Thinking of organizing an event in the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture? Here are some tips to help get the word out and ensure the event is a well-attended success!
Getting Started: 7 – 10 Weeks in advance
Begin planning your event by answering the following questions.
What do you want to accomplish by organizing this event?
What you want event attendees to learn or act upon can influence how your event is designed and promoted.
Who is your primary target audience?
Who do you want to attend and why?
How big is your budget?
Estimate promotion costs and tailor your plan accordingly.
How big is the venue?
Match your promotion efforts to your venue’s capacity. For example, if you are planning a presentation for a small audience, you will probably only use some of the items from the checklists below.
How big is the target audience? Does it match the venue capacity?
If seating will be limited, say so in your promotional materials or get a bigger space.
6 – 8 weeks in advance
- If planning a large, general-audience event, please coordinate with the VCEA Dean’s Office to ensure that:
- college leadership is able to attend,
- no other events compete with your event,
- philanthropy opportunities are identified,
- effective communications strategies and tactics are identified, and
- additional resources are identified.
- Identify promotional materials to be used (posters, email, digital signs, print ads, web, social media, etc.).
- Begin design and production of promotional materials. Make sure they reflect WSU’s Branding Guidelines. You may wish to engage WSU Design and Printing Services to develop them (cost based).
- Decide if a WSU photographer is needed to provide high-quality still photos. Email Photo Services to reserve/schedule (cost based).
- Decide if live streaming and/or recording is appropriate. Options include partnering with Global Campus, making arrangements with Academic Media Services (AMS) (cost based), WSU Video Services (cost based), or self-producing with YouTube or Facebook live streaming.
- Consider soliciting a VCEA Student Club Sponsor for your event as this allows information about your event to be distributed via Registered Student Organizations (RSOs).
- Reserve food, if necessary.
- Reserve room/space, if necessary.
4 – 6 weeks in advance
- Post event details on the WSU Calendar, which will also post to your department or school website (step 10 of calendar tutorial required for this feature).
- Post the details on community calendars.
- Send a “Save the Date” email to important guests.
- Compile additional email address lists for external/affiliated groups and internal audiences as needed. Remember to make use of your department/school internal lists and associated listservs, and any affiliated groups’ lists and listservs. If you plan to send a University-wide email or a college-wide email, contact VCEA Communications to assist you.
3 – 4 weeks in advance
- Complete design of printed and digital promotional materials and arrange for printing and display. Posters in the residence halls must be approved by Residence Life before printing and must be delivered to the Residence Life office at least one week before you can expect them to be posted.
- Place printed posters in high-traffic areas of your department/school and in key locations across campus such as the CUB, Chinook Student Center, Student Recreation Center, and Dining Centers. Learn about posting printed signage and posters.
- Submit electronic files for ads to appear on digital screens in the CUB, Lighty Student Services, and other locations. They are either cost based or free with student organization sponsorship.
- Submit electronic files for ads to appear on digital screens in the Spark building (cost based).
- Place posters on WSU Library bulletin boards.
- Begin announcing your event through social media, via:
- Your department or school.
- Affiliates and student groups.
- Individual faculty, staff, and students.
When promoting your event on social media, please use text and/or an event URL (such as the WSU Calendar listing) rather than uploading a PDF or image of the poster/flier.
- Provide information or URLs for WSU and VCEA to share via social media channels.
- If appropriate, contact VCEA Communications. They may be able to send a news story to WSU Insider or write a press release for distribution to area media (reserved for large-scale, public events).
2 – 3 weeks in advance
- Send email invitation to appropriate distribution lists. When promoting your event via email, please use text and an event URL (such as the WSU Calendar listing) rather than attaching a PDF or image of the poster/flier.
- Submit event details to appear in WSU Announcements at least one week before the event. WSU Announcements are delivered via WSU Insider to all WSU employees up to three times.
- Develop speaking points, if necessary, and circulate for review.
1 – 2 weeks in advance
- Run ad in The Daily Evergreen (*cost based; visit The Daily Evergreen’s advertising information or email advertise@dailyevergreen.com).
- If you sent out a press release and are expecting reporters at your event, review the information below about working with reporters or contact VCEA Communications for help.
- Post about event on social media occasionally.
- Send a final reminder email to target audience if needed.
Day of event
- Post on social media.
- Greet any reporters who attend and answer their questions.
After your event
- Thank attendees and post a recap with photos/videos from your event on social media.
- Thank any reporters who covered your event.
- Thank affiliates who helped with your event via email and by tagging them in social media posts.
- Email a short narrative about your event and any photos or videos to VCEA Communications.