Marketing Support Services

Project Request Process

• Project Approval Priorities

  University Marketing prioritizes projects with the greatest potential impact on the institution. When reviewing requests, we give priority to work that is most likely to:
  

  • Influence a prospective student's decision to apply to and enroll at the College of Charleston
  • Influence a prospective donor's decision to give to the university
  • Strengthen the College's local, regional, national, and global reputation
  • Cultivate a culture of well-being for students and employees

  Please keep these priorities in mind when submitting your request, particularly during high-volume periods when scheduling is competitive.

• Creative Authority

  To ensure consistency and adherence to the university's brand standards, University Marketing and University Communications retain creative authority on all projects we develop. For guidance on visual identity, tone and style, please refer to the College's brand guidelines and editorial style guide.
  
  For larger design and video projects, we will work with you to develop a creative brief that captures your intended audience, distribution channels, tone and voice, and preferred approach. All parties will review and sign off on the brief before work begins. This step is essential to a smooth production process and helps prevent revisions and delays down the line.

• Project Lead Times

  The sooner you reach out, the better. Adequate lead time is essential to managing the creative and production process, as well as the overall volume of requests we receive.
  
  University Marketing and University Communications require a minimum of 15 business days' notice for all new project requests.
  
  The following chart includes lead time estimates for the most common project types:

  Common Project Lead Times

  Project Type	Examples	Estimated Lead Time
  Digital ad campaigns	Social, pay-per-click, display	5 weeks
  Reprint of existing project	Minor text or photo updates to brochures, programs, forms	3 weeks (15 business days)
  Moderate or significant changes to existing projects; small new projects	Mailings, recurring project modifications, banners	5 weeks (25 business days)
  Medium or large new projects; writing- and design-intensive or third-party production projects	Viewbooks, promotional items, new or large websites, new video productions	12 weeks (60 business days)
  Event support requests	Varies by complexity, visibility, and scale	Determined upon review

  A note on event requests: Event-related requests require sufficient lead time to assess scope, staffing, venue availability and production needs. Requests submitted with limited lead time may not be feasible. Submitting a request does not guarantee event support, particularly for short-notice, externally driven or high-complexity events.
  
  All requests are reviewed and scheduled based on team capacity, existing commitments and alignment with institutional priorities. Approval is not guaranteed, nor is accommodation of a specific date. If approved, timelines will be determined collaboratively and updates will be provided throughout the project.

• What to include with your request

  The Marketing Campaign Request Form will help guide you in providing the information necessary to get your project on track.

  To avoid delays, please ensure that all content has been finalized and approved by the appropriate individuals in your unit or department before submitting.

  At minimum, your request should include:

  • Requested completion 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 team will reach out to schedule an initial meeting to gather any remaining information before work begins.
• Approvals & Content Accuracy

  By submitting this form, you confirm that your request has received all necessary departmental approvals prior to submission.
  
  While University Marketing and University Communications are committed to producing professionally written, designed and edited materials, we are not responsible for the factual accuracy, grammar or correctness of submitted content. Please thoroughly proofread all content before submitting. Complete, accurate, and pre-approved information allows us to begin work sooner and meet your requested deadlines. Any missing or incomplete information will delay production.
  
  Please note that the university follows the Associated Press Stylebook. We recommend reviewing the College's editorial guidelines before submitting your request.

• After You Submit

  Once your request is received, a member of our team will contact you to discuss the project in more detail and schedule any necessary kickoff meetings. To help move things along, consider preparing for the following questions in advance:

  • What type of project are you requesting?
  • How will the finished piece be used or distributed — mailed, emailed, handed out, posted online?
  • Do you have the necessary mailing or distribution lists?
  • If this is part of a larger communications initiative, what are the other components and how will each be used?
  • Who is the primary audience?
  • What are the most important things to communicate?
  • What do you want your audience to do, think, or feel after engaging with this project?
  • Has all submitted content been reviewed and approved by the appropriate individuals?
  • What is your deadline, and is it flexible?
  • What is your budget?
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance

  University Marketing and University Communications are responsible for ensuring that all marketing and advertising materials comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. As such, we retain the authority to make changes to projects as required for legal compliance, without prior approval from the requestor.