Plan a campus event:
- Know what your event is. Create an event outline with a title, brief description (three or four sentences), what you hope to accomplish and who your target audience is. Consider an image or images to promote the event in campus communications and social media.
- Set a date and location. Begin by talking to your department manager or advisor about how to proceed and in order to avoid potential conflicts. Follow that conversation by filling out the Campus Events Inquiry form to start the venue reservation process, if needed. Keep in mind you should be flexible about dates and venues in order to avoid conflicts with other campus events and holidays.
- Be accessible. Review the Inclusive Guide to Meetings, Events and Conferences for information on how to schedule and plan for an event that includes everyone. Accessibility is a must, not an option.
- Questions on planning? Contact Campus Events. Tickets for campus events should go through the University Box Office.
Promote your campus event:
- Create a calendar or strategy. Using the event information you have created, plan a strategy for getting the word out. Tip: Be consistent with your use of titles, descriptions, artwork, so attendees will associate the information in different formats. Timing can be critical. Plan to share some information in advance, and send reminders as the date gets close. Always give attendees sufficient time to make your event part of their calendars.
- Who is your audience? Do you want to reach:
- Department or small group of attendees? — Consider direct email or fliers in strategic locations.
- A campus-wide audience? — Submit to the Virtual Viking email newsletter to reach students, the PSU Currently newsletter to reach staff and faculty. Put up fliers in approved postering locations. Use social media to reach student audiences. (Most students are on Instagram, TikTok, and/or X). Submit information to display screens managed by campus departments and groups.
- Note on campus calendars: No one calendar covers the entire campus audience. Post to syndicated (Drupal) pdx.edu/events calendar and PSU Connect calendar (through SALP). Ask your department and relevant departments/groups to add your event to their calendar.
- Community or off-campus audience — Social media is a great way to reach out. Consider additional platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube.
- Where do you get promotional content? Fliers, display images and social media content images can be created in Canva or other design programs if your department or group does not have access to a marketing professional. Check out the materials section for more options.
- What can social media do? It can spread the word about your event to a wider audience. If your department has an active social media presence on Facebook, X, Instagram or another social media platform, talk to the person who manages those accounts and request that they promote the event there. Learn more in the social media section of this guide.
- Email marketing? You can target specific groups through user segmentation, ensuring the right message goes to the people who most want/need to hear it. Tools include mail.pdx.edu, Google Groups and Emma.
Key links to promotional tools: