Using software for stakeholder management and engagement is effective because it removes some of the key areas for projects to break down: human error and failure to communicate.
Whether internal or external, the ability to access critical information in minutes and send stakeholder communication without logging in and out of various systems, rounding up reports from multiple places and collating it all together really can make your communication more efficient.
When it comes to the management of your data, we thought it would be helpful to look at how to use your stakeholder management software in conjunction with your stakeholder management strategy in order to develop a watertight approach to everything stakeholder!
Stakeholder Management Using Software
So how does software sit with your stakeholder management strategy?
We are imagining that you have already undertaken stakeholder analysis and are able to identify the key people in your project and that you have ranked their influence and also their interest in it.
Each project will be different but there may be overlap! That’s why the right stakeholder management software will be helpful – allowing you to track key stakeholders over time and helping you share data across projects.
The aim of your stakeholder management strategy is that your communications will be able to win support for your project or to ensure that your existing support is maintained.
You also want to be able to have an ordered, professional log of all your communications.
Here are some of the ways that the right software can help:
1. Use Stakeholder Software To Manage Your Data
The way that you manage your stakeholders depends on both the size of your project, the number of stakeholders involved and the timescales you are working with.
Some projects will be very stakeholder input heavy, others, not so much.
By using stakeholder software, you can easily manage all the data that comes in for each stakeholder regardless of the project size. Moreover, you can retain this rich information for the next similar project.
Stakeholder management software allows you to not only store every interaction in one place but also allows your whole team to access this data at any time.
Storing everything in one single location, including emails, letters, meeting notes and general stakeholder data, enables the whole team to have knowledge of any update in stakeholder’s information. And previously recorded engagements and issues across projects are easily accessible and will help ensure better relationships.
2. Use Stakeholder Software To Manage Your Focus Groups and Events
Engaging with important and interested stakeholders is key to your success.
Focus groups can provide you with the bulk of the much-needed information that your project enquiries to get off the ground and also ensure that everyone has a voice. This might include those tricky stakeholders as you attempt to convert a resistor into a champion!
Your focus groups won’t include all your stakeholders, but by being able to see them clearly at a glance you will always know who the key interested parties are at any time.
When it comes to events and town halls, this information also needs to live and breathe.
Stakeholder management software is able to offer event management capabilities so you can host exhibitions, focus groups, conferences and courses or track every insight if you simply attend and listen.
When your software automatically creates an action against each attendee. keeping conversations and intelligence clear for all to see, you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
3. Use Stakeholder Software To Send Surveys and Questionnaires
Successful stakeholder engagement means taking the time to engage across the board and canvass opinions.
Surveys are the very best way of gathering this feedback and because they are so often used, people tend to enjoy responding to the questions posted.
Tractivity’s stakeholder management software allows you to use the inbuilt, uncapped survey tool to send all your surveys from one place and feeds the data back against each stakeholder so you always have a clear view of changing opinions.
4. Use Stakeholder Software To Track Stakeholder Interviews
To fully understand an issue and draw out a particular stakeholder’s perspective, interviews are an ideal option and allow a one on one relationship to get started and thrive.
This is time-consuming and any intel you pick up has to be visible to have made the whole project worth its while.
If you use stakeholder management software you will be able you feed this back into the system so each interview can be read by any team member, with their important feedback highlighted.
5. Use Stakeholder Software To Send Email Blasts
We can almost guarantee that whatever the size of your particular project, the bulk of your stakeholders will fall into the lower consideration or least important category from your stakeholder analysis.
Whilst these stakeholders are not highly influential, they need to be informed and the most cost-effective way of doing this quickly and professional is with email blasts.
Also known as mailshots or newsletters, these allow you to really raise the profile of your project and keep everyone updated.
Stakeholder management software allows you to send these communications from the same platform where all your stakeholder information is kept. This means you are able to tie back responses, opens and clicks directly to an individual.
Unlike separate mailboxes or accounts, every conversation and interaction will be saved and tied to a record for complete visibility across your business.
And the reports that come back are far richer than using a stand-alone email system and can be generated in seconds.
Are you ready?
With unlimited bulk email and one to one email for all your stakeholder communication, unlimited surveys and the ability to manage events, as well as 30+ reports and bespoke reports included in your licence fee, Tractivity is the stakeholder management software you need to supercharge your approach to stakeholder engagement.
