This is a list of the promotion tactics available at WSU, organized by communication platforms. It includes support from WSU University Marketing and Communications and tactics that you can do on your own or in partnership with other departments/clubs on campus.
Learn how to form a plan that combines multiple tactics for effective promotion strategies.
Digital Communications
WSU Update
Effort Required: Low for client, low for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Published weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. See details about WSU Update publishing process.
Cost: Free
Audience: Faculty, staff, current students
Best Used For: Announcements and campus events. Includes a headline and 2-3 sentence description that can incorporate hyperlinks.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop
Event Calendar
Effort Required: Low for client, low for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Published next day
Cost: Free
Audience: Faculty, staff, students and Winona community
Best Used For: Events on campus open to a general audience. Includes event details, contact information and a brief description which can support hyperlinks. Some events will also be pushed out to WSU Connect.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop
Submit a Digital Sign
Effort Required: Moderate for client, low for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Up to 5 business days. Best to start promotions 2 weeks in advance of event.
Cost: Free - $ (option to work with MarComm graphic designers)
Audience: Faculty, staff, current students, Winona community through public access broadcast
Best Used For: Announcements or events on campus open to a general audience. Used instead of or in addition to printed posters. Note that this is a passive approach that takes time & multiple views for audience to remember the message.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop. Learn how to create a digital sign.
Send an All-Employee Email
Effort Required: DIY - low for client
Turnaround Time: Send 3-5 days prior to event
Cost: Free
Audience: Current students and their families, alumni, faculty, staff and Winona community. Also prospective students and families.
Best Used For: Unique student or staff stories. News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to a wide audience. On-campus events open to a general audience. Must include a photo, graphic or video. All content must reflect the WSU brand and identity.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop
WSU Website
Updates to Department Websites
Effort Required: Low for client, low for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Up to 5 business days
Cost: Free
Audience: Faculty, staff, current students
Best Used For: Announcements and campus events, typically placed in an Announcement section or established Events webpage. Includes a headline and short description that can incorporate hyperlinks.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop. Learn more about publicity options on the WSU website.
Social Media & Blogs
Post on Department or Club Social Media Accounts
Effort Required: DIY - Moderate for client
Turnaround Time: Depends on your department/club. Plan out posts at least a week in advance.
Cost: Free
Audience: Depends on your department/club. Could include current students and their families, alumni, faculty, staff and Winona community. Also prospective students and families.
Best Used For: Unique student or staff stories. News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to your audience. On-campus events open to a your audience. Must include a photo, graphic or video. All content must reflect your department/club as well as the WSU brand and identity.
How to Make it Happen: Contact the person on your team who is in charge of your department/club social media accounts. Supply this person with text, a link and a photo, graphic or video to use in the post.
Partner with Other Department/Clubs that have Social Media Accounts
Effort Required: DIY - Moderate for client
Turnaround Time: Depends on the partner department/club. Plan out posts at least a week in advance.
Cost: Free
Audience: Depends on the department/club, but it should be an audience that your departments/clubs naturally share. Could include current students and their families, alumni, faculty, staff and Winona community. Also prospective students and families.
Best Used For: Unique student or staff stories. News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to your shared audience. On-campus events open to a your shared audience. Must include a photo, graphic or video. All content must reflect your department/club as well as the WSU brand and identity.
How to Make it Happen: Contact the person who is in charge of the department/club social media accounts. Supply this person with text, a link and a photo, graphic or video to use in the post. They will determine whether your announcement or event is a good fit for their social media accounts.
Propose a WSU Snapchat Takeover
Effort Required: moderate for client, moderate for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Considered on Weekly Basis
Cost: Free
Audience: Current students
Best Used For: Unique student stories and "day-in-the-life" videos and/or photos. News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to a wide student audience. Major on-campus events open to a general student audience. Must include a photo, graphic or video. All content must reflect the WSU brand and identity.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form or Tell a Story form in MarComm OneStop. The MarComm Team will use editorial discretion to determine whether or not the proposed takeover meets proper criteria. You will be contacted to coordinate details and sign the WSU Snapchat Takeover contract.
Write a Student Blog Post
Effort Required: Moderate for client, moderate for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Considered on Weekly Basis, May take up to 2 weeks with revisions and publishing
Cost: Free
Audience: Current students and their families. Also prospective students and families.
Best Used For: Showing a student's perspective about an event, service, opportunity or other aspect of college life at WSU. Must be written by a current student and align with blog standards. Must include a photo, graphic or video. All content must reflect your department/club as well as the WSU brand and identity.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Blog Post Form. The MarComm Team will use editorial discretion to determine whether to publish your submission, if any revisions are needed and which blog is the best fit for your post. See all the blog options on Warrior Stories.
Print & Design
Print Copies
Effort Required: Moderate for client, low for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Client is responsible for design work. 2 business days to print copies.
Cost: $ - $$ (depends on quantity & color)
Audience: Faculty, staff, current students
Best Used For: Events on campus open to a general audience. Hanging posters & flyers on campus bulletin boards, possibly in off-campus locations as well.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop. See also how posters are distributed on campus.
Create a Graphic Design
Effort Required: Moderate for client, moderate for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: Up to 2+ Weeks
Cost: $-$$
Audience: Depends on your department/club. Could include current students and their families, alumni, faculty, staff and Winona community.
Best Used For: Graphics for digital signs, websites, social media, and wide variety of print materials.
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Promote an Event form in MarComm OneStop
Campaigns
Strategic Department Social Media Campaign
Effort Required: High for client, high for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: 1 month
Cost: Free
Audience: Your specific audience of people interested in your dept. services and/or events
Best Used For: News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to your audience. On-campus events open to your audience. Strategy will include multiple posts with varied content all promoting the same event/messaging published at optimal times to reach your audience. Must include a visual of some sort (graphic, photo, video).
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Discuss a Project form in MarComm OneStop
Strategic Department Email Campaign
Effort Required: High for client, high for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: 1 month
Cost: Free - $$
Audience: Your specific audience of people interested in your dept. services and/or events
Best Used For: News or announcements that are interesting & relevant to your audience. On-campus events open to your audience. Strategy will include multiple emails with varied content all promoting the same event/messaging published at optimal times to reach your audience. Must include a visual of some sort (graphic, photo, video).
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Discuss a Project form in MarComm OneStop
Social Media Ad Campaign
Effort Required: High for client, high for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: 1-3 months for planning & development, plus the run time of the campaign
Cost: $ - $$
Audience: Your specific audience of people interested in your dept. services and/or events
Best Used For: Highly important events open to your audience or dept. brand messaging. Strategy will include multiple ads with varied content all promoting the same event/messaging published at optimal times to reach your audience. Must include a visual of some sort (graphic, photo, video).
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Discuss a Project form in MarComm OneStop
Integrated Ad Campaign
Effort Required: High for client, high for MarComm Team
Turnaround Time: 3-6 months for planning & development, plus the run time of the campaign
Cost: $$ - $$$
Audience: Your specific audience of people interested in your dept. services and/or events
Best Used For: Highly important events open to your audience or dept. brand messaging. Strategy will include multiple ads with varied content all promoting the same event/messaging published at optimal times to reach your audience. Must include a visual of some sort (graphic, photo, video).
How to Make it Happen: Submit a Discuss a Project form in MarComm OneStop