NSMW18 Countdown

Four weeks to go… /
  • ask your manager for a budget.
  • ask managers in related services (your Students’ Union, your Accommodation Office/your Marketing Office) for a budget/contributions of staff time/resources (including Student Ambassadors).
  • ask for volunteer involvement, from within your team/department and beyond.
  • ask campus services e.g. student cafes, student shops if they’d be willing to offer a discount during your money week.
  • identify and approach sponsors: your local council, local charities with a housing focus,
  • look at local provision and support in your region – what can you tap into?
  • check out the Pinterest page for NSMW18 - for inspiration.
  • draw up your goals, your list of activities/events for your money week, your action/communications plan, your budget plan and your evaluation methodology – and remember even if you haven’t got a budget there are loads of free things you can do!
  • If you’re running a pop up stand or using Ambassadors check if you need to do a risk assessment.

Three weeks to go… /
  • liaise with your Marketing Office – can they promote NSMW18 on your institution’s website/social media channels/plasma screens?
  • liaise with your Student Ambassadors to give them tasks and to pass on the key messages you want them to deliver before and during your money week.
  • liaise with colleagues who may be able to help you publicise your money week, or who may need to know it’s happening e.g. wardens in Halls of Residence.
  • if you’ve got a budget for flyers/posters/other printed material get copy to the printers.
  • check on the resources added to the NSMW18 section of the NASMA website for inspiration.

Two weeks to go… /
  • create posters (or use ones you’ve had printed) and circulate them for display in high-traffic areas e.g. the library, Halls of Residence, student cafes, careers services etc.
  • advertise any competitions you’ll be running during NSMW – for example a competition to come up with the best money-saving tip, entries open every day of your money weeks with prize to be drawn on the last day.
  • advertise any discounts that will be offered during NSMW.
  • create a web page for your money week and ask colleagues in other departments/Halls of Residence to link to it.
  • give your Press Office a NSMW Press Release and ask them to target local press to raise awareness.
  • start pulling your physical resources together.

One week to go… /
  • get your money week advertised on plasma screens in high-traffic areas e.g. the library, Halls of Residence, student cafes, careers services etc.
  • make sure all your physical resources are ready to go.
  • make sure anyone else who’s involved in your money week – colleagues, student ambassadors, external sponsors knows what they need to do during your money week.
  • keep an eye on Twitter #NSMW18 and Instagram #nsmw18 to see what’s going on in other institutions – it’s not too late to pinch ideas!

NSMW18! /
  • make sure all your physical resources are ready and in place (e.g. information stands, posters), and make sure they’re still in good condition at the end of each day (if you’ve got a budget for freebies, get stuff with a longer shelf life so you can use them for other campaigns).
  • take lots of photos during and send them to your Marketing Office for use on social media activities (but remember that you’ll need any students pictured to sign waivers before their pictures can be used in any promotional material – Marketing should be able to advise, or take pictures with students’ faces hidden).
  • you can also send photos to the NASMA Office to be included on NASMA’s social media (Twitter #NSMW18 and Instagram #nsmw18).
  • remember to hashtag everything you post with #nsmw18.
  • check out what other places are doing and send positive messages of support.
  • re-tweet NSMW18 handles, photos and messages so NASMA can make sure all your good work is showcased.
  • remember to evaluate all of your activities.