October 2016

BAM’s King/Queen of Freshers’ Award 2016

About the award

Our new award for this year’s Freshers’ King or Queen has been put in place to acknowledge an Event Manager that has shown the following exceptional qualities throughout the 2016 Freshers’ campaign!

They used their initiative to overcome any obstacles that we came across
They motivated their team to deliver a high performance – a motivated and enthusiastic team is essential at these campaigns
They went above and beyond their duties giving it their all to deliver a sensational freshers’ campaign

Our Freshers’ King 2016 – Oliver Bryan!

Freshers King Queen Award Blog Google Docs (1)

Campaign – Greggs, South West/ Wales Campaign

Event Days – 8

Why? – We’ve chosen Oliver as our Winner of the Freshers’ King award for a few reasons. Firstly, he helped in delivering an absolutely fantastic freshers’ campaign. Secondly, his attitude throughout the campaign was absolutely brilliant and helped to motivate the whole teams of Bas, which meant we got as many sign ups as possible – Thanks Oliver! Great Job!

Oliver’s Response:

“Wow… that was certainly an unexpected treat! It was great working with all the guys at BAM, and I look forward to many more successful campaigns with you!
It is always easy to sit back and take the accolades from a successful campaign as an event manager, but I am always quick to shun any limelight as this is and was a true team effort.
Without the team supporting me and the event, the success could not and would not have been achieved!
On the day regarding Reading especially, the figures would have been nowhere near as high without Liam, so a big shout out to him as well!!
Thanks again, and I look forward to working with you in the future, hopefully sooner rather than later!”

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Digital is key to the student market

We’re in full flow of the academic year; Fresher’s is a distant memory (•tear•) and students are now getting geared up for the Christmas break, so how do brands engage this crowd while fighting to grab their fleeting attention at such a crucial time?

Well, we all know that most students fall into the digital native category; they’ve grown up with technology all around them – they are the much-coveted digital generation. Brands are quick to turn to channels, like social media, to target this demographic – after all they have huge spending power. However, they pose a very particular set of challenges that often go overlooked; here are our five top reasons you MUST be operating digitally in order to build relationships with the youth!

1. It will let you cater to the needs and wants of the student market.

Students are almost guaranteed to be operating digitally. They’ll be using a variety of modern smartphones and devices, which makes it easier for them to make purchases on the go. Putting your business on social media, mobile applications and websites will allow you to keep up with what the modern consumer demands. It will also prove helpful in attracting new potential customers; millennials are always looking for the latest updates!

2. Using social media effectively is a great way to increase brand awareness.

The integration of social media in marketing campaigns is highly effective from a brand awareness perspective, but also because the majority of students will be active on social channels daily. Students check their smartphones and devices multiple times throughout the day, so there will be more chances to maximise the engagement with your brand.

3. It allows you to increase interaction with your customers.

Being digital means that your students’ experience will not end once they’ve bought your product, you can continue to interact with them via social media, apps and websites. This gives you multiple platforms where you can hear about people’s experiences and gather feedback (market insight). However, remember it’s not always one-sided – by sharing your audience’s feedback or engaging with their recommendations will make them feel valued, and if a consumer is engaged with your brand, they are likely to return for another purchase.

4. People will find you more approachable.

Talking to students online will help to humanise your brand. Being digital lets individuals approach the business as if they are speaking to a friend online. Consumers who feel comfortable approaching a brand will feel more relaxed about buying from them and will be more likely to recommend that brand to their friends and family.

5. You can keep a record of how your business is being represented and received.

Social media has made it easy for businesses to instantly portray their views and opinions, it has also means everything is trackable. Identifying hard results to determine the effect that social media is having can sometimes be challenging, but there will be a record of what actions have been taken to identify a concept of cause and effect, showing you what your consumers respond best to.

Don’t forget – Being digital is great, but it can mean your business is a lot more vulnerable to negative online attention. This is why it’s really important to always think your ideas through and make sure they represent what your brand is really about.

6 tips for marketing to millennials

The millennial market can seem a tricky one to crack to outsiders, with many brands failing to really connect with their desired consumers because they haven’t done their research. Making assumptions about your target audience is a common mistake, and can really have a huge negative impact on the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Here are our top six tips to help point you in the right direction and ensure your campaigns meet those objectives

1. They are an extremely diverse generation

Unfortunately a one-size-fits-all approach will not work for millennials. You’ll need to take the time to figure out who your target market actually is to deliver a campaign that will appeal to them and achieve great results. Think of it in terms of different market segments within the millennial age group rather than just a singular demographic – after all, they all have different interests; just because they are part of the same age group does not mean they will behave and respond in the same way.

