Marketing & Communications Request Form Guidelines

University Marketing and University Communications prioritize work that has the potential to have the largest impact on the university. This includes projects that support enrollment, advancement and institutional reputation. Further, University Marketing and University Communications specifically prioritize work that has the greatest potential to:

• Impact a prospective student’s decision to apply to and attend the university
• Impact a prospective donor’s decision to give to the university
• Positively impact and enhance William & Mary’s local, regional, national and global reputation
• Cultivate a culture of well-being for employees and students

To ensure consistent, cohesive work that adheres to the university’s brand guidelines, University Marketing and University Communications retain creative authority on all projects we develop. Please refer to the university’s brand guidelines and style guide for further information.

For larger design and video projects, University Marketing will work with the requestor to develop a creative brief to understand the intended audience(s), use(s) for the material, distribution channels, tone and voice, preferred style and more. All parties will sign off on the creative brief before work begins.

The sooner we hear from you, the better. Sufficient lead time is needed for the creative and production process and to manage the volume of project requests we receive. Production times vary depending on the nature of the project, our workload and if printing time is needed.

University Marketing and University Communications require a minimum of 15 business days’ notice for new project requests. Though some exceptions may apply, in general, we follow these guidelines when reviewing your project request.

Support requests and questions will have a shorter turnaround time once your form is received. Below are required lead times for the most common projects we work on.

Reprint of existing project

Example: Small changes to text or photos in brochures, programs, forms, websites
Time Estimate: 3 weeks (15 business days)

Moderate/significant changes to existing projects or small new projects

Example: Mailings, modifications to recurring projects, banners
Time Estimate: 5 weeks (25 business days)

Medium/large new projects and other writing- and design-intensive projects

Example: View books, annual reports, magazines, new/large websites, new video productions
Time Estimate: 12 weeks (60 business days)

Event Requests

Event-related requests require sufficient lead time to assess scope, staffing, venue availability and production needs. Timelines vary depending on complexity, visibility and scale.
Requests submitted with limited lead time may not be feasible. Submitting a form does not guarantee event support, particularly for events that are short notice, externally driven or outside team capacity,

Due to the volume and variety of requests received, projects are reviewed and scheduled based on overall team capacity, existing commitments and alignment with current institutional priorities. Approval is not guaranteed nor is accommodation of a specific date. If a request is approved, timelines will be determined in collaboration with the requestor, and updates will be provided as the project progresses through completion.

Please ensure that all content pertaining to your request is finalized and approved by the appropriate parties in your unit or department prior to submission. Please include all pertinent information in the notes/instructions section of the request form. Minimum information needed:

• Request due date
• Event date(s) and time(s), if applicable
• Primary audience
• Primary contact person
• Final approvers
• Distribution channels
• Quantities (if print)
• Project or event goal

Once your request is received, a member of our staff will reach out to set up an initial meeting to collect final information before the project can begin.

University Marketing and University Communications operate under the assumption that your request has obtained all the necessary approvals from your department as required prior to submission.

While we strive to ensure that all pieces are professionally developed (written, designed, edited), please help us ensure the accuracy of your submission by thoroughly proofreading your content prior to sending, if applicable. University Marketing and University Communications are not responsible for accuracy, grammar or factual correctness of requests. To that end, providing full, complete, accurate and approved information will help us begin work on your project sooner and meet requested deadlines. Any delay in obtaining necessary information will delay production. 

Please note that the university abides by the Associated Press Style Book. We recommend that requestors review our university editorial guidelines prior to submission. 

A member of our staff will contact you to discuss the project in more detail and set up any necessary kickoff meetings. Please review the list of potential questions we may ask related to your project and, if possible, provide information to address them with your request.

• What type of project are you requesting?
• How do you plan to use the finished piece (will it be mailed, e-mailed, handed out or posted on a webpage)? If mailed or e-mailed, do you have mailing lists? If going on a webpage, which one?
• If this project is part of a larger communications initiative, what are the other components, and how will each be used?
• Who is the primary audience (prospective students, families, alumni, school counselors, current students, community members, arts patrons, athletics patrons, donors, etc.)?
• What are the most important things to communicate?
• What do you want the audience to do, think and feel after interacting with this project?
• Has the content you’ve submitted with your request been reviewed and approved by any and all pertinent individuals?
• What is your due date? Is that date flexible?
• What is your budget?

University Marketing and University Communications are responsible for ensuring compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations governing marketing and advertising. As such, we retain the authority to make changes to projects without prior approval in accordance with such laws and regulations.