College students are more famous for skipping class than for being classy, more highly regarded as thrifty shoppers than as sophisticated consumers.
Still, smart companies covet their attention, as well as their approval. Why? Because even though they may not make a lot of money, college students spend a ton of it.
- Profile your student targets. Not all students are created equal. The needs and buying habits of a student at a four-year university, for instance, will differ considerably from those of a student at a two-year college. Similarly, reaching students that live on campus will require different strategies than one might use to reach students who live off campus.
- Get online. College students are extremely media savvy. Their medium of choice, however, is definitely be the Internet. Modern-day college students grew up with the World Wide Web and spend hours at a time online studying, surfing the net and socializing with their friends. Smart marketers will log on not only to advertise to their young customers, but to interact with them, too.
- Turn campuses into ads. Enterprising marketers can literally decorate a college campus with their message. Use sidewalk chalk to create eye-catching ads on campus thoroughfares and post flyers on campus bulletin boards, where they’re sure to catch receptive students’ eyes.
- Buy ads in campus media. Every college has a newspaper, and many have student-run TV stations and magazines. Advertising in them is both an inexpensive and an effective way to reach college students.
- Sponsor student events. College students love a good party. Lending your support and your money to on-campus events can get you valuable exposure within your target market and can also build your reputation as a student-friendly business.
- Build buzz. College students talk. A lot. Companies can therefore initiate a storm of free marketing just by giving them something exciting and inventive to talk about.
Photo by GypsyRock.
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