Our marketing staff depend on our clients to know their target audience and the desired outcome for the marketing/communications effort. Our role is to customize the message to the target audience by creating an effective medium on time and within budget. Recognizing these roles and following through on responsibilities is critical to the success of each project. Plan on the design and production to take approximately 8 weeks, from the time when all materials (text, photos and graphics) are given to the designer to the delivery date of the final product.
MaC’s role/responsibilities:
- Create and maintain a production schedule
- Design an appealing, effective product
- Deliver the designed package to the appropriate campus service provider (i.e., UNCW’s Printing Services, UNCW’s Purchasing, etc.).
- Commit to timely communication with and response to the client.
The client’s role/responsibilities:
- Define the project’s purpose and the target audience
- Initiate contact with appropriate on-campus service providers regarding cost estimates and the delivery schedule of your product. It is up to the client to maintain consistent contact with the on-campus service providers through the completion of the project.
- Commit to timely communication with and response to MaC.
Each project generally has three stages:
- Product design
- Product development
- Product delivery
Product design - initiating the process
- To initiate a project with MaC, download the Project Request Form. This form is available on the MaC Web site and Printing Services Web site. Feel free to keep a copy for future marketing and communications projects. If you need any assistance, contact Betty Moore (962-2092) or Mark Hurt (962-2091). We are happy to help you through the process.
- Complete parts 1 & 2. You will need Adobe Acrobat to complete the form.
- When completed, send the Project Request Form via email (provided in the form) to Printing Services. Their Customer Service representative will contact you within 24-hours about your specific printing needs and will assist you in completing part 3 (printing needs and costs). Please note that Parts 1 & 2 must be completed in order for Printing Services to provide you a cost quote for your promotion. The cost quote from Printing Services is base upon the initial review of the project. If you and our marketing team make substantive adjustments to your project, an updated quote will be obtained by MaC and sent to the client. After the printing needs and a cost estimate are determined, Printing Services forwards the completed Project Request to MaC.
- MaC’s Betty Moore will contact you (24-hour turn-around) about the next steps in your project design, i.e., meeting with the marketing team, text and photo needs, etc.
The following areas will be addressed with the marketing team:
- Project purpose
- Target audience(s) identification
- Research needs
- Themes and creative elements
- Budget
- Deadlines
- Copy guidelines
- Photo requirements
- Web requirements
Based upon your needs and the current MaC production schedule, timelines for completion will be established. As each project varies in complexity, please allot 8 weeks for your project (brochure, postcard, flyer, invitation, etc.) from design to print. Some projects will be completed in a shorter amount of time, but due to the volume and our desire to give you the best design, it is in your best interest to provide 8 weeks to design, develop and produce your marketing promotion. Printing Services generally requires ten working days to print your project. Those publications requiring additional time includes magazines, newsletters and any project that is sent to an off-campus printer.
Product development
Your market strategy team will begin work on the creative development of your project. Product development is normally the most time-intensive phase of the process. Depending on the project, development encompasses research, concept design, writing, editing, photography, illustration, and testing. The marketing team will solicit your feedback at various stages of the design process.
As the product development phase nears completion, your market strategy team will prepare a proof for client approval. This is the final opportunity to make any necessary adjustments. With effective communication and appropriate approvals throughout the development phase, adjustments will be minor or may not be necessary. Signoff from the final approval authority is required at this point before the project can be completed.
Project delivery
The final phase of the project is the production and delivery of the finished product.
We work closely with on-campus printing and web service providers, off-campus vendors as well as local, regional and national media outlets to make sure the product designed through MaC is produced at a quality level that you expect.
Whether it is coordinating with Printing Services for price quotes pitching a story to the media or providing a Web site that reflects the quality of your program, MaC will work with service providers so your receive an excellent product, on time and on budget.
