3 Marketing Strategies That Appeal To Students

Back to school season is in full effect! By now, students all across Canada are either visiting their new classrooms daily or engaging in virtual learning from home. Either way, a new school year is upon us. For business owners, that means the time for developing and launching a brand new marketing campaign has arrived.

What is the best way to advertise to those who are attending school? We have a few ideas that are proven to work! Here are three marketing strategies that appeal to students:

1. Hire a student spokesperson.

You know the old saying “preaching to the choir”, right? Why not get someone who can do just that by “preaching” to the student body? By getting a young person to star in a new marketing campaign for your business, you help your brand to better reach its intended target. Students are a lot more likely to pay attention to someone who represents both their exact needs and interests. It’s all about being authentic.

“College students know when they are being sold a lie and they are certainly not stupid when it comes to advertising,” informs Marc Sorel on CollegeMarketing.net, “It’s best to be as straightforward as possible in letting them know who you are and letting them make an informed decision. Anything deemed as phony or insincere will not get your brand the time of day.”

2. Invest in updating your website.

It’s vital that your brand has a strong online presence. Your website must look its very best so that visitors are inclined to stick around and inquire further about your products and services. According to Digital Marketing Institute, research shows that 80 percent of college-bound students agree that websites influence their decisions more than any other resource.

“It’s crucial to create a user-friendly, informative and optimized website that is visually appealing and responsive,” says the site, “Tracking data on an ongoing basis will help to understand how and where students engage so you can refine and optimize a website to provide content and solutions visitors want.”

3. Offer rewards to online reviewers.

Online reviews are huge for businesses of all types. In many cases, they can make or break a company’s reputation. Use online reviews to your advantage. Firstly, be sure to contact anyone who has posted a negative review. Offer assistance that will help to better their experiences. This will help your brand gain a reputation as a problem-solving, customer-centric entity. Secondly, offer a special little something to those who post positive online reviews of your brand. Often, just saying “thank you” encourages further word-of-mouth advertising.

As Sorel points out, consumers are much more inclined to make purchases based on recommendations. “This is true for college marketing as well,” he insists, “By utilizing peer to peer marketing as one of your youth marketing services, you will have an edge, not only from a brand integration standpoint but from a word of mouth viral marketing standpoint as well.”

Could you use some extra working capital to help launch your student-focused marketing campaign? Contact Synergy Merchants to find out how our unique merchant cash advance program can help you! Call us at 1-877-718-2026 or email us at info@synergymerchants.com. You can also apply online for a free, no obligation quote!