Change can be… difficult. Implementing a new communication tool for an organization with a history of resistance to new technology can be extra difficult, so our team decided to infuse a little fun into the process.
One of the ways we attempted to get Libraries employees excited and interested in the intranet was by holding a naming contest. I authored a series of emails with a dramatic tone shift from normal Libraries communications to grab attention and spark a little joy. Several colleagues reached out to let me know how appreciated this messaging was; they’d been missing “the fun” at work! The messages can be found at the bottom of this post.
More than 120 names were submitted for consideration, and an organization-wide vote was held to decide on the winner. When it came time to announce the name of the intranet, we knew we needed a grand finale.
Our team developed the idea of an election night style news “broadcast” to be played during Libraries’ monthly all-staff Zoom meeting. We had less than a week and no budget to pull it together, but we had a few great organizational inside jokes on our side. The resulting video, which I scripted, filmed, appeared in and edited, is below.
My colleagues and I held 12 total live training sessions to introduce Libraries employees to LINKS, the new intranet platform. After two weeks of LINKS being live, 95% of users had logged in. Our representatives from Simpplr, the platform on which LINKS is built, let us know that average adoption for this time frame is around 45%. We’ll call that a win.
Video
Emails
Contest Announcement Email
Exciting things are coming. University Libraries is about to get a snazzy new intranet loaded with useful features that will elevate our internal communications in unprecedented ways. There’s just one small problem… we have no idea what to call it.
“University Libraries Employee Intranet” is descriptive, but it doesn’t ✨dazzle.✨ “NewsNotes” is old news, and besides, have you tried saying it five times fast? Impossible. Not that that’s a requirement, but it’s a neat party trick.
Now, go on a guided visualization journey with us. It’s 2023. You’re the hero who named the intranet. Your legacy has been secured, you are celebrated amongst your colleagues, you had Insomnia Cookies delivered to your on-campus work address. Isn’t this the future you’ve always envisioned for yourself? We’ll answer that for you – yes, yes it is.
This dream of yours can be realized through one simple action: submitting your brilliant name idea through this Qualtrics survey. We can almost hear the crowd cheering now.
The top names, as chosen by a mysterious and alarmingly beautiful panel of marketing and communications experts, will be presented to Libraries for a vote. And it’s true: along with eternal fame, the submitter of the winning name will receive a delivery of Insomnia Cookies to their on-campus work address. Never heard of them? They’re aptly named, as you’ll be up all night thinking about how delicious they were. They have gluten free and vegan cookies, too.
So, what are you waiting for? Submit a name for the intranet. You have nothing to lose, but everything (👏 🥇🍪) to gain.
Voting Announcement Email
It all comes down to this.
Out of more than 120 names submitted for consideration, six have battled their way to the top. It was a hard fight, as the finalists had to claw their way past contenders like “Live, Laugh, Libraries,” “TBDIITL (The Best Damn Intranet in the Land),” “ISBN thinkin’ about Libraries news” and, of course, all the heavyweights who brought “THE™” into the melee. We mourn the fallen “May the source be with you,” which almost made the cut. Almost.
Now, it’s up to you to decide. Will the intranet share a name with the university’s first librarian? Will a clever and catchy acronym take the crown, or an alliterative ace? Perhaps something upbeat or fierce will catch your eye. You’ll only know for sure by viewing the finalists and voting for your favorite via this Qualtrics survey. It’s the most important voting you’ll– What? Sorry, I’m being informed it’s the second most important voting you’ll do this fall.
Cast that critical digital ballot now through this Friday, October 21 at 5 p.m. Please use the honor system and cast only one vote per person. The winning name will be announced at the Libraries Monthly Meeting on November 4.
Now go. Vote. Make history. Or at least make the Marketing & Communications team happy.