The ‘IKEA effect’: how to build a strategy that sales will support
I am a firm believer that if people are involved in what they help create, they are more likely to support it.
When a team is involved in shaping ideas, making decisions, and coming up with strategies, they feel a sense of ownership. They suddenly move from being observers to being active participants who are motivated to see the plan through. But why is that?
The IKEA effect
The IKEA effect was identified by Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon and Dan Ariely, shows that people place more value on products or ideas they have helped build. That’s because human nature craves belonging, autonomy, and influence.
When both the marketing and sales team are involved in creating the marketing strategy, they are more likely to understand the ‘why’ behind certain decisions or ideas. If sales understand the reasoning behind your marketing strategy, they won’t just follow it because it’s imposed, but they will back it because they feel responsible for its success.
So how do you involve the sales team in your marketing strategy?
One powerful way to involve your sales team in shaping your marketing strategy is through a strategy workshop. These workshops bring together key team members and stakeholders to collaborate on important business decisions.
Bringing people together in a strategy workshop allows both teams to tap into a variety of viewpoints. This diversity of thought leads to richer discussions and better results. In their article for the Harvard Business Review, David Rock and Heidi Grant state that: “working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance.”
If facilitated well, the workshop should create a safe space for everyone to contribute. Quieter members of your team will feel safer to voice their ideas and opinions. And with everyone contributing comes more varied perspectives, more creative solutions, and stronger strategies.
During a workshop, both teams will co-create the strategy. The workshop should make everyone feel like they have played a role in developing the marketing strategy. This will automatically create shared ownership, everyone will be on the same page and motivated to implement the strategy because they helped shape it. If both teams are invested in the process, they will care about the outcome.
Holding a yearly marketing strategy workshop is an effective way to ensure that your team and the sales team contribute to, support and work together to implement the strategy. In doing so, you will not only craft better strategies but also create a culture of shared success.
If you need your sales and marketing team to align on strategy, have a look at our strategy builder programme.