How to Market Towards College Students
Gabriel Rodriguez
November 12, 2023
Why Market Towards College Students?
College students collectively expend over $200 billion annually, representing a substantial financial pool. However, it also signifies a significant potential customer base. If your business pertains to this demographic, targeting college students could be a pivotal aspect of your marketing strategy. Given my status as a marketing-focused college student, I offer a unique perspective on this matter. I possess a deep understanding of marketing fundamentals, the factors influencing students' purchasing decisions, and, more importantly, how to cultivate their loyalty. Marketing toward college students can be a highly effective approach for your brand, provided it is relevant. Nevertheless, I've observed numerous businesses making missteps when targeting students. Below, I outline some recommended techniques and best practices for effectively engaging this demographic.
Content Marketing
I'm starting with this approach because I believe it offers the most significant benefits. Furthermore, most of the following techniques I discuss assume that you're utilizing content creation rather than traditional advertisements. While creating ads can still be effective, especially in certain cases, for college students, content marketing is a more beneficial strategy. Content marketing involves producing material that attracts, engages, and educates customers organically.
This strategy is particularly effective with college students since they have grown up in an environment saturated with advertisements. They are accustomed to brands constantly interrupting to promote their products. By offering something valuable and creating content that students genuinely want to engage with, you're already ahead of the competition.
It's important to note that this approach may not yield immediate sales results, but over time, it can become one of the most beneficial actions you take for your brand.
Build a Connection
Modern college students have grown up in a digital age where social media and television are integral parts of their daily lives. Consequently, they are highly accustomed to advertisements, especially those that solely focus on product promotion. What can set your brand apart, is the ability to establish a genuine connection with students. In order to star the connection process, show them that there's a real person behind the brand. When this connection is made, students are more inclined to make a purchase.
There are several approaches to foster this connection with students, and one crucial, yet often overlooked, method is listening. Listening to what students want is paramount. In a society where you can gauge public sentiment by monitoring online conversations, it's not challenging to uncover what's being said about your brand. When executed correctly, this approach can significantly increase the likelihood of a student becoming a customer, returning for more purchases, and even advocating for your brand.
Emphasize Benefits Over Features
Product features play a crucial role in any product and are essential for presenting to customers. However, when targeting college students, they are already accustomed to this. To distinguish your brand, you must demonstrate how your product can assist college students. College life can be stressful, and students often feel pressed for time. Convincing them that the benefits derived from your product's features will enhance their daily lives can significantly boost their inclination to make a purchase.
You can achieve this by showcasing your product's features as you normally would but also emphasizing how these features directly benefit the student. If possible, focusing on time saving. This approach can be seamlessly integrated into content marketing and also offers the advantage of generating multiple pieces of content from a single idea. You can tailor each piece of content to highlight different product features and their associated benefits, creating a compelling narrative for each aspect of your product.
Convince the Parents
College students often face financial challenges, and at times, they rely on their parents for financial support, especially for significant purchases. Parents tend to be more discerning when evaluating a product compared to their children. Therefore, it's essential to empower the student to act as a persuasive advocate for your product. To achieve this, the student must be well-informed about the product, which can be facilitated by providing comprehensive information on your website or via social media.
When the student is well-versed in the product's details, they can more effectively convince their parents of its value. Parents are more likely to make the purchase when they perceive that their child has a solid understanding of the product. However, the student may not be motivated to study or gather information if the process is overly complex. I have personally witnessed this many times, and it has led to some of my peers abstaining from product purchases.
To address this issue, the information about your product must be not only readily accessible but also presented in an easily digestible format. The product information should be easy to find and even easier to comprehend, ensuring that both students and their parents can make informed decisions without undue effort.
Display Your Morals
College students are deeply concerned about the future of the world, making it highly beneficial to align your brand with a cause. Demonstrating your commitment to making the world a better place not only captures their attention but also humanizes your brand in their eyes, fostering a stronger connection. As I've emphasized before, establishing this connection is pivotal.
By showcasing your brand's alignment with a cause, you make it more likely for the student to choose your brand over one that lacks this commitment. When they do make a purchase, knowing that they are contributing to a greater good, they experience an added sense of satisfaction. This can lead to valuable connections as the student becomes more inclined to promote your brand to their friends and advocate for it on social media.
Be Time Conscious
College students lead fast-paced lives, and optimizing the user experience on your website is crucial. Beyond just ensuring fast loading times for SEO purposes, the entire customer journey should be streamlined. Regardless of the content they initially engage with, visitors should be able to access your website with a single click. Additionally, your website should offer user-friendly navigation, making all the essential information easily accessible. One of the most critical aspects is the purchasing process.
Simplifying and streamlining the purchase process is paramount. It should flow smoothly and not feel overwhelming, as this significantly influences the purchase decisions of students. A seamless, hassle-free purchasing experience is critical in satisfying the needs of this demographic.
