The fall season is ramping up, which means back-to-school season. College campuses are among places that will attract many people, particularly younger generations, making it a great place to give your brand some exposure.
There’s also a lot going on at a college campus that could distract people from noticing your brand. Students tend to focus on studying, gaining friends, engaging in sports and athletics, or joining organizations.
To seize the promotional opportunity, adapt to ‘college life as well. There are many ways to stand out, whether you are offering free promotions, looking to get involved at a sporting event, or partaking in the learning experience.
Fit the Students’ Needs
A great way to get noticed often on a college campus is to offer products used frequently. Pens that get shared often or thermal cups that are set on desks during class will surely get your logo seen. Planners, laptop stickers, phone cases, and notepads/sticky notes also come in handy.
Also, think about ways your customer base could wear your product, such as backpacks, jackets, and sweaters. These items have a lot of space for your logo and will often be worn in various places. Make sure to use the right backpack print designs that are appropriate for universities.
For sweaters, try to place your logo in a visible but not intrusive space, as they can be used for cozy study sessions or day-to-day classes. Meanwhile, for jackets, hoodies, and shirts, use large logo designs and vibrant color schemes.
Common school items are great, but you can also add a fun twist to them that will make students keep them longer, so try to get creative. More importantly, offer products for free, as most students are on a pretty tight budget and always appreciate giveaways.
Sponsor an Event
Many events take place on college campuses, such as job fairs, sporting events, music festivals, and multi-cultural events. Take advantage of these events by advertising on the interior or exterior of the venue with large signage. You can also do something smaller, like putting your logo on reusable cups used to sell beverages.
With large events, it’s important to understand where your branding will live and if there will be any other brands involved that could draw away attention. Coordinate with the event organizers and offer to work in partnership with them or as a co-sponsor. You can help them promote their event while they promote your brand—it’s a win-win.
Make a Statement
A college is a place for students to express themselves, and they often prefer to do it in fun, entertaining, and amusing ways. With this, be creative with your branding and the promotional items you will give away. The more outlandish it is, the bigger an impact it will have on the students.
It is also known that college-level consumers rely on influencer and word-of-mouth marketing, so try to get the students talking about your brand as much as possible. Come up with meaningful, inspiring, or simply witty phrases that will stick in students’ minds.
You can also get creative with the design aspect by giving the college students something fun and eye-catching to wear.
Use Social Media
Although not unique to college campuses, social media plays a significant role in college students and the brands they endorse or use every day. Most students connect with fellow students who are within the campus and have similar interests, creating a small distinct network.
With this, your targeted demographic becomes easier to reach. The number of influencers and micro-influencers at universities is also growing, so consider tapping into the influencer marketing opportunity.
No matter how much impact you have with young customers face-to-face, they are unlikely to remember or engage with your brand unless there is a significant social media presence.
Make sure to establish your online presence by applying social media marketing approaches that appeal to college students. Be visual and share photos and videos. You can also promote groups, create fun hashtags, and offer incentives to encourage engagement with your brand.
Help Them Learn
A college university, more than anything, is an educational institution; hence students are there to learn. Offering them opportunities that will help them learn or support their academic success is a very appealing promotional approach.
Develop a lesson series or virtual lecture to help students learn from your brand. You can also launch a promotional contest with incentives, like free passes to paid webinars or online courses, as well as subscriptions to digital educational products, such as photo editing and research writing software, when you can.
Perhaps there is even an opportunity to partner with a particular department relevant to your business. Try to see if you can offer a short internship program or create an event that will allow students to innovate and contribute to your business.
Giving people hands-on opportunities to engage with your brand will prove most effective.
Make an Impact With Your Brand
College universities offer an excellent opportunity to reach young, open-minded consumers deemed to drive the future economy. Make the most of it by offering promotional items that will add value to students’ lives.
Items useful for studying, relaxation, and other specific activities like sports will let students feel your support for them. Let them know you are there. This way, you are giving your brand exposure while making a positive impact on students.
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