10 Tips for Successful College Marketing

I found this blog from Noah Kagan, a young guy who is currently a product manager for facebook. He also does other individual marketing projects. He is very interested in the 18-30 year old market, therefore he does a lot of work dealing with this demographic. In his blog, he shares his 10 Tips for Successful College Marketing. They are as follows:

1.) Advertise on Facebook - Clearly Noah would say to advertise on Facebook since he works for the company, but most students are members of the facebook and check it daily, if not more often. There are plenty of areas where advertising can be used; whether posting paid advertisments, students using their own profiles, or even creating groups around a product. For example, there were several groups at Ithaca created around spring break. Student spring break representatives invited all of their facebook friends to join groups and receive information about spring break trips through their employer.

2.) Make it funny - College students have very short attention spans. If something isn't interesting, they won't pay attention to it. If the advertisement is humorous, students will most likely pay attention and will even tell their friends about it. Funny ads can lead to buzz, since college students are always talking and always looking for a good laugh.

3.) Don't buy TV ads - According to Kagan, the average college student does not have time to watch TV and might not even own a TV; therefore advertising on TV is a waste of time and money. My opinion is that it is true that some college students do not watch or even have a TV, but there are some TV shows that really hit the college market. There are several prime time shows that college students are in to and shows on stations such as MTV that are directed at college students. If you have the money and a solid ad, television can sometimes be a good bet.

4.) Unique/Original - This relates to the make it funny point, if it isn't interesting, college students most likely won't pay attention. If they've seen it before, they won't pay attention. A lot of brainstorming needs to be done before advertising to college students. Creativity and originality play a significant role in successfully reaching this market.

5.) Free - This is the one word that can catch any college student's attention. College students are often short on cash, so when they see the word "free" it automatically catches their eye. No matter what the free thing is, you can usually count on college students to come check it out.

6.) Contests - Contests provide opportunities for students to be competitive and win things. They are fun, interesting, and attention-grabbing. If a contest is for a worthwhile prize, a lot of students are often willing to participate.

7.) School newspapers are a waste of money - According to Kagan, with the short attention spans of college students, many do not read the college newspaper. Those who do read it, spend little time focusing on the ads. I feel that the effectiveness of school newspapers depends on the college, some are very popular. Those students who do read the paper will notice the ad if it interests them or if it surrounds an article that they are reading. It also depends on the product being advertised. If there is a more efficient and effective way to advertise a particular product, then the school newspaper may not be the best bet.

8.) Sponsor organizations - College students obviously love money, especially since they often lack it. Supporting a school organization that students care about can help catch their attention. They will be appreciative of the fact that you are sponsoring their organization, which will make them more aware of your brand or product.

9.) Ditch the flyers - Kagan mentions, "flyering for your cause = killing trees and nothing more." Utilizing flyers is often ineffective due to the amount of other organizations that already flyer across campuses. Most schools have certain bulletin boards for general flyers, which are already covered with plenty of other flyers. The majority of students do not pay attention to flyers, especially since the campus is cluttered with them.

10.) Ask the pros - When Kagan says pros, he means students. Ask college students what they want or even go to a campus and observe the students. College students know their own demographic better than anyone else. Therefore, they can tell you what you need to know and what methods might work best for your product.

Kagan's website and blog is full of interesting stuff related to the college market. This is his interest and expertise and he is involved in a variety of businesses and organizations that market to college students. I thought that his 10 Tips for Successful College Marketing were right on. The one thing to remember is that these rules may not apply to all products or brands. Marketers have to choose methods that they feel will work best for their product. Kagan's overall message was clear and precise in that reaching the college demographic can be difficult. Putting money and effort in the right places can lead to a successful campaign with the college market.