Transcript Developing a Successful College Fair: How to Recruit and

 Consult with the affiliate leadership
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regarding the NCF
Schedule the fair date in
collaboration with the LAC
Provide overall management and
supervision of the fair
Designate Event Manager to serve as
staff liaison to work with the LAC
Manage exhibitor registration and
cancellations
Assign booth locations
Manage national contributors and
fulfillment
 Handle all vendor contracts and
payments
 Select and contract the exhibit
facility
 Arrange insurance coverage for the
event and process claims
 Select and contract host hotel for
exhibitors as needed
 Arrange on-site medical and security
support
 Work with LAC on hospitality
 Work with the exhibition facility
and decorating company to
coordinate the physical
arrangements and signage
 Create posters, newsletters,
directories, press releases, and other
promotional materials
 Promote fair participation to
colleges
 Send promotional materials to area
high schools and other
organizations
 Work with the LAC to identify
additional marketing opportunities
 Establish relationship with CVB
representative to further promote
the fair
 Organize preconference or walk
through of facility prior to event
 Supervise contracted staff and
monitor vendor fulfillment
 Process onsite registrations and
scanner orders
 Monitor exhibitor participation
 Troubleshoot
 Aim to have 12 – 16 committee members (No magic number – go
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with what works for you. But don’t burn out! Delegate when
possible)
Recruit local professionals with diverse backgrounds (i.e.
education, business, media, military, etc…)
Make the specifics of this commitment clear (i.e., meetings every
month, calls to local media, day-of expectations, etc…)
When deciding your schedule pattern (Fall vs. Spring, weekend
vs. weekday), solicit comments and suggestions from
educational professionals familiar with the area
Be sure to keep your NACAC Event Manager in the loop so they
can assist with questions and concerns during the planning
process
Chairperson
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Determine fair hours
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Serves as main LAC contact for the NACAC liaison
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Recruits members of the LAC
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Identify potential fee waiver participants
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Creates and coordinates various handouts and activities that are handled prior to the fair
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Manages the LAC budget and possible contributors
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Responsible for helping to monitor NCF and NACAC guidelines
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Assists in supervising the fair and troubleshooting problems that arise
Marketing/Publicity
Begin
media
blitz to
potentia
l local
sponsor
s7
months
prior to
fair
NACAC
will
develop
and
assist
with
mailing
Save the
dates
approx.
6
months
prior
NACAC
Mails
Newsletters
& posters to
local High
schools 2
months
prior
NACAC
Distributes
PSA &
Press
Releases 2
months
prior
Reach out to
community
based
organizations
(i.e. churches,
service
organizations,
etc.)
Reach out
to Media
Outlets for
Possible
TV/Radio
or Print
Media
Coverage
(Before,
During or
After the
fair)
Create a
social
network
site
Utilize
counselor
Listservs
to reach
more
student
populatio
ns
Information Sessions
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Select Workshop/Info Session Topics
Some workshop topic examples include:
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Financial Aid
Understanding Selective Admissions
Nontraditional Student Topics (Adult Learners, Transfers and Adult Learners)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Intercollegiate Athletics and the Student/Athlete
The Transition from High School to College (Possibly with a panel of both admissions reps and current
students)
Middle School Students: What they should get out of attending a College Fair
Solicit presenters 5 months prior (if you have a fall fair, summer break could affect your planning)
Confirm the workshop presenters and the topics 2 months prior to the fair for inclusion in the
newsletters
Collect cell phone numbers of presenters so they can be reached the day of the fair
Take note of workshop attendance numbers for each session to share with the LAC and the NACAC
event manager
Manage the loud speaker announcements to remind attendees of available workshops
Counseling Center
 Recruit volunteers from area high school
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guidance departments, community-based
organizations, veteran affairs offices, and
community college transfer offices to counsel
students at fair
Ensure that volunteer counselors are able to
speak to students about financial aid
Create a list of area counselors to be
distributed
Draft a counselor “timesheet” so there is
adequate coverage throughout the fair
Coordinate what printed materials will be
needed and manage the telecommunication
needs
Hospitality
Work with NACAC event manager to create a menu within the
allotted budget
 Look at last years comments/notes and adjust the order as needed
Consider forgoing water bottles for cups that reps can fill up at a
water cooler
Consider placing a ‘goodie bag’ on each booth for reps
 Some Facilities will not allow goodie bags of any kind, others might be
somewhat lenient
Consider concession coupons in lieu of catering if costs are too high
Create & distribute a Committee Welcome letter for reps
 You can thank them for coming and detail the hospitality and
concession options available to them (EX: Starbucks is located
in…)
 Consider speaking with the local Convention and Visitors
Bureau for free dining guides or maps of the area for distribution
Transportation
 Bus reply forms should be sent out approx. 2 – 3 months
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prior to fair (be mindful of school breaks; NACAC can assist
if needed)
Using the bus reply form feedback, create a High School
Arrival/Departure Schedule to ensure a steady flow of
students throughout the fair (not too many/too few
students coming and going at the same time)
Coordinate the usage of walkie-talkies (or cell phones) and
assign person to greet buses
Plan for bus parking, unloading and loading – bus lot or
staging area?
As much as possible, please:
1)Avoid scheduling rival schools at the same time
2)Ask that middle schools come at one designated
time
Volunteers– Recruiting and Coordinating
Recruiting
 Begin soliciting volunteers as early as possible
 Use parent groups (i.e., PTSAs) to reach new
groups of potential volunteers
 Create flyers or other materials to distribute as a
way to make contact
 Use the your committee connections – try to
recruit at high schools, colleges/universities,
and businesses that are affiliated with your
committee members
Coordinating
 Coordinate volunteer duties and hours
 Manage those volunteers onsite and ensure
adequate coverage in crucial areas (i.e. student
registration, material distribution, hospitality,
counseling center, information booth and
workshops)
On-Site Coordinator
 More often than not, this will be the chairperson(s)
 Review the physical setup of the fair and help
troubleshoot issues and anticipate problem areas
 Assist in the monitoring of bus arrivals/departures
and workshops by making announcements, when
necessary
 With the NACAC event manager, ensure the NCF
guidelines are enforced and monitor the flow of the
fair
 Meet with your committee soon after the fair to
discuss the event
 NACAC will send you survey results
 What would you do differently?
 Time and length of Fair
 Quantity and timing of F&B
 Volunteer coverage
 Parking & Transportation
 Attendance – New marketing initiatives needed?
Susan Makowski, NCF Committee and Atlantic City NCF
A Letter of Agreement is drawn up for each
National College Fair:
• Each agreement is valid for a period of 3 years
• Designates the affiliate as the official host of the fair
• Affiliate participation at the fair
• Outlines the service responsibilities of the affiliate
• Assistance in promoting the fair
• Assisting the fair chairpersons and LAC in their region if needed
• Outlines NACAC obligations for affiliate services (specifically, the revenue
sharing breakdown)
 Provide additional funding for busing students to the
fair
 Recruit additional volunteers to assist the day of the
fair
 Directly contact their members with information
regarding the event
 Example: NJACAC using facebook to get out information about
the cancellation of the 2013 Atlantic City NCF
 Many affiliates designate funds to assist in the
planning of the fair. If you have a specific need, the
affiliate might be able to help!