How to get better buy-in: 5 ways to align people around big ideas
By definition, great ideas don’t fail because they’re bad. They usually fail because they’re misunderstood, misaligned, or miscommunicated (or maybe they are, in fact, bad).
That’s why buy-in matters. And it’s why we do the work we do.
Our work helps organizations make complex ideas clear and compelling so they can drive alignment, inspire action, and actually make the change they’re aiming for.
But the most successful projects? They don’t just look good. They work well because our clients are thoughtful about how to bring others along. They understand that design isn’t decoration — it’s a tool for connection.
Here’s what we’ve learned designing comms for clients who consistently get better buy-in:
1. Involve key stakeholders early, not just at the end
The longer someone’s left out, the more likely they are to push back or feel a lack of ownership. Involve your team (or your leadership) early enough to shape direction, not just approve or reject the final result. Even a short alignment workshop at the start or a feedback loop throughout can prevent last-minute derailments later.
Keep in mind: Don’t assume silence equals agreement. Build structured check-ins that allow for meaningful input.
Here’s how one of our long-term advocacy clients put it:
“We just got done with our internal preview with [our CEO and Executive Director], and she loves the tool. This is high praise! Our team cannot thank you enough for your professionalism, flexibility, and attention to detail throughout this project. Everything looks great.”
2. Make the invisible visible
Change, strategy, and systems are hard to rally around when they’re abstract. A strong visual — a model, a story, a metaphor — makes the intangible feel real, human, and possible.
The clients who get the most traction ask: How can we make this easier to see, understand, and believe in?
3. Tailor your message for different audiences
Executives need something different than frontline teams. Policy teams think differently than product teams. Instead of trying to make one-size-fits-all work, the savviest communicators flex the format, the focus, and the tone to meet people where they are — because of who they are.
Translation: This doesn’t mean you need to say everything five different ways. It means understanding what each audience cares about most.
4. Anchor everything in purpose
Buy-in gets stronger when people understand why something matters — not just what it is. We help clients connect the dots between vision, values, and action. That connection helps create meaning, which builds trust, which drives engagement.
This is a non-negotiable: If you want people to change how they work, they need to know how it connects to the bigger picture — and how they fit in.
And here’s what a client in the education space told us:
“Thank you again for the collaboration and support on our new strategy graphic. It’s a winner! Zeroing in on our current messaging was definitely a constructive exercise. I’ll also add that the Project Delivery Document you sent was a nice synopsis of the work. It captures, especially for future team members, the details on this project.”
5. Use design as a dialogue, not a megaphone
We’ve seen it over and over: visual storytelling opens up space for real conversations. When people can see how all the pieces fit together, they feel more equipped to ask questions, raise concerns, and share ideas. That’s not a distraction — it’s a pathway to stronger, more sustainable outcomes.
Benefits: A clear and consumable visual explanation doesn’t just help create understanding in individuals, it amplifies connections in teams and groups. When everyone has the same, solid baseline understanding, visual storytelling tools help to prompt clarifying questions, leading to valuable conversations around the change rather than conflict or pushback.
Bottom line: Buy-in isn’t just about persuasion — it’s about participation. The more you make your communication clear, visual, and inclusive, the more momentum you’ll build.
And that’s where we come in.
Want to talk about how visual storytelling can help you get better buy-in? Let’s start that conversation.
