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How to sell the benefits of a project management tool to your boss

If you’ve been struggling with missed deadlines, a burnt-out creative team, or project management in general, the solution to your problems can seem painfully obvious; it’s time to introduce a project management software to your marketing technology stack. You know it, and likely, your whole team knows it too. But how can you convince your boss and others in leadership that it’s time to make the investment? Whether you’re pitching to your team leader or C-suite executives, here are some tips to gain buy-in so you can get the tool your team desperately needs.

Make your case

Before you raise the idea of adding project management software, it helps to have a specific solution in mind to ground your audience in reality instead of theory. There are an overwhelming number of project management solutions available, so it’s best to find a solution specifically designed for your needs (we have some tips for finding the right tool). For example, RoboHead was designed exclusively for in-house creative and marketing teams with features, customization options, and design that are tailormade for the way creative teams work.

When you bring up the idea of adding project management software, your boss may say, “Project management tools are all the same. Why is this one any different?” If you have a solution specifically designed to address your team’s needs, you’ll have a much better answer to that question.

Determine ROI

Measuring creative services and marketing efforts is extremely important, and with the right tool, you can get the insight you need to make your case for new software now, and additional resources in the future. To get management to approve funding for a project management solution, it’s best to show them that the benefits (and return) outweigh the expense.

Although it can be difficult to predict the full impact of a new project management software until it’s implemented, the right tool should provide insight into the in-house marketing and creative services KPIs you need to measure success. RoboHead comes with robust analytics and reporting capabilities on any data point entered into the system, so you can best predict new project workload, each team member’s utilization, and where projects are being stalled. Ultimately, your desired solution should help you make better informed decisions to help you improve efficiency and productivity.

Recruit advocates

Your request for a new solution will be a lot stronger if you’re not going it alone. When you find a solution you like, try to get buy-in from the people that will benefit from the solution — like your team members and clients — before bringing it up to your boss. A united front with multiple people (including those outside of your team) advocating to solve your mutual project management pain points will be much more convincing than one lone voice.

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Learn everything you can

A recent survey from Capterra found that a majority of buyers (55%) only demoed two project management solutions before making a purchase. This is somewhat surprising considering the best way to know if a tool will work for you — which is also the best way to bolster your case — is to learn as much about the software as possible. Get to know the ins and outs of the tool and ask a lot of questions to make sure it meets your needs. Anticipate the questions your boss might have and ask those as well (hint: reporting on key metrics and ROI will likely be among them). The more information and first-hand knowledge you can present, the more likely you are to get a positive response. At RoboHead, we’re always happy to schedule a customized demonstration of our solution with creative and marketing teams that are ready to take their efforts to the next level.

Getting your boss to buy-in on a new project management software isn’t always easy. But by finding a solution that’s built for your needs, having the reporting tools to measure marketing efforts, recruiting supporters and trying the software yourself, you can put together a convincing case and be better positioned to get the tool you need.


Let us help you build your case for new project management software.

Put RoboHead to work for you.