Promoting Your Event

Marketing or PR?

Marketing and public relations often work closely together however, they are separate departments. Here's a good way to decide which department to contact:

If the request is more visual than text, a marketing request is needed; if the request is more text than visual, a public relations request is needed.

When to use marketing vs. when to use public relations

Working with Marketing

Marketing is responsible for all digital, web and designed materials for events.

Timeframe requirements

Marketing requests need to be submitted in 5star at least 4 weeks prior to the event to receive marketing support and allow time for design, edits, printing and promotion.

If the event will include mailed components, marketing requests need to be submitted 6-8 weeks prior to the event.

Submitting in less time will affect the marketing support and materials you receive, as well as promotion for your event.

What materials and promotion you can expect

If submitted with enough time, you can expect to receive:

• A standard event flyer (to be printed).
• Digital signage for campus screens prior to the event.
• Calendar event, with registration form if needed.

In addition,
If the event is aimed at current students

• Student News announcement in myLCC.

If the event is open to the public

• A post to social media.

These may vary depending on the event and intended audience. Other possible materials and promotion include: digital flyer or email version, email invite, mailed components, printed material for distribution at event, roll-up banner, and other marketing tactics.

Submitting your request in 5star

In the description, please include:

• Event name
• Date and time
• Location
• Summary of event
• Intended audience/guests for the event
• Number of graduates in the class (if it’s a graduation or pinning).
• Any additional information you feel is relevant, would like publicized, etc.

Remember, the more complete the original request is, the less time it takes to complete it.

The Required Stuff:

• You are responsible for submitting your own marketing requests through the 5Star system and working with the marketing department on design materials.
• You are required to go through the marketing department for any and all materials (besides department-specific handouts) being used at events.
• Materials include but are not limited to:
  • Flyers, programs
  • Event specific signage (not directional)
  • Graphics
  • T-shirts, apparel and giveaways.

Do you need a registration form?

It's required you work with your marketing coordinator to create a registration form for all in-person and/or hybrid events. Registration forms will help with food, beverage and final seating counts.

In addition to contact and necessary demographic information, registration forms may include but are not limited to the following questions:

• Do you have any dietary restrictions?
• Do you require any accommodations?
• Do you plan on attending in person or online?
• Photography release waiver, as needed.

Marketing will email the internal event planner and Conference Services the registration form two weeks before and one week before the event date so that adjustments can be made, as needed, and any accommodations can be addressed. You can also request an update on your registration list at any time from your marketing coordinator.

IMPORTANT: If the internal event is being streamed online, Conference Services will work with marketing to create a space on the internal group’s home page.

Working with Public Relations

LCC Public Relations (PR) is responsible for all news and media information for the college and college events. The Public Relations department manages internal communications regarding college events, and gauges potential media engagement for events and visits at, or achievements by, the College. Once gauged, PR may issue press releases and/or media advisories in support of college events if appropriate.

What is a media advisory?

A media advisory invites media to high-profile events (visits by elected officials, press conferences, etc.) or opportunities for newsworthy on-site interviews.

What is a press release?

A press release is a brief news story summarizing newsworthy college information and sent to targeted members of the media, with the goal being for media to pick up the information as a story.

Here's how it works:

• Public relations professionals write media advisories and press releases. Media advisories and press releases are deployed at the discretion of Public Relations Director.
• If the internal event planner would like assistance from public relations (such as a press release or employee communications), the internal event planner completes the Public Relations 5Star request.
• The internal event planner works with public relations directly to determine the needs of the event and to make sure public relations has all requested content in order to complete the request. Conference services is not involved in this process.
• The request needs to be made no less than one month prior to the event date.
• To make sure that your project moves smoothly and quickly, the request should include the following information at the very least:
  • outline the name, date and time(s) of the event
  • location of the event
  • number of graduates in the class (if it's a graduation or pinning)
  • items needed to publicize the event
  • Any additional information about the event that you'd like publicized.

Similar to marketing, the more complete the initial request, the quicker it will be completed.

Working with Print Services

LCC Print Services is responsible for printing all materials for events once marketing has designed them.

Conference Services determines the needs for printed directional signage for events. If there is a need, Conference Services completes the print services request for the printing and placement of the directional signs. These signs are paid for out of Conference Service's budget.

If the internal event planner wants additional signs above and beyond the directional signage needs determined by Conference Services or has additional materials from marketing (program, roll up banners, etc.), the internal event planner must complete the Print Services 5Star request and pay for the materials from their budget.

IMPORTANT: Internal events are not permitted to design or print their own materials.

Here's how to work with Print Services:

• They need materials for print two weeks prior to the event because it can take up to one week to get printed materials. Factor this in to your marketing request.
  • If you have an event that has popped up or you will have a last minute request due to an oversight (it happens), please reach out to Print Services by phone (517-483-1682) or email LCC-PrintServices@lcc.edu and give them a head's up that your request is coming.
• Print Services is happy to deliver your materials to Division Offices or materials can be available for pick up

If you need to make any changes to your design prior to printing, those changes need to be communicated to marketing (comments within your 5Star request). Print services doesn’t change/update files.

Roll-Up Banners

Work with Print Services and your Conference Services Coordinator to determine who will pick-up the banners or if Print Services will deliver to your event location. After the event, make sure you gather all roll-up banners associated with your event. (Yes, even if they are in a different building.)

Used roll-up banners should be returned to Print Services within one week of the event if they won't be used again in the future.

Inviting LCC Trustees to Your Event

The LCC Board of Trustees enjoys participating in collegewide and community events because they provide opportunities to engage with students, faculty and staff as well as highlight the incredible work being done across campus. To ensure the Board is aware of upcoming events and to streamline and better manage the number of invitations the Board receives, a form has been created for the LCC community to invite trustees to events. This process will ensure invitations are received by the Board in addition to providing as much advance notice and information as possible.

If you have an event you would like members of the Board to be aware of and/or attend, please use the Board of Trustees Event Invitation Form. Provide as much information and detail as possible. In the future, you can find this form at lcc.edu/trustees, by scrolling down to the contact section. Please do not send email invitations directly to the Board Executive Assistant & Liaison or Board of Trustees email address.

If the Board of Trustees are requested at an event, the event planner is required to reserve seating for them and print and place the RSVP signs designed by marketing (see template) on their reserved chairs. If name badges are printed for the event, the event planner is required to use the BOT name badges designed by marketing (see template).