The service areas within University Marketing and Communications at Michigan Technological University follow the same general process:
Strategy
After we review your request, you’ll be a part of a strategy meeting. Together with you, we’ll identify business strategy, including:
- Who is your audience?
- What are your goals and budget?
- What's worked and what hasn't?
- Quantity, dimensions, reach, and more
Research
Once the strategy is defined, the project team conducts research. The team can consist of a project manager, a writer, a designer, and a developer—they will:
- Assess current materials
- Review aspirational/competitive materials or concepts
- Conduct interviews or testing
Creative
Here, your project team determines what your marketing piece will look, sound, and feel like.
- You may begin hearing from your project team via Basecamp, our online project management tool.
- A second meeting may be held.
- The team may pitch a concept to you and your staff.
Development
This is the doing stage! You may get emails, phone calls, or Basecamp messages from the team as they:
- Write copy or script
- Create a sitemap and website wireframes
- Design layouts
Depending on the scope of the project, status meetings may be necessary.
Print/Launch
After you return the signed project approval form, your team readies to launch. This can include:
- Proofreading
- Beta testing
- Pre-press and more
Evaluation
Your project is live or mailed, or distributed—now we want to know how it performed! A "post-mortem" meeting may be held to learn:
- What are the metrics?
- What can we do better or differently?
- Will we need to repeat this project in the future?