Most campuses emphasize students in their marketing strategy. We have included here a number of examples of advertising campaigns used by campuses to reach their students and bring them onto Engage. Consider engaging student staff in creating videos, posting on social media, and hosting events/tabling opportunities. In addition to utilizing print media to advertise their communities, many campuses also purchase promotional items and giveaways so that students will bring the advertising with them wherever they go.
Stony Brook University
Great marketing often involves both variety and frequency. Picking several different kind of promotional items (pictured above: folder, water bottle, pen) can ensure students see your branding early and often, making them more likely to visit back over the course of the year.
Texas Lutheran University
Texas Lutheran University utilizes some of its Co-Curricular Paths as a method to attract students into Engage and add value for them once they arrive. In addition to laptop stickers and webcam covers, Texas Lutheran also gives out these beautifully designed printed booklets displaying a timeline map through the college experience and each moment along the way where a student might look to Engage for further resources. The timelines portrayed in these booklets parallel and complement Paths as a digital resource.
The highlighted community logo appears multiple times throughout the 4 separate year-based guides, reminding students to hop back into Engage throughout their campus experience.
Creative Promotional Items
Generally, what's on trend for promotional items changes every year, so it's probably best not to purchase more than a year's supply at once for a creative idea. The exception to this is if you can imagine an item that will become coveted on campuses while still proudly displaying a reminder of your community's brand. You can accomplish this by purchasing some swag obtainable by all students (e.g. pen, flyer, fidget spinner, laptop sticker), and a smaller number of more special items that can be earned or won, creating whispers and ramping up desire for them over time. These items could either be raffled or earned through participation on Engage or a Co-Curricular Path. Examples might include:
- Enamel Pin
- Fanny Pack
- Socks
- Padfolio
- Cardigan
But wait, there's more!
Can't get enough? Us either. Check out more detail on these other innovative strategies at the links below: