Promoting and marketing an event is an essential step for creating a successful event. Advertising, promoting, and marketing events and awareness about your organization will allow you to grow your organization. Consider including a small amount for marketing in your organization budget, a small amount can go a long way. Below are examples of free and paid marketing resources to support your organization; also provided are tips for managing social media and information regarding logos for your student organization.
Free Marketing Resources
A variety of resources are available for student organizations to advertise their organization or organization-sponsored events.
- VOLink
- All student organizations have a VOLink profile and are able to use VOLink to advertise upcoming meetings and events. Organizations are also able to post news stories to share celebrations and to provide detailed information about their organization.
- UTK Calendar
- The UTK Calendar, located at calendar.utk.edu is the official online calendar of the University of Tennessee. Registered Student organizations are able to post events to the UT Calendar to advertise to the University Community.
- Engagement Fairs
- The Center for Student Engagement hosts 1-2 student engagement fairs each semester. Engagement Fairs are a great way to promote your organization to students looking to join a student organization. Engagement Fairs are a great way to showcase what your organization does whether a hobby or a demonstration.
- Social Media
- Social Media platforms likes Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and more are great ways to reach students and the University Community. Read more below for ways to grow your social media following and tips for enhancing your organization’s online presence.
Paid Marketing Resources
Resources exist for student organizations to support their organization for a small fee or cost.
- UCopy
- Located in the Student Union, UCopy provides printing for organization related flyers in a range of sizes to help promote your organization.
- Office of Student Media: Within Student Media, there are digital and print resources for organizations:
- Lumos Production Services: a client-based commercial video production operation. It is led and operated by a creative group of student video professionals and serves clients both on and off-campus.
- The Beacon is the campus newspaper serving the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus and surrounding community. The paper is editorially independent and is entirely student written, produced and managed. The Daily Beacon is published in-print and content is published daily online, utdailybeacon.com. The paper is free of charge and is mainly supported by advertising.
- Honey Magazine: Honey was founded in the spring of 2019 to become a print magazine, website, and digital brand. Honey Magazine is a female-led and operated digital-first brand that has strived to become a collective feminist voice for the UT campus and Knoxville community.
- Many print and online resources are supported by advertising and organizations are able to purchase advertisements for the platforms listed above.
Social Media Resources
- Things to Consider Before Getting Started:
- Have a strategy. Take some time to consider your purpose, audience, the content of what you’re looking to share with other individuals or groups. Invest your resources in those platforms that best fit your needs while also keeping in mind what is relative to your audience.
- Set goals for your organization social network interactions. Are you promoting awareness if your organization? Trying to increase your followers? Advertise an event or program? Connect with other community members? Trying to brand your organization? Consider the identity of your organization and identify in which ways you can use social media to affect change.
- Use thought and consideration when creating your usernames; some sites don’t always give you the flexibility to change them.
- Tips and Tricks for Smart Usage:
- Remember that when you sign up for a social network account, you are agreeing to that platforms terms and conditions. This includes agreement to not post material that is protected by copyright agreements.
- Ensure that you invest the time to be an active user. Set aside time to update your content and post new material. Also be sure respond to questions or comments within 12-24 hours.
- Make sure that the contact information for your organization is up to date.
- Be accurate. Check your facts before you post. If possible, post the direct link to your source of information. It is also helpful to check your posts for spelling and grammatical errors.
- Confidential information should remain confidential. Do not post student information (including contact information) without first attaining permission from said student.
- When possible, student organizations are encouraged to have their advisor serve as an administrator on their social media pages. When leadership within the organization changes, the advisor will still be able to grant access to new organization officers.
- Keep your content positive and respectful. Try not to speak ill of other individuals, organizations, institutions, or community establishments.
Things to remember when using organizational social network accounts:
- Your organization profile and presence on social networks represents not only your personal self, but your organization, and all of its members, both current and former. Be aware that your personal social networking pages also reflect on both your organization, and the institution.
- Be aware of liability. Individuals are responsible for content posted on their personal pages, as well as those representative of student organizations.
- Remember your potential audience. Social media content can be easily accessed and shared. Consider the possible implications of the message before it is posted.
- Be aware of copyright and its implications on shared content. If the content you are posting does not belong to your organization, make sure to credit your sources when sharing information, quotes, or photos online.
- Be aware of the implications that could arise from posting or sharing a meme.
Student Organization Logos
Registered student organizations may either create their own unique logos or request an official logo.
Student organizations may request a logo that is closely identified with the university’s logo system. Student organizations may request a logo from the Office of Communication and Marketing. Student organization leaders or advisors may make a request.
Sample of a student organization logo.
Student organizations are welcome to create their own logos or continue use of existing logos to identify their organization. Student organization logos may be subject to review and approval by the Center for Student Engagement.
Unique logos for student organizations must meet the following standards:
- They may not include or incorporate trademarks licensed by the University of Tennessee, including logos or icons, without approval from the Office of Trademark Licensing. As outlined in Hilltopics, the phrase “the University of Tennessee” is a trademark and cannot precede the name of a campus organization, even in its logo; however, the phrase may follow the name (ie: Chess Club at the University of Tennessee).
- They may not include any words, symbols, or images that might reflect poorly on the University of Tennessee.
- They may include any symbol that identifies with their parent organization (ie: Greek letters, seal, or existing logo) as long as they meet any standards outlined by the parent organization.
The Office of Communications and Marketing does not create unique logos for student organizations.
Approved unique logo
To learn more regarding student organization logos, request a student organization logo, or to learn more about UTK Brand Guidelines more information from the Office of Communications and Marketing can be accessed here.