Promoting Events
EMU marketing, auxiliary services and IS have put together a comprehensive guide for planning an event. Please explore this comprehensive guide at the beginning of your event planning process.
Comprehensive guide to planning events on and off campus
Estimate a timeline for promotion
We have put together a helpful google sheet with a timeline for promotion. Use/download this guide to help you think carefully through all promotional deadlines.
Gather your facts
Pull together the who, what, when, where and why of your event and write a short blurb that covers questions those interested in attending might have. Most importantly, list how your audience can get more information (e-mail, phone number, web page URL, etc.). Read over your material to catch any typos before moving ahead.
Campus web calendar
Make good use of the campus events calendar: emu.edu/events. Not only is it the PRIMARY SOURCE for marketing and communications staff to gather information about upcoming events, it’s also one of the most visited sections of our website, drawing in tens of thousands of visitors each month. The web calendar is connected to 25Live.
E-classifieds ‘special notice’
EMU’s e-classifieds section of the website consistently logs nearly 60,000 hits per month! Advertising your event in the ‘Special Notices’ section, for free, is a great way to get attention. Creating a ‘special notice’ ad is quick and easy, too. A “special notice” is an excellent substitution for “everyone” e-mails the campus community receives; these are frequently ignored.
Print materials (brochures, flyers, etc.)
Contact the marketing office via the print request form to learn more about your options for on- and off-campus print materials, including Microsoft Publisher templates for various projects or design assistance from a staff designer or student intern. We can also advise you on printing options for your project.
Paid advertising
Perhaps your budget allows for paid advertising. No matter the scale of your advertising ideas, contact the marketing office to coordinate creation and placement of advertisements. Working with our central marketing office ensures your program receives coordinated and competitive pricing from newspapers and other periodicals, and also ensures your ad will fall within university design standards.
Social media
If you or your department already has established an online presence, consider using Facebook and/or Twitter to get the word out as well. Many of EMU’s departments (like undergraduate admissions) and special events (like the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival) already have Facebook pages with followers. Be in touch with the marketing department – we can help you get your message out via university social media channels.
Off-campus ideas
Don’t forget external ways/venues that can help circulate word about your event. Some examples are church bulletins, high school newspapers, community newsletters, etc. Again, being in touch with the marketing and communications department about your event will ensure it is included in the monthly events bulletin prepared and distributed to local organizations, websites, newspapers and periodicals.
Word of mouth
An invitation with a personal touch will often generate more response than a mass message. Be in contact with professors who can encourage students to attend your event when appropriate, pastors who will share the message of your event with congregation and community leaders, and anyone else invested in a meaningful way in the purpose of your event.
