Introduction
The Jindal School Web Services and Social Media teams offer support to faculty and staff launching contests open to all JSOM students. A formal request must be submitted to and approved by the Web Services director, one month prior to the contest launch date.
An Introduction to the Jindal School Web Services and Social Media teams
Our Services for Contest Support
- Consult prior to contest launch about concept, marketing and technology integration.
- Share your marketing materials via social media and email.
- Troubleshoot technical contest web page issues.
Materials to Be Included Within Your Request
- Brief contest overview (concept, rules, submission and voting process) and objective.
- Contest and marketing timeline.
- Draft or approved copy of web page and email text.
- Contest hashtag.
- Approved marketing materials.
- Fliers that include JSOM logos will need approval from the external affairs staff.
- Videos, photos, graphics, emails, fliers and more.
- Prize information.
- How you would like to announce the winner.
Guide to Contest Implementation
Concept
- What is the purpose of this contest?
- More awareness for your program, an opportunity for students to learn, spotlighting student success/talents, to acquire marketing materials or a new design and more.
- Can you explain your concept in two to three sentences?
- Brevity and clarity are key.
- Consider recording a short video explaining the concept. Feature faculty members or students.
- Think about providing examples to give a frame of reference to your participants.
- Who is your target audience?
- All UT Dallas students?
- Just JSOM students>
- Alumni?
- faculty?
- Staff?
Timing
- Do any major University events, holidays or periods (midterms, finals, breaks) conflict with your desired timeline?
- Have you given your participants enough time to submit quality entries?
- If you are asking students to design something or write an essay, two weeks is a suggested timeframe for the submission period.
Entering and Voting
- What type of submission and voting process would you like to use?
- Submission and voting periods are simultaneous. Participants can vote immediately after submissions are entered (benefits students who enter early).
- Periods are separate, and all entries will be displayed at the same time: Submission period (two weeks) / Voting period (one or two days).
- Is there an approval process? Will someone need to moderate the entries before they can be displayed?
- How can participants enter?
- Submit entry/work to the web page, across social media platforms using hashtags, email submissions, or other.
- Are the entries/submissions anonymous or linked to the participant’s identity?
- What information do entrants need to provide to enter?
- How many times can someone vote?
- Only once, once a day, etc. Votes can be tied to Net ID or social media account.
- Can entrants share their work or submissions with friends on social media?
Rules and Judging
- What determines the winner? Student vote, judged by a panel, a combination of both?
- Is there one round or several?
- Do you expect a certain level of quality? Examples will help participants gauge what you would like to see.
- Is there something that would disqualify an entry?
- If the submission is photography or design, does that art become your property?
Marketing
- How do you plan on creating excitement around this contest?
- Tabling, emails, fliers, public voting, faculty support and more.
- Are you partnering with any student groups?
- Having student involvement can help with marketing initiatives.
- Does your graphic material represent your concept and help assist with understanding the message?
- How would you like social media to support your initiatives?
- Promote material, follow social activity, highlight entries, announce your winner, and more.