Your Club’s Publicity

Publicity, Promotion and Novelty Items

One of the elements that contribute to the success of any event is the number of people attending, and the fun that they are having. So, how do you get people there? Through effective publicity and promotion. Publicity is the materials used to announce your event, re: flyers, posters, campus news announcements, The Equinox, and the like. Promotion, on the other hand is the process that you use to get the announcements out. For instance, having someone dressed in a tuxedo to sell tickets to a formal dance. A combination of ef­fective publicity and promotion is the key to getting the attention of people and getting them to your event.

When you begin to plan your event, think of what you can use in terms of People, Places, and Things. Consider your budget, and con­sider all resources. Be creative in your approach and don’t be afraid to take a risk and do something different. Studies Have Shown That The Av­erage Consumer Looks At An Announcement For An Average Of Seven (7) Seconds So Your Flyers And Posters Must Be Clean Look­ing, Concise And Placed In The Best Spots On Campus. Keep in mind that the Fairleigh Dickinson University posting policy allows for ONLY approved printed material to be placed on the bulletin boards throughout the campus. Posting of events and programs off campus is strictly prohibited. Posting of events and programs on the internet is strictly prohibited. The Restrictions Are That Non-Ap­proved Information Is Not Allowed And Will Be Re­moved, As Will Any Information Affixed To Windows, Doors, Or Any Other Painted Surface.

The purchase of publicity and other materials is the responsibility of the club. Photocopying can be arranged through the Student Government Association.

When you begin to plan your event, think of what you can use in terms of People, Places, and Things. Consider your budget, and con­sider all resources. Be creative in your approach and don’t be afraid to take a risk and do something different. Studies Have Shown That The Average Consumer Looks At An Announcement For An Average Of Seven (7) Seconds So Your Flyers And Posters Must Be Clean Look­ing, Concise And Placed In The Best Spots On Campus. Keep in mind that the Fairleigh Dickinson University posting policy allows for ONLY approved printed material to be placed on the bulletin boards throughout the campus. Posting of events and programs off campus is strictly prohibited. Posting of events and programs on the internet is strictly prohibited. The Restrictions Are That Non-Ap­proved Information Is Not Allowed And Will Be Re­moved, As Will Any Information Affixed To Windows, Doors, Or Any Other Painted Surface.

The purchase of publicity and other materials is the responsibility of the club. Photocopying can be arranged through the Student Government Association.

Following are just a few tips to help you with your publicity and promotion:

  • The use of color is important – but too much color will be confusing – so use just a couple.
  • Shapes get attention (i.e. if you are showing “Top Gun” make your flyers in the shape of a paper airplane).
  • Keep the flyer as neat as possible.
  • Use a variety of techniques – use banners, flyers, table tents, and messages on the chalkboard in the classroom, water paint on the snow, and items that are related to the theme of the event.
  • Choose a product with the correct fit for what you want to accomplish.
  • Build your promotion around a theme.
  • Make sure to do a good job connecting the promotion product to your organization.
  • Use the promotional products to get attention.
  • Take advantage of the power of personalization.
  • Enhance the impact of a promotional product by giving it special value.
  • Finally, remember, the “memorable” is of far more value than “useful”.

There’s a saying around the Student Activities world that a program cannot sell itself. It needs help from an imaginative mind to over­come a lack of interest on the part of the campus. The hard part of programming is simply getting people to go. Once they are there they usually will make the most of it. So, you ask yourself, how do I get people there?

Although most novelty items will cost money, there are a few that are relatively inexpensive and get much attention. For example, write new messages on the wrappers of Hershey kisses, or staple a new message onto the stick of a lollipop. A creative technique is to obtain a manne­quin from a local retailer and decorate it with an announcement for your event. If it is possible to get maintenance to cut out a sil­houette, it is just as effective. More expensive items could be buttons, balloons, wallet cards, caps, clothing items (t-shirts), mugs, and profes­sion­ally typeset posters.

The key to a successful campaign is to be creative, take the risk, plan it out thoroughly, and GO FOR IT! In Most Instances, You Will Want To Begin Your Campaign No Less Than One Full Week Before The Event. Of course, the larger the program, the earlier publicity should be­gin.

The Office of Student Life has a list of local vendors that can print information, as well as a list of resources for ticket/invitation printing, entertainment, and so on. Don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Student Life for more information. Remember to tap into all campus resources for free publicity. The student newspaper, the Residence Life Staff, the monthly calendar put out by The Office of Student Life, as well as just the good old word of mouth.

Creative Publicity

There’s a saying around the Student Activities world that a program cannot sell itself. It needs help from an imaginative mind to over­come a lack of interest on the part of the campus. The hard part of programming is simply getting people to go. Once they are there they usually will make the most of it. So, you ask yourself, how do I get people there?

Bright Colors — Posters should be bright! Fluorescent markers work well as does bright paper.

Prominent Places – Look for place on campus that students frequent such as the SUB and Library.

Big Is Better – For major events, use bigger size of posters or banners.

Odd Shapes — hexagons, octagons, and pentagons are unique and therefore more interesting.

Catch Phrases — humor, familiar sayings, play on words are all ways of showing your imagination and enthusiasm for the program.

Refreshments — nothing is more important to students than quenching their appetites for food and beverage. Pizza and soda is a great way to draw students out of their rooms.

Dragnet Influence — don’t forget to include “just the facts ma’am.” Time, date, and place are important.

Public Relations Checklist

The following is a checklist to help ensure your publicity reaches your intended audience within an appropriate time frame. It is also meant to improve consistency in student organization advertising efforts.

  1. TO BE COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY WHEN EVENT IS CONFIRMED:
    Place event on trumba website for immediate publicity on www.fdu.edu
  2. TO BE COMPLETED 6 WEEKS IN ADVANCE:
    Press Release to the University News/The Equinox University News Fax: (201)-692-7019, The Equinox email: equinoxfdu@gmail.com
  3. TO BE COMPLETED MINIMALLY 3 WEEKS IN ADVANCE:
    Flyers on campus bulletin boards. You can print up to 20 flyers at the Office of Student Life for 5 cents black and white and 10 cents color. A full listing of bulletin boards is available in the Student Life Office. Don’t forget to have your flyers stamped before you post them by the Office of Student Life
  4. ADDITIONAL CREATIVE PUBLICITY EFFORTS:
    Guidelines for some additional efforts, depending on your program/event…

    1. DIRECT MAILING TO TARGET GROUP OF STUDENTS: To be completed 3-4 weeks prior to the event date
      (Work with the Student Life Office to request mailing labels)
    2. DIRECT EMAIL TO TARGET GROUP OF STUDENTS: To be completed 2 weeks prior to the event date
      (Work with the Student Life Office to request e-mail listing)
    3. TABLE TENTS IN THE CAFETERIA: You’ll need 80-90 total, to be completed 2-3 weeks prior to the event date
    4. LARGE POSTERS/BANNERS IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS: $10.00 ea from Student Life Poster Machine, to be completed minimally 2 weeks prior to the event. Please email the PDF of your flyer to postermakerfdu@gmail.com