Understanding the characteristics of college students will help marketers design and implement successful college marketing strategies.
Have a product, brand or service catering to the needs, whims and fancies of the 15 million college students in the USA? If yes, have you tapped into this market segment? If not, then it's time to start the ignition, press the accelerator and make a head start RIGHT NOW!
Switching On
There is more than one reason to make your presence felt in this customer segment. Gone are the days when college students were cash-strapped and survived on instant noodles and cheap beer. The 15 million college students now boast of a significantly high purchasing power of $200 billion.
It is therefore, a large market to tap into. However, enticing them with traditional marketing methods like colorful advertisements, eye-catchy banners and others is a big NO-NO. This group does not trust them and finds them unauthentic. You would have observed the young one at home installing software to skip the many ads being bombarded on the Internet and television.
The need is to employ marketing methods matching the unique characteristics of this unique demographic. Even Campus marketing methods bring results only when based on this essential knowledge.
The Unique Characteristics
So, before putting your feet on the accelerator, delve into the characteristics of this audience as listed below.
Among content and authenticity, they have a special place for authentic companies and websites. They do not even glance at the best content unless they trust the company. So, building trust is essential.
The college student group relies more on their peer group and friends, rather than ads and marketing content. Their friends and peer group influence their buying behavior. Campus marketing methods are therefore, being employed aggressively through student brand ambassadors to create an impact on the group through their own friends and peers on-campus.
College students like to be engaged with the company, than be silent spectators of ads and others. Keeping them engaged is the road to success. They like to be engaged through social media. Therefore, a win-win strategy is to be present on the social platforms used by them.
This group also likes to be involved with the product or service they buy. They like to contribute to the product through its creation process. So, keeping the students involved and inviting suggestions for the product creation is a winning strategy.
Unlike popular misconception, this group of customers is loyal to the brand. Therefore, tapping into this customer segment promises a set of loyal customers for today and tomorrow.
The college student group uses multiple tech devices, including the mobile phone, tablet and even laptops. Marketers must therefore, employ marketing methods to reach the target audience through all of these.
These student groups have a soft corner for companies, which give back to society. Socially responsible companies stand at a higher pedestal than the others. So, be socially responsible and speak about it too.
So, base your marketing methods matching the characteristics listed above and watch your company's name and numbers picking up speed and reaching the anticipated destination.
The need is to employ marketing methods matching the unique characteristics of this unique demographic. Even Campus marketing methods bring results only when based on this essential knowledge