The First Step in Change: A Change in Perception

by Joanne Cole

Change won't work unless you:

1. Get the buy-in from all the constituencies, especially the internal staff.
2. Communicate the nature of the changes to all of their constituencies.
3. Define the rate of change the organization can absorb in a given time frame.

So says Dan Droz, president of Droz and Associates, a strategic marketing firm in Pittsburgh that helps growing companies implement change, including brand development. Droz, who also teaches change management at Carnegie Mellon University, says change management begins when business owners make a conscious effort to change perceptions about their companies.

Prescription for Change Management

Droz offers the following do's and don'ts:

• Do get the facts. Ongoing research about competition, market changes and internal strengths and weaknesses are critical to creating options and understanding the nature of changes that make sense.
• Don't think of change as an event. Change is an ongoing process.
• Do create a manifesto. A new position or vision needs to be condensed into a simple statement or concise list of principles, so people can read, think about and understand it.
• Don't destroy without a rebuilding plan. Change needs to be about building a better future together.
• Do mentor behavior. A vision is most easily diluted when leaders' actions don't match their words. Conversely, a new vision is confirmed and most credibly communicated through demonstration and example.
• Don't bite off too much. It's important that you chew and digest new inputs.
• Do create a buzz before the bang. Communication of changes should begin with missionary "leaking" of the message and principles through channels of influence.
• Do have a kick-off. Beginnings matter. An "official" changeover schedule with a specific starting date should be determined and communicated so people can understand how the changes will be implemented and will affect their lives.
• Don't Go Back. You'll get discouraged. You'll have second thoughts. Have them. Just don't go back.

A Case Study

One of Droz's clients, Sufrin Supplies, an office supply business in Pittsburgh, PA, recently incorporated a change in branding strategy that transformed the way the company looks and feels to customers and employees:

Sufrin Supplies (formerly marketed as Adolph Sufrin, Inc.) is a 65-year-old family business that sells office and computer supplies and office furniture primarily to the business, government, professional and education market segments. The company was facing more aggressive competition from office supply superstores and increased competition from national office supply houses and mail order companies. The business hadn't changed much since it opened in 1935 and the owners realized that something had to give.

David, Michael and Adam Sufrin took over the management of the company five years ago when their father passed away. According to Dave Sufrin, their father had always objected to having an image or a brand, saying that the company didn't need a brand. It sold brands.

Any change effort begins one step at a time. In this instance, the company began by considering a name change strictly for marketing purposes. It realized that using the word "supplies" would immediately give it a higher level of respect and recognition with suppliers and customers. So it acquired a new logo that included office supply elements in the logo design. A bolder, perception-changing tagline that actually captured something about their business was devised: "Bringing More To The Office."

Next, the vision was enlarged. The logo and tagline were gradually applied to Sufrin's materials, including letterhead, candy jars, folders, business cards, golf shirts and delivery trucks. Next came a new firm capabilities brochure, several major catalog covers including their annual office products catalog, and a direct mail campaign to help secure new clients.

The entire process took more than a year. It's also ongoing. By approaching the changes in stages, instead of doing it all at once, the company was able to get buy-in from customers and clients who would have resisted a dramatic change. A phased-approach also makes budgetary constraints easier to deal with, according to Droz.

Because an effort was made to change perceptions, Sufrin Supplies is now perceived not as a mom-and-pop operation, but as a competitive and contemporary contender. The change in perception has impacted customers, as well as employees. "It was a boost for our employees ì even our drivers," said Dave.

Joanne Cole is president of Cole Communications & PR Marketing.