weekly quizzes that tackle creating a report, transferring data from your CAD system, or navigating a specific section of a model. Then, store the results on your collaborative platform and let users know via email or internal socials how they did.
A little healthy competition can bring new life into your PLM training.
#4 – Facilitate an Interactive Feedback Session
Your users are wise. More often than not, they are willing to share their knowledge. Organize an interactive feedback session and empower them to be part of the conversation around PLM.
Set a clear goal for the session, determine what you hope to achieve, and invite your stakeholders!
It is important to choose a suitable platform that allows you to collaborate on the fly. There are tools out there, such as Miro or Mentimeter, that let you configure interactive feedback sessions so you can spark conversation and start enabling change.
During the session, consider using techniques like brainstorming or breaking off into small groups for discussions that inspire people to participate. Don’t forget the power of active listening!
A crucial aspect of feedback is circling back to address what’s been said. After the session, follow up on any action items or issues that were raised. That way, the users begin to count on you and will be more likely to champion your PLM journey.
#5 – Host PLM Coffee and Conversations
Invite your users to meet up for a coffee – either online or in person! Communication is a two-way street, so make sure everyone has an opportunity to be heard. Encourage feedback from your stakeholders, an essential aspect of refining, improving, and the product lifecycle so as to ensure it’s as efficient and effective as possible.
These meetings will spark conversations about possible improvements, challenges, and opportunities. In doing so, they will facilitate conversations with your most important stakeholders: your users.
Enjoying a cup of coffee while working together, in a laid-back setting, is teamwork at its finest.
#6 – Let Success Speak for Itself
There’s no better marketing campaign than a team of enthusiastic PLM business users willing to share their success stories. Their PLM story is social proof, and therefore so are you.
Allowing successful users to tell their stories can be a powerful way to showcase the value of your product or service.
Nothing is more personal than the trial and error that makes up a unique learning path. This type of vulnerability helps to personalize your communication and inspires other users to share their genuine perspectives.
Help them shape their ideas through a series of workshops, and share their case studies through articles, blog posts, or testimonials.
#7 – Share Experiences With a Webinar Series
A regular webinar series helps build rapport and belonging to a community. They provide a platform for remote team members to connect and collaborate in a meaningful way. Webinars give team members the opportunity to get to know one another better, share ideas, and learn from each other. This creates a sense of unity and helps to develop a stronger team dynamic.
The best part? Users will never get bored. Topics can range from sharing tips and tricks, working together on a specific issue, discussing your development plans, or training. Keep the webinars going on a regular basis to create a movement that gets your users excited about your PLM journey!
Transparency is key when it comes to communication. Regular communication helps you build trust – one of the most important pillars of enabling change.
Simple and easy is often better – avoid complicated initiatives that require huge effort that won’t be repaid.
Get creative, try things out, choose your channel, ask for feedback, and measure how it went! With a little elbow grease and creativity, you can make sure that everyone is kept in the loop and that product development stays on track.
Do you have any other ideas? Let us know in the comments.
