Broadcast Emails

When everybody needs to know something really important

As the name suggests, broadcast emails (sometimes called “all staff” or “all customer” emails) are used to literally broadcast a message that the entire community needs to know, and are often used as an important channel for leadership. Broadcast emails usually have extensive approval and are sent from a well-established channel.

Considerations

This channel is best when…

  • your message is relevant to and affects an entire organization and/or it’s clients. Usually these messages come from senior leadership, are part of a campaign, or go through similar high-level review processes.
  • your message is time-sensitive and needs to immediately be in people’s most used communications channel.

When to change the channel?

  • Since the audience for broadcast messages is large and complex, these channels are reserved for key information and announcements.
  • While broadcasts can be an efficient means of distributing information, to keep engagement high it is important to only send them when absolutely necessary.
  • UBC has a wide network of internal email newsletters which may be better suited to some messages. Our social media channels can also be effective both internally and externally for some messages.
  • Some information is better shared with individuals first, rather than surprising a large group of people at the same time.

Details

In an organization as complex as UBC there are a variety of broadcast emails available: at the faculty or department level or to the entire organization. In both cases you will need to speak with your communications leader to assess if these are the right channels for you.

Most messages at this level will require sign-off from a senior leader. For example UBC Broadcast, which serves the entire university’s internal community, requires sign off from both the Executive leader of the area sending the message and Internal Communications, or an external broadcast of a message or story to media requires similar sign of from Media Relations.

Resources

Visit the UBC Broadcast Email website to learn more about internal broadcast messages at UBC.
UBC BROADCAST EMAIL WEBSITE
Visit the Media Relations website to learn more about broadcast messages to the media.
UBC NEWS (MEDIA RELATIONS) WEBSITE