Guide to Marketing to College Students

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. As such, decide what type of student you want to reach with your product or service before you begin marketing it.

I recommend: Find out the demographics and psychographics of students in your area by browsing local campus profiles courtesy of The Princeton Review, College Board or Peterson’s.

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.

I recommend: Interact with student customers online at social networking sites like Facebook, or at student-focused Web sites like Student.com and SparkNotes, which have student message boards. Or, consider purchasing online ads with sites like Campus Hook and STA Travel, which have an entirely student audience.

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.

I recommend: New Age Marketing is a marketing firm that focuses on the student market and has a dedicated “Campus Postering” service. Of course, you can design and print your own fliers at your local FedEx Kinko’s, too.

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.

I recommend: Contact campus newspapers directly to inquire about advertising opportunities; a listing of student papers nationwide is available in the Yahoo! Directory.

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.

I recommend: Approach your local university to discuss sponsorship opportunities, or enlist a partner such as CampusParty—a college marketing firm that specializes in reaching students—to help you find worthwhile events.

Make students feel special

Businesses often ignore—or even reject—their student customers. Companies that make an extra effort not only to accommodate college students, but to cater to them—with special student discounts, services, etc.—can therefore easily lay claim to their cash.

I recommend: Alloy Media + Marketing’s 360 Youth Network is dedicated to helping companies make their student customers feel special with unique promotions such as exclusive movie screenings, product samples, etc.

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.

I recommend: Companies like BzzAgent can help you put your product in front of students who will talk about it. Adding a tell-a-friend script to your Web site, such as those at Refer-a-Buddy.com and Bravenet, will make sure that they do.

Send both snail mail and email

College students change addresses often, but love to get mail nonetheless. Direct mail, then, is an easy and effective way to get them excited about your company. Don’t neglect students’ email inboxes, though, as most students check their email at least once daily.

I recommend: Before mailing, consider renting a list of student names and addresses from American Student List; doing so will help you reach the right people with the right message.