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Campaigns: Create an Event, Fair or Branding Campaign

Tawnya
  • Updated

Campaigns provide clear, structured calls to action to increase RSVP and applicant conversion rates.

Handshake allows you to tag external jobs and events directly from your CRM or ATS to measure sourced RSVP and applications, as well as collect standardized 'not interested' signals for students who don't respond, and use this data to optimize future campaigns. 

This resource includes steps to create an event, fair, or branding campaign–for a job campaign, refer to Campaigns: Create a Job Campaign.

Premium features are for Handshake Premium accounts only. For more information, please check out this resource.

 

Access campaigns 

Click Campaigns from the left navigation bar in Handshake, then click the blue button Create Campaign in the upper-right corner of the page.

Create campaign button.png

 

Create a campaign 

Select a campaign type to proceed. 

  • Job: Promote jobs posted in Handshake, your applicant tracking system, or CRM. 
    • To create a job campaign, refer to "Campaigns: Create a Job Campaign". 
  • Event: Invite students to RSVP to events such as info sessions, tech talks, and conferences.
  • Career fair — Handshake Virtual: Invite students to sign up for sessions at a Handshake virtual career fair.
    • Note: if you've set 1:1 qualifications for your fair sessions, students must meet the selected qualifications to view available sessions.
  • Career fair — Other: Invite students to RSVP to your non-Handshake virtual or in-person fair.
  • Other: Promote your brand without tagging a job, career fair, or event.

Choose campaign type.png

Below, you will find how to complete the Details section for each campaign type listed.

Event

  • If the event is posted on Handshake, select In Handshake for Event posting type, then select the event from the Related Event dropdown. 

Related Event.png

  • If the event is hosted outside Handshake, select In external system for Event posting type.
    • Enter the event URL in the Event posting URL field. 
    • Enter the title of the event in the Event title field. 
    • Enter the location of the event in the Event location field.
      • If your event is hosted externally, check the box for "This event is virtual (no location)". 

Related Event-external system.png

To send an event via a campaign that doesn't target specific schools, leave the Invite schools to promote your event field blank in the Request Event form as highlighted in How to Request an Event.

Invite schools to promote your event field in request an event form.png

 

Career fair-Handshake Virtual 

Note: this type is intended exclusively for virtual fairs hosted on Handshake. The attachments in these campaigns will redirect students to sign-up for available group and/or 1:1 sessions. Please use Career fair - Other if the fair is virtual and facilitated outside of Handshake, or if the fair is an in-person fair.

When you select the Career fair- Handshake Virtual campaign type, you'll be able to select the Related virtual career fair. Click the downright arrow to the far right of the Related virtual career fair field to select from a list of virtual fairs you've registered for.

Related virtual career fair.png

 

Career fair- Other 

Note: if a career fair is hosted virtually but is not facilitated in Handshake (is hosted on a third party site), or is hosted in-person, you should use this campaign type. 

When you select the Career fair- Other campaign type, you'll be able to select the Related career fair. Click the downright arrow to the far right of the Related career fair field to select from a list of fairs you've registered for. 

Related career fair.png

 

Other 

If you select Other, you will be able to complete the same form as for the other campaign types. However, you will not be able to tag a specific job, event or fair. 

Campaign-other .png

The next steps are to select a segment, compose a message and a follow-up, and set the schedule. 

Select segment 

After selecting the campaign type, you will be prompted to complete the following fields: 

  • Campaign Name (only visible to you and your teammates)
  • Related teammate (optional)
    • Provide an additional point of contact for students who want to learn more about your brand.
    • Note: all user role types can be tagged with the relevant permission (tagged in message intros or campaigns) except for Representative and Recruiter (Standard). 
  • Send to segment (choose segment)
  • Maximum audience size (optional)
    • Limit the number of students in your segment who will receive your message. 
  • Exclusions (optional)  
    • Note: select/deselect exclusions as applicable.
      • Applied to a job at your company "in the last 1, 3, 6, or 12 months"
      • Received a message from you or anyone at your company "in the last 1, 3, 6, or 12 months"
      • Students who aren't seeking job opportunities 
      • Has these labels (select labels from the dropdown)
The estimated audience provides an estimate of how many students will receive the campaign. However, the exact count will display after your campaign sends.

To optimize your campaign's performance and reach, we may adjust your campaign to make sure that it's only sent to students who are likely to engage with your campaign. 

Campaign set up form .png

When completed, click the blue button Continue in the lower-right corner of the page to proceed. 

 

Compose message 

The next step is to compose your message. The following details must be provided to complete your message: 

  • Schedule (select a time frame to send your campaign)
    • Job: send ahead of application deadline or send on date
    • Event & Fairs: send before event/fair, send after event/fair, or send on date
      • Tip: if you're promoting the event or sending an event reminder on the day-of, select Send on date to send your campaign that day.
  • Subject (if you do not enter a subject, the default text displayed will be the message subject)
  • Message

If you've attached an item and/or a teammate to your campaign, the cards will be located below the message text box. 

Compose message (attachments).png

Click Preview Message to view how the message (and any cards) will appear to students, or click Continue to proceed. 

 

Compose follow-up (optional) 

If you'd like to send a follow-up message, use this section to compose your message. From here, you can schedule your email (select a specific time and date) and students that should receive the message. 

  • Exclude students who replied to this Campaign is checked by default, so if you'd like to message all recipients again, uncheck this option. 
  • Attached jobs, events, and fairs will automatically be included. Select Remove Attachment to not include this card. 

Note: unless you choose to send a follow-up message, you can't message the same students within 48 hours of the original campaign sent date. If you'd like to connect with the same students in less than 48 hours, a follow-up message will need to be created. 

Before sending your campaign, you may preview your follow-up message by clicking Preview Message on this page. When ready, click Continue in the lower right corner of the page to set the schedule. 

Set Schedule 

Review the selected send date(s) and make any necessary adjustments. If you're ready to schedule the campaign, click the blue button Schedule Campaign in the lower-right corner of the page. 

Schedule campaign .png

 

Now that you've created a campaign, discover how to Manage a Campaign.