3 freshers marketing tips to attract uni students

We can’t quite believe we’re saying it, but the Freshers season is just around the corner, which means it’s time for brands and marketers to start preparing their campaigns. Gen Z students will be scouring the internet for the best discounts and deals on everything from technology to homeware, meaning they’re ready and raring to engage (and spend!). 

But why does this season provide you with countless fantastic opportunities and how can you use it to attract and engage university students?

Why is the Freshers period important for brands? 

Put simply, today’s university students are tomorrow’s loyal spenders, so it’s vital for you to build those relationships now to prepare for the future. The brands that make an impact and offer the best deals will be the ones that Gen Z go to first (and recommend to their friends!) when making their next purchase. 

In this blog post, we’ll be teasing our Freshers Campaign Planner - a template designed to help you prepare for the busy season ahead and attract college students to spend with your brand.

3 Freshers tips to help you engage with Gen Z

Check out these three tactics that’ll help you attract Gen Z university students. Plus, case studies, because, well, the proof is in the pudding! 

1. Create bespoke pages and deals 

Students love a deal, so try targeting them directly by offering Freshers specials across your stores and/or websites. Whether it’s specific shopping hubs or bundling popular, must-have items to be sold together, this is a money-saving special that students will opt for time and time again. 

2. Get your brand featured where it matters

Sharing always-on content across multiple touchpoints will help your brand to reach Gen Z wherever they are, 24/7, and it’s a great way of making your products attract the attention of students. 

For example, if your target audience is on social media (which, spoiler, they are!), target them using a creator marketing campaign. Pion's student discount program, Student Beans, offers brands a huge range of promotional media that works as an extension of your marketing activities, including our Student Beans Creators program.

Brand case study: Gymshark

Athleisure and fitness brand Gymshark wanted to take their 10% student offering to another level during the Back to School season, so took advantage of the range of media placements that Pion's student discount brand: Student Beans, offers, including a homepage takeover, carousel feature, Solus email, and more. 

The result? A 112% increase in student discount codes and 70% increase in revenue compared to the previous week. That’s a lot of stylish students ready to hit the uni gym!

3. Get that student discount rolling!

Thanks to rising inflation, money’s tight for Gen Z students right now, and the brands offering great deals and discounts will be the ones that earn their loyalty well into the future. In fact, our insights revealed that students are 5 times more likely to become a customer if they see a student offer or incentive when shopping! 

Want help creating your discount or boosting your current offering? Get in touch with Pion to learn more about student marketing with Student Beans today.

But that’s not all! Be sure to check out our full Freshers Campaign Planner for more tips and tricks, as well as an editable template to help plan your campaign to perfection.