PRODUCT LAUNCH/MIGRATING 30K USERS TO NEW SERVICE
NYU transitioned its existing HR reporting tool to WorkDay. This entailed preparing, training, and transitioning 30K employees to the new service.
As the lead on the project, I developed a comprehensive outreach and content strategy that included creating all email communications, training materials, and design assets used to communicate and facilitate the change.
GOALS FOR TARGET AUDIENCE
There were clearly defined goals for the audience:
Communicate the added value for their work
Prepare employees for the change
Educate users on the new system
Illustrate for each group what is changing
Make users aware of transition dates and the difference requirements for each
PREPARING FOR THE CHANGE
Because the change was so far reaching and so large, many assets were created to help facilitate the change. A detailed communication strategy was developed to include:
Comprehensive and segmented email campaign
Custom websites created clearly outlining the change with timelines and support resources
Three hours of training materials custom made for a specific NYU audience
Numerous promotional materials advertising the change
CAMPAIGN TONE
I developed the key messages that could be used interchangeably for different locations and audiences. The overall voice and tone for the communications could be best described as:
Tempered excitement, focus most on new features allowing for optimized work
Matter of fact but always leaning optimistic
Confident, concise, self-assured, and without embellishments
Message was always easy to understand, speaking in a tone familiar to the user with only the most essential information being shared
REACHING THE AUDIENCE
Because the change affected critical services for the audience, it was essential to communicate often and on multiple fronts with users.
Email notifications began four months in advance of the change
Users were notified with a series of segmented emails to different groups with each communication highlighting information specific to their individual needs
Weekly meetings and webinars were held allowing people to ask questions
Digital and print advertisements were positioned in strategic physical and online locations targeting specific audience segments
FEEDBACK AND ENGAGEMENT
Tracking engagement is crucial for any kind of campaign. It is essential when reporting to project sponsors, stakeholders, and leadership how a campaign is performing, and if necessary, can help a campaign pivot to more effective outreach tactics if necessary during a campaign without waiting until the end.
There were several touchstones throughout the content materials that recorded engagement statistics. The campaign received extremely high open and clickthrough rates with email communications. This helped provide engagement numbers that showed employees had received the message and completed the training to prepare for the change. Providing data-driven observations gave sponsors and leadership confidence that the campaign was a success.
Email open rates: 75-90%
Click-through rates: 25%
Training completion rates: 40-90%
BUILDING A GLOBAL BRAND
I was brought on to promote and market an international training program called the International Management Development Programme (IMDP). The program was marketed to health professionals in the developing world. The program taught valuable skills needed to manage a public health program such as managing country-wide drug supplies, creating a public health advocacy program, budgeting for nation-wide TB, HIV, and malaria programs, as well as other vital management skills.
People-centered stories
DEVELOPING A CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
IMDP participants came from all parts of the world, and the engagement strategy needed to be multilayered. The intention was to become a trusted, friendly source of value. To accomplish this, I set up and managed multiple communications channels, including:
Websites: Created and managed three different websites in support of the effort
Email campaigns: Conducted monthly email outreach to keep audiences informed and engaged
Social media outreach: Steadily grew audience by incorporating tactics that could be more personalized and fun such as tagging participants so their friends could see their accomplishments
Monthly publications: Designed and edited a monthly publication that provided an alternate channel for interacting with audiences to promote services while delivering value to users free of cost
Brochures, mailers, and print promotional materials: Developed monthly print and digital materials distributed to a global audience
Video content: Filmed and produced monthly video content to provide additional value and free offerings to keep audiences engaged
COMMUNICATING WITH A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
Since the audience was quite diverse and dispersed across continents, a one-size-fits-all approach would not work. Finding the right audience involved doing extensive research about international health programs, growing a dedicated client list, and conducting extensive outreach to develop relationships with audiences in over 25 countries and four continents. To accomplish this, the communications strategy followed the following roadmap:
Created specific user persona journeys to better understand the audience
Made sure our audience saw themselves in our content
Clearly communicated program value that aligned with user value
Matched outreach language to reflect user language
Utilized channels our audience understood and leveraged
SUSTAINED GROWTH
During my time leading the marketing and communications effort, the program size and funding grew year after year. From when I started to when I departed:
Program grew by 50%
Raised $500K annually in unrestricted funds
Tripled the size of audience over five years
RELATIONSHIPS BUILD THE BRAND
I had the privilege of watching the IMDP grow more rich, diverse, and expansive each year. The multilayered outreach strategy was successful and kept audiences engaging with the program, and I believe the most important part of it was the relationships that were developed with each and every group who came to participate. Creating a diverse network united by shared experiences is one of the most effective ways brands can expand and grow their audiences.
