This document provides tips for promoting campus events including determining the goal and target audience, choosing a venue and timing, using posters, the campus docket, email lists, and social media. It also recommends capturing photos at the event for future promotion and sending a thank you email to maintain long term engagement. Effective promotion requires understanding the audience and cutting through competing messages.
3. • What’s your goal?
• Who should attend…and why?
• “What’s in it for me?”
• What’s competing?
• Then what?
• Choose the right venue
• To RSVP or not to RSVP?
• Timing
• Promotion
Planning a marketable event
5. Posters
• Color choices
• Images
• Message
• Your brand
• Locations
• Logistics
• Students: jkelly2@law.stetson.edu
• Faculty: Faculty Support Services
Cutting through the clutter
6. Campus Docket
• Events and announcements
• Daily announcements: 4 p.m.
• Upcoming events: 4 p.m.
• Weekly e-newsletter: Monday
• Student Life Update: Friday
• Also posts to:
• Digital displays (events)
• StetsonConnect (announcements)
• @CampusDocket (announcements)
• RSS Feed
Reaching out online
7. Campus Docket
• Web page created for each event and announcement
• How to submit:
• Student organizations: Submit a good description on your event form
• Faculty/staff: Click on the “Submit Event” or “Submit Announcement” links on
the Campus Docket home page or get trained as a publisher
8. Email
• Personalized invitations
• Student organization lists
• Class listservs
Social media
• Organization/department
social networking site
• Individual social networks
Other sources
Reaching out online
10. • Tabling
• Library table tents
• Day-of signage or banners
• Communications Office (for
events open to public or media)
• Printed invitations
Beyond posters and email
11. • Attendee sign-in
• Take pictures/video for
post/future promotion
• Thank you email, info on
next event
• Branding your event
Thinking long term
What’s your goal: Attendance expectations? Connection? Interaction? Inform or persuade? Use this to guide your decisions for event format, speaker selection, etc.
Who should attend: Class? Organization? All students? Faculty/staff? Alumni? Bar? Public? Are there opportunities for collaboration?
The audience’s question: What’s in it for me? Relevant topic? Food? Networking opportunities?
What’s competing? Not just events, but other activities—holidays, deadlines, etc.
Then what?
Choose the right venue
RSVP required/requested? Deadline?
Plan early enough: at least one month in advance for more choices, time to promote and complete logistics
Promotion: Give it a good title
Cutting through the clutter
Color choices: higher contrast easier to read; inverse type also less common
Size: unusual sizes and shapes help stand out
Images: eyes are attracted to photos and graphics, especially faces (speakers)
Message: What’s the one thing they should see to grab attention (not necessarily a headline), then supporting details in smaller type (location, brief speaker bio, etc.)
BE ACCURATE with details. (12:10 not noon, if that’s when your room is booked)
Student organization or event brand: e.g., Career Development’s “ToolKit” series, Dream Defenders, rainbow flag, Law Review
TIP: Try using PowerPoint for more interesting designs if you don’t have design software, Gimp (open-source Photoshop) if you want to get more sophisticated
Location: high traffic areas, waiting areas, eye level--where does the audience recommend? (observation: curling paper)
Logistics:
Student organizations:
Email to Jenna 7-10 days before; get 10 color copies upon approval
Weekly schedule message board
Faculty Support Services can help faculty with flyer design and logistics
#1 for traffic (aside from email)
Announcements auto-post daily at 4 p.m.
Upcoming events (for next day/weekend) post ~4 p.m. prior business day
Weekly e-newsletter goes out Mondays ~3-4 p.m. (no opt-outs)
Also auto-posts to:
Campus digital displays (events)
StetsonConnect sidebar (announcements)
@CampusDocket (announcements)
RSS feed for subscribers (announcements)
Web page created for each event/announcement: SHARE IT via email or your individual social networks
How to submit:
Student organizations: automatically through event form, provide good description (include video/links if available), ~2 business days turnaround
Faculty/staff: Publisher training for direct/immediate posting; or “submit event/announcement” links
Email
Personalized invitations more effective than basic information
Targeting: consider related student organizations, classes (contact Jenna to email organizations, professor for class)
Individuals and influencers
Social media
Organizational social networking site, if applicable (coming soon: OrgSync)
Individual social networks: share Docket page via your own LinkedIn profile, Twitter account, class/colleagues/officers/members encouraged to share
Major events of general interest to students, faculty or staff: StetsonConnect or Stetson Law home pages (contact communications@law.stetson.edu if interested)
Tabling
Library table tents: (JPEGs preferred), first-come, first-served (8-10 in Tampa, 20-25 in Gulfport); send to Kristen Moore
Day-of signage, directing people to your event
Communications Office (working through Student Life and/or faculty advisor): media relations, at least one month notice to get on public calendars
When considering opening to media or the public, consider whether meals are being provided (RSVP issue critical) and whether speaker is OK with media attention
Sign in attendees (so you can reach them again)
Take pictures and share after the event (and in future years)
Thank you for attending