E-Mail Marketing to College Students 101
They’re online and big spenders, and they’ve been saturated with advertising since they were born. Some tips for communicating with the college demographic.
They’re online and big spenders, and they’ve been saturated with advertising since they were born. Some tips for communicating with the college demographic.
If you’re not marketing to college students, perhaps you should be. Today’s college students are one of the earliest generations that have had four to six years of Internet, email, Web, IM (define), wireless, and other digital experiences woven into their lives. Because of college kids’ unique nature (most are parent-supported, with plenty of discretionary income), this group is very attractive.
Witness these stats from the 360 Youth/Harris Interactive College Explorer Study (Fall 2003):
And according to the Student Monitor Study, they spend almost 15 hours per week online, shelling out $11 million per year.
More important than what college students spend today is the fact they’re the consumers of tomorrow. Building relationships now could pay off in a big way down the road, as well as produce current sales and revenue.
Because many, if not most, college kids grew up living online in perhaps the most advertising-saturated time, they’re a very savvy generation when it comes to advertising in general, and online advertising in particular. Here are some key factors to bear in mind when planning an email marketing campaign targeting this group:
Taking all this into account, some recommendations for email marketing to college students:
I’ve got a son in his first year at college. Between what he buys and what we as parents buy for him, it adds up quickly. Time to take a fresh look at this demographic.
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