Dakota State University Issues Marketing RFP

Dakota State University has issued an RFP for the Creation and Development of Marketing Collateral and Admission and Recruitment Purposes.

SCOPE OF WORK

The contracting agency will develop a professional, attractive and consistent look geared towards the primary audience for Dakota State University student recruitment material and coordinate the production of these materials. The design will reflect the University’s signature mission of information technology leadership, our heritage programs in teacher education and business, personal attention, and value. Dakota State University will have approximately $150,000 annually for this project (project management, design, and printing).

Scope:

• Design and printing of the following full-color pieces:
  1. Positioning/College Fair Piece: Introductory brochure for use at college fairs and for other preliminary contacts – 6000 pieces
  2. Trojan cut-out: Quick facts and/or reasons to attend DSU, for use at college fairs – 2000 pieces
  3. Viewbook/Mailer: Initial mailer to all prospective students recorded in database with a comprehensive view of DSU  – 11,000 pieces
  4. Campus Visit Folder: For use with campus visitors – 1000 pieces
  5. Academics Postcard: Outline academic programs and highlight quality/opportunities within those programs – 10,000 pieces
  6. Campus Life Postcard: Feature aspects of campus life (activities, residence halls, dining, athletics, etc.) – 10,000 pieces
  7. Outcomes Postcard: Promote career placement rate and highlight alumni success stories – 10,000 pieces
  8. Technology Postcard: Highlight how technology is used on campus and prepares students for current/future work environment – 10,000 pieces
  9. Family Postcard: Speak to family members of prospective students – 10,000 pieces
  10. Value Postcard: Show value of education, ROI, personal development – 10,000 pieces
  11. Campus Visit Invitation: Provide information on the variety of campus visit options available – 10,000 pieces
  12. Transfer Student Brochure/Webpage – 1500 pieces
  13. Template for major-specific mailers.
  14. Inquiry response card (print) for online students – 1500 pieces
  15. E-publication targeting online students for publication to website or for sending via email

DSU also expects:

• Professional photography and art direction
• Some copywriting services to communicate appropriate messages.
• Templates and design elements that can be used for in-house design and production of secondary recruitment and communication collateral.
• Consult on incorporating recruitment material and messaging across multiple platforms including website, social media, email, video, and print by assisting the coordination of efforts between admission, marketing and public relations, and web services.
• Project management oversight, including a thoughtfully planned and executed calendar of project deadlines.

Below are outlined several of the communications goals and challenges facing the Dakota State University.  These should provide background for agencies as they prepare their presentations.

• Dakota State University is seeking to create a unified look for its student recruitment materials, that focus on prospective freshmen, transfer students, and parents.
• The University seeks to portray its signature mission in information technology as well as its heritage mission in teacher education, business, and other programs. Key messages to be communicated include.
  • Innovative and challenging academic programs
  • A sense of connectedness
  • A caring, friendly environment that enables student success
  • An active campus community
  • Value – an affordable education that gets results
• With the increased level of competition in the region from both in and out-of-state institutions, students are bombarded with a variety of college material. The University must develop recruitment communications that break through the clutter.
• The on campus population at DSU has grown slightly while the online student population has grown more rapidly.  We need to address both populations of students while promoting the on campus experience for on campus growth.
• The transfer student population has grown, following a national trend.  Transfer students are a key market in the DSU growth model.
• Targeted messaging to special populations – transfers, veterans, first-generation, high-achieving, etc. – needs to be more robust.
• New facilities and services that enable student learning and development.
• DSU leadership expects consistency and continuity of the visual image and messaging across platforms. Coordination of print, email, web, and social media is crucial to the success of the communications plan.

Proposal due by December 15^th, 2016 to:

Amy S. Crissinger
DSU Admission
820 N Washington Ave
Madison, SD  57042
(605) 256-5696
amy.crissinger@dsu.edu