DIY Resources
BRANDED TEMPLATES • EVENT PLANNING GUIDE • PHOTOGRAPHY • QR CODE • STORY REFERRAL • WEB
BRANDED TEMPLATES • EVENT PLANNING GUIDE • PHOTOGRAPHY • QR CODE • STORY REFERRAL • WEB
Canva houses branded templates for staff to easily create specific materials on their own.
Request Access Because we have limited users, we work with departments or locations to identify staff that would be able to create items in Canva for the group. Email marketing@nicc.edu to request or see who within your area already has access.
PowerPoint/Google Slide Template
Word Templates Specific special-use templates are created on a very limited basis as these are much more difficult to update and users may experience issues when printing.
This guide was created for departments to help plan bulk mail projects. It includes a process and guidelines for mailing list creation, address updates within our database systems, and other helpful USPS information.
Event Planning Guide & Checklist
This guide was created for departments to help plan successful events at the College by providing a holistic cross-departmental checklist that includes internal promotion, where to go for help and much more.
Canto College Photo Library
Canto, our digital asset management tool, houses all approved logos, headshots, in-house and professional photos as well as videos. Canto is very easy to use, you may request access by emailing marketing@nicc.edu.
Photo Release Forms
Sign for Event Photo Release Download, Print & Post at Check-in Location.
At the start of your event make an announcement stating; "Photos will be taken during the <name of event> and will be used on social media or promotional materials if you do not wish to have your photo taken either tell the photographer or turn away."
Group Photo Release Download, Print & Have Participants Sign
Individual & Minor Photo Release Download, Print & Have Participants Sign
When you're ready to share, place photos and the signed release in a folder using this naming convention: date_event/event title and share folder access with marketing@nicc.edu for print use or news@nicc.edu for social media.
Take Awesome Pictures with Your Smartphone (PDF Guide)
Smartphone cameras have advanced with each new model, and apps used to capture images have become more intuitive.
These tips can help take your photos from good to GREAT!
CLEAN THE LENS. Unlike a normal camera, your phone doesn’t have a lens cap to protect it. Phones tend to spend a lot of time in pockets and hands, gathering dust and oils from fingerprints. Use a microfiber cloth and some cleaner to make that lens sparkle. Even a t-shirt is better than nothing. No amount of editing can fix the hazy, cloudy effect of a dirty lens.
USE GRIDLINES. Gridlines place a tic-tac-toe grid on your screen, also known as the rule of thirds. According to this composition rule, aligning your photo subject along the lines or at an intersection will make it more balanced and pleasing to the eye. This simple step is one of the most effective and easiest ways to improve your photos.
On iPhones On Android Phones
• Go to settings. • Open the camera app.
• Select photos & camera. • Go to settings
• Find grid and turn it on. • Scroll down and switch the gridlines option to on
DON’T ZOOM. GET CLOSER TO THE ACTION. A lot of fine detail is lost by using a smartphone camera’s digital zoom. Try taking a few steps closer to your subject to improve picture quality. Not using the zoom forces you to get closer to the action. Action shots of an engaged audience are better than static group photos.
TRY DIFFERENT ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES. Get low for a child’s perspective or get high for a bird’s eye view. Look for an interesting perspective and take multiple photos from different angles. Try to keep the photo area clear of any food/drink items not related to the class. Avoid taking photos of the backs of heads or unengaged audiences. Keep in mind that a variety of images provide more options to choose from.
PAY ATTENTION TO LIGHTING. Make sure the primary light source is behind you and shining on the subject. Natural light is almost always better than artificial. Also, avoid using the flash. Don’t rely on the small LED light on your phone to capture images in dark settings. Using the flash can produce unwanted effects - red eyes, overly lit skin - even with top-of-the-line smartphones.
TURN YOUR PHONE SIDEWAYS. We consume content horizontally, not vertically. Unless you are using a social media app to capture video (Facebook live or Instagram stories) always take horizontal photos and videos. Flipping your phone sideways has an added benefit - using the volume up button as the shutter.
GET PHOTO/VIDEO PERMISSION. Get consent from participants prior to taking photos. An Event Photo Release sign is available for display at large events and conferences. A Group Photo Release Form an be used to collect consent and signatures with smaller groups of 20 or less. These are all linked below for you to download and print.
UPLOAD TO GOOGLE DRIVE. Place photos and signed release (if applicable) in a folder using this naming convention: date_event/event title. Then share this folder with marketing@nicc.edu or media@nicc.edu for social media.
What is a QR Code
A Quick Response (QR) code is a type of barcode that stores a multitude of information. Most commonly it holds data that links to a webpage or an application. But can also be used dynamically to share social media pages, link to YouTube videos, or save an event to a calendar.
The College utilizes QR codes to help our consumers quickly and efficiently get the information they need or want without having to manually search nicc.edu or Lumens.
Instead of listing a semester of high school driver's ed classes, use a QR code in a printed flier to quickly link consumers to the full listing of up-to-date course information.
Link to a conference webpage for a full listing of events and/or presenter photos and bios.
Use on a direct mail piece to link consumers to the College application.
Used primarily for print materials and should NOT be used in email, social media or on web pages.
Hyperlinks or “short URLs” are most appropriate in electronic messages as these can be easily “clicked on” or accessed on mobile or desktop devices.
Creating a QR Code
The Marketing Office and the Business and Community Solutions (BCS) Marketing Assistant have access to software that allows us to create QR codes that track outcomes. If you would like a trackable code created please submit the Project Request form.
Our best connection to students and business partners is Y.O.U.! Our faculty and staff have established relationships with students and business partners to help our communications team make connections and tell the College's story.
Share the link above with a student, business or community partner who has a great NICC story to tell.
Copy media@nicc.edu in your message so our team is aware of the request.
These NICC stories may be used as news features, social media posts, the NICC website and much more.
Staff & faculty can request access to maintain and update content on specific sections of nicc.edu.
Training
Understand how information is shared, how to update & what can be included.