Plan Your Project

Partner with Us

Project Questions?

There are many ways to tell the University of Hartford story. Successful communication can be tricky, and we want to make sure we’re presenting the best of the UHart in everything we do.

We are here to help you determine the best strategy to execute your project. To help us better serve you, please read through the project basics below. The amount of time we need to work on your piece depends on the scope of the project. Please contact us 6–8 weeks in advance so we have time to do our best work.

If you have produced your own marketing and promotional material intended for an external audience, it must be submitted to the OMC team for review before printing, production, posting, and/or publishing. This includes print, digital, video, web, and environmental. Please contact Alicia Post Lindstadt at 860.768.4379.

Project Basics

STEP 1 • Think about your goals

Before we can work together to successfully share your story or promote your event, it’s important to think about your goals. 

• What are you promoting?
• Who is your audience?
• What is your primary goal?
• What is the key message you want to communicate?

STEP 2 • How can we help?

We offer design and print services, writing, copywriting and editing, event promotion, media relations, web services, and advertising. You may need just one of those services, you may need a combination of several, or you may not know what you need.

Here are some questions to get you started:

• Do you need a brochure, posters, or a printed program?
• Are you updating a current website, or do you need to create a new web page or web site?
• What is your budget?
• What is your time line?

STEP 3 • Don’t delay!

We need time to complete your project, so please don’t delay in contacting us. Please keep in mind the following lead times for our services. Please note: Time requirements may change depending on other communication projects. These are defined in business days and weeks. Printing and delivery, depending on complexity, may add additional time. 

Creating or editing your marketing materials	Lead time needed
Advertisement	4 weeks
Booklet/Event Program (2–4 pages)	4–6 weeks
Brochure (4–12 pages)	4–6 weeks
Brochure (12+ pages)	10 weeks
Flyers/Posters	4 weeks
Invitations	4 weeks
Postcard	4 weeks
Press Release	3 weeks
Social Media Promotion	2 weeks
Video (shorter than 2 minutes)	4 weeks
Video (longer than 2 minutes)	8 weeks
Website Created	12+ weeks
Webpage Created	2–3 weeks
Website Update (minor)	2 weeks

STEP 4 • Request your project

• For school, department, program, recruitment and retention marketing needs, or event projects, Marketing Communications Manager or Kylee Heyerdahl. 

• For alumni and donor communications, please contact Stephanie Abadom at 860.768.2417

  Once you have reached out about your request, your marketing communications manager will review it with the team. Projects will be scheduled based on strategic priorities, timing, and resources available.

  Please allow 2–3 days for our staff to follow up with questions or deadlines. If your job is unable to be completed in our office, we will provide you with access to an approved freelance designer (additional costs may apply) or a template when applicable.

  All projects must meet the University's brand standards, as defined in our new Brand Guidelines. 

STEP 5 • Gather your content

Once a project is approved, all content needs to be provided electronically in one document (.doc or .docx). The copy should be proofed and vetted with your peers before submission. We will have an editor review final copy.

Copy should appear in the order in which you want it to appear on your final project, be it a brochure, invitation, or website. Please indicate where there might be page breaks, graphics, photographs, etc.

Any supplied images and graphics need to be of high quality (72 dpi for web, 300 dpi for print, at 100 percent of finished size).

If mailing lists are required for your project (for example, if it is an invitation or postcard), please submit the mailing list at this time so we can better estimate the cost of your project. Contact Chris Adams at cadams@hartford.edu with questions or to complete a Institutional Advancement list request.

STEP 6 • Keep in touch

One representative from your department should be designated as the primary point of contact for your project. It is that person’s responsibility to get sign-off from all other parties who have approval status.

STEP 7 • Review and approve

Your Office of Marketing and Communication contact will supply the first proof electronically or as a paper mock-up. The process should require no more than three rounds of drafts, with the third draft being a final approval.

All requested revisions should be concise in one email. Changes should be sent in a marked-up PDF document or clearly written on a paper proof. Any additional content should be typed in and sent electronically with clear indication of where new copy should be inserted.

At final review, please review your project carefully for any errors. It is your department’s responsibility to pay for any necessary reprints.

STEP 8 • Stay on track with deadlines

Please note that any delays in the project due to missing or incomplete copy, missing images, or delays in the review/approval process will result in an adjustment of the final delivery date.