Branding Your Student Organization 101

Branding Your Student Organization 101 Presented by: Ryan Anderson, OSA Student Organization Coordinator rt.anderson@colostate-pueblo.edu Adina Vega, Preview and Other Events Coordinator as.vega@colostate-pueblo.edu

First, repeat after me: “My brand is not my logo.” Again: “My brand is not my logo.” So what is your brand? It’s your promise. The promise you make to everyone who comes in contact with your organization, letting them know what to expect from you. Your promise never changes, regardless of changes in the marketplace, or public perception, or changes to your product lines, or a new service offering. The promise remains at the core of your organization, and defines who you are. That is your brand. http://www.belmontinc.com/Outlook/Get-to-Know-Us.htm&showme=Summer-2009/The-Crumbling-Wall

Who Do You Target? Targeting the right group is vital to your organization. If you are fraternity you don’t advertise to females, right? Make sure that you are inviting the appropriate people to your organization. Easier said than done, I know, but it can be done!

Where do I advertise? Advertising on campus can be a tricky thing to do, especially with all of the competition from other organizations and getting your posters approved for posting. One of the hardest things to figure out is where to hang up your organization adverts. Here’s some advice: Think about what kind of students you want to be in your club then think about where the majority of those students attend class. Get your posters approved and then hang them up in that building. If you feel there isn’t a specific type of student you want to advertise to, hit all of the buildings. Remember, repetition is key when it comes to advertising!

When Should I Advertise? It’s a good idea to advertise your event(s) about two weeks before it happens and remember that the more advertising you do, the better. Don’t be afraid to try something other than 8 x 11 fliers- break out of the mold and think about balloons, chalk, The Howl, the Internet, et cetera.

Good Ads vs. Bad Ads While it’s true that there is an art to making good advertisements, the basic principle to remember when making your organization ads is to include the 5 W’s: WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE WHY Don’t make your ad too busy, get them approved, and be sure to include as many campus buildings as possible. Make it flashy, be honest, don’t be afraid to take a few risks and don’t limit yourself to only advertising on campus, and remember that school buses are yellow for a reason.

Lastly… These days, your brand has to be genuine, and well articulated. The people inside your organization –at all levels – have to understand it and agree with it and most importantly, live it. So how does this happen? It happens through what we call the “organizational brand.” So what does that mean? It means that you approach your brand from a business perspective. If your brand is recognized as being at the core of your business, it will permeate all areas of the organization, and naturally extend beyond the bricks-and-mortar. It will affect the way you do your business development (and by extension, your marketing and advertising); the way you operate your company; even the way you plan for your future. Because you are operating based on your core promise, it will be apparent in every interaction, whether it be with employees, vendors, customers, potential job candidates, or the general public. The people will believe, and you will succeed. We wish you and your organization the best of luck and remind you to ask for help if you ever need it.

Branding Your Student Organization 101