Students are a fairly large consumer group. They are curious, open to everything new, ready to buy products entering the market, interested in current developments, react emotionally to the bright advertisement and fashion trends. That is why many companies bet on an age group between 15-25 when compiling a marketing strategy.
Student marketing is a set of methods and technologies which helps brands promote their products in a youth environment. It is necessary to conduct polls, gather statistical information, understand what young people need to satisfy their needs and, consequently, receive good profits. Let’s consider how student marketing strategies are implemented by enterprises.
Each company striving to sell its products to students should first come in contact with them. How can it be done? Entrepreneurs of different levels mainly reach potential clients through media and different events, promotions held on campus.
Most students use the Internet on a daily basis, so it is an excellent advertising field. Young people may receive messages from a company in social networks, read articles about its products on youth forums and websites. Many leading brands use advertisements on YouTube, Instagram, and the like resources. Also, information on a product may be posted in a college newspaper and educational journals. When a person faces a certain trademark constantly, sooner or later, one feels a desire to get acquainted with it.
As a rule, students buy food, clothes, gadgets in online stores. As learning issues concern them constantly, a separate market niche is devoted to educational assistance. There are special companies working via the Internet exclusively for students and inviting them to order at essay writing service online. This area has grown significantly over the last several decades, and this trend is not going to change. Competition is very high today, and it is not enough to just create a website to gain a huge clientele and a constant flow of orders.
Young people are very responsive to everything new and unusual, but it is still necessary to know how to reach them and focus their attention on a necessary brand. Companies should lead to active external policy and hold marketing campaigns outside their online platforms, develop complex SEO strategies and study laws of student marketing to stand out on a background of competitors.
If a marketing plan is compiled and implemented correctly, clients’ interest and involvement grow, they buy more products, create extra profits and prerequisites for further company development.
A favorable factor is that most young people have weaker critical thinking compared to the older generation. They show less skepticism and prejudice, which gives companies a chance to become their friends. It is easier to offer different ideas to students if these ideas are presented in beautiful, attractive packaging.
If a company wants to sell its services and goods in the youth environment, it is worth analyzing all pros and cons, perspectives and threats of this niche, decide on measures that may help to reduce adverse effects.
First of all, it’s worth understanding that students do not make up the richest social group. Some of them even do not receive a scholarship and have to pay for studies. It is good if such young people find time and energy to work part-time and earn money for living. If there is no such possibility, they are fully dependent on parents and cannot make any independent financial decisions.
However, this does not apply to young people who have left a parental home, found a full-time job and undertook full responsibility for their lives. They enjoy freedom which may be manifested in such simple things as a brand choice. Let’s say a mom was choosing clothes for a daughter when one was a schoolchild. But after settling in a dorm, young lady may found out that one is free to buy a short skirt, bright T-shirts or even make a tattoo. Or, for instance, a guy was forced to eat vegetarian food which one’s parents ate. After starting to live alone, one will look for restaurants offering a meat menu.
Brands should strive to reach these potential clients because they are ready and want to purchase products for their own money. There is even no need to persuade them in something because companies offer what students always dreamt about. But entrepreneurs should understand that young people are not very loyal clients. They may be delighted to buy a brand today but get bored and choose something else tomorrow. It is necessary to surprise, intrigue them constantly, replenish a product line, associate products manufactured with success, an active lifestyle.
Of course, it is senseless to propose expensive clothes, accessories, cars, real estate to students. Even having a huge desire to buy something, they will not afford luxurious products because of a lack of money. This fact increases the importance of marketing studies. A company should understand what students are ready to pay for before focusing on this consumer group.
One more problem of student marketing is that clientele may be maintained during a limited period of time. Young people grow up, graduate, receive diplomas. Their interests and needs may change dramatically after passing these stages. For example, a person contacts a UK essay writing service online regularly. But will one need educational assistance after several years? Of course, no. All these essays, reports and term papers will remain in the past.
That is why brands should not stop their marketing companies to have a constant inflow of clients. Standing on one point means going back in this case. Therefore, success may be achieved only in a constant struggle for leadership. Entrepreneurs cannot dream of creating a consumer base on the first stage of company development and working with it calmly for a long time. Having a relaxed way too early, they may lose positions that were so hard to conquer.
It is worth not betting on such mainstream advertising channels as TV, billboards, and radio. Students do not pay attention to them and receive all valuable information on the Internet or from their peers on campus.
Let’s draw the line. Student marketing is quite a promising consumer niche for brands offering non-expensive but fashionable and original products. As statistics shows, British students spend about £13 billion a year on buying different goods and are always interested in something new. The main thing is to approach preparing a marketing strategy sensibly, take into account the current needs of a young generation. With such a provident approach, each firm has good chances to succeed.