Five Tips for Effectively Marketing to College Students

by Atle Skalleberg  |  5,339 views

Published on June 27, 2012   

Tags: Customer Behavior, Demographics, Marketing Strategy, Segmentation, Targeting

In this article, you'll learn...

• Why you should be marketing to college students
• Five steps that'll help you appeal to the student segment

The US has some 18 million college students—tech-savvy trendsetters who spend more time together than any other social or professional group. To put that further into perspective, Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 1994) is now estimated to be the largest consumer group in US history.
Decision-makers in marketing departments all over the country might think of keg stands, spring break, and slim wallets when they hear the word "student." College students are treated like any other segment... or not focused on at all.
Yet, in 2010, the US National Retail Federation expected college back-to-school spending to reach nearly $34 billion. Surveyed parents estimated that their children were making 70% of the purchase decisions on their credit cards. That data reveals a clearly defined segment—college students—who have significant purchasing power.
If you aren't already doing so, you should be offering student discounts. Student discounts do not discount the brand; they drive loyalty and provide a positive brand experience. But don't stop at discounts.
Do you have a back-to-school marketing plan?

Many marketing departments seem to lack a marketing plan for continually marketing to the young and restless. Moreover, marketers speak the same language to the 60-year-old customer from Fort Lauderdale and the 21-year-old living in San Francisco, and they also use the same marketing vehicles.

Read more: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2012/8273/five-tips-for-effectively-marketing-to-college-students#ixzz1zrGWj6Nh