Event Marketing 101

Planning and Promotion

The success of your department’s event is based on several elements, including being mindful of what is resonating with students, what other major events may be happening at or around the same time, and the marketing efforts you put into the event. Below are steps for marketing components for your event successfully.

1. Kickoff

Set a time to meet with all team members who are responsible for elements of the event. It’s important to get on the same page about goals, deliverables, budget, and timeline.

2. Marketing Timeline

Create a timeline based on marketing goals you would like to achieve and clearly assign a date and team member responsible for each task. Sometimes, it’s most helpful to start with your event date and reverse engineer tasks.

Consider what types of marketing you want to include: digital assets, social media, frames, fliers, etc. Need help? Check out our Event Marketing & Communications Cascade Template.

3. Production Planning (with tracking)

It’s important to build in an appropriate amount of time to produce your marketing assets and giveaways. Production times can vary widely depending on where they’re sourced and what quantity you’re ordering. Check out our Production Tracking Sheet to track production details during and after your event!

4. Social Media Plan

Planning around how and what you’ll say on social media about your event can help your planning feel less chaotic. Are you hosting the event with other departments? Maybe you’ll want to create a collaborative post. Do you want to do story posts, profile posts, or both? Check our social media page for more tips!

5. Website

Making sure your website accurately reflects the event’s date/time, RSVP info, etc., is an important part of presenting the event as professionally as possible.

If you need website assistance or have questions, please contact us through the Campus Life Marketing Request Form.  

6. Debrief

The debrief is a step that can be tempting to skip. However, it’s the best way to ensure that next semester/year’s event runs smoothly. Spend a few minutes with the team discussing these questions: 

Have marketing needs for your event? Let us know!