2. They are more connected than ever before

Because millennials have grown up with technology, they are used to being connected with each other, this includes their favourite brands too. They operate across multiple devices and platforms at the same time and are comfortable approaching brands online if they need information or assistance, so make sure your brand is visible in the right arenas.

3. They like to share

It’s no secret to marketers that millennials spend a lot of their time on social media. It is a necessity for brands to be operating on key social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram if they want to reach this group. But also other channels like Snapchat should be part of the marketing mix. Choose social media channels that best represent your brand and the people you’re trying to reach. Creating and posting shareable content that millennials can engage with and share online is a great way to generate a buzz around your brand.

4. Don’t be a pushy sales person

Because millennials are used to having so much information at their disposal, they might not respond well to a pushy message about how great your products are and why they should buy them. However, this isn’t to say that they won’t respond well to other people telling them how great your products are. More and more brands are now using influencers to help market their products. Using an influencer that best connects and resonates with your target market is a great way to raise awareness of your brand and what you have to offer. We’ve found that millennials are much more likely to credit the testimonial of one of their peers over a brand.

5. Message delivery

It can be hard to track how millennials are interacting with brands. The introduction of smartphones and portable devices means you can’t just assume that people are in their homes using their desktops when they access your site. Your marketing must now be fully integrated, mobile optimised and cohesive to deliver the same message across all channels. This way it will be easier for millennials to receive it as they are always changing between devices.

6. Loyalty must be earned

Millennials are not as loyal as generations before them and are unlikely to stick with big name brands just because of their status. As millennials have become a major spending power, brands must now accept that they have to win over consumers and keep their loyalty through interaction and engagement.

To communicate with millennials effectively you have to find out what matters to them and what they will respond well to. Marketing is a much more varied process than in the past, so keep these six points in mind when trying to reach them to give yourself a better chance.

Recruit millennial’s with millennial thinking

A lot of students finish university ready and eager to start their transition into the working world. If your company wants to attract top millennials, you must capture their attention on the platforms that they use day to day. Is it a good idea to put out ads in the paper aimed towards the digital young adults of today? No!

Millennials are digital natives, so think digital!

What applications, media channels and tools are at your disposal to make top graduates want to work for you? If you want to get their attention you need to find out where they regularly consume their content and build relationships.

Find out what millennials are talking about, and join in on the conversation. It may be useful to get help, and if possible, testimonies from other millennials so that your approach feels natural.

Sales message, sales message, sales message…Just don’t!

This particular generation is different to the generations before it, don’t try to just market job vacancies towards them, you’ll need to engage with them. Social media is paramount, so having a genuine and meaningful social media presence is the way to get graduates to notice you.

Don’t spread yourself too thin

It’s better to pick a few social media channels and do them well rather than trying to reach individuals across all of them. Choose the platforms that best represent what your company is about and remember millennials will most likely be using a variety of technology, so be sure to cater to varying demographics within your target audience.

Twitter is inexpensive, instant, and direct – unless you use their advertising feature, which can get a bit pricey. It allows you to keep up with current events and lets you have your say. Joining conversations that millennials are interested in can also get them talking about you. However, LinkedIn was made for recruitment, and is a great platform to use for research as well as sharing relevant content – you can also be a bit more corporate and push those harder messages e.g. job vacancies.
Don’t make assumptions

It’s really a question of finding ways to appeal to your desired candidates, and finding out how to appeal to them. It’s easy to assume all millennials act in a similar way but they’re a very diverse group. A prerequisite to operating on social media could be visiting universities or online forums to discuss what students, graduates and post-grads like and dislike about recruitment, as well as hiring processes and what they look for in a job/company.

You don’t need to be corporate all the time

Doing something to stand out from the crowd is something else you can do to give yourself a better chance of success! Be fun! Don’t be afraid to ask them what they want too. Engagement on a regular basis towards graduates will ensure they are kept interested in working for you.

If you would like to know more about how we can help you engage students, no matter the objective, get in touch with us!

What do millennial’s look for when spending?

The millennial age group have grown up in a time of rapid change where there have been huge advancements in technology, and a new way of connecting and communicating brought about thanks to the internet. Now lumbered with higher university tuition fees and released into a challenging job market, their spending habits are likely to reflect this. Here are three major things that millennials are looking for when spending their money:

Value!

Most people will be seeking value when spending, but millennials are more frugal than the generations before them. This is because many will have been taught to be pennywise and compare prices whilst growing up during an economic struggle, and as we all know, money is tight when you’re a student! There are so many more ways to find out about brands via the internet, that they are now easily able to find the best possible deals for themselves with some quick online research. To appeal to a millennial you must market your product in a way that screams value! This often means offering something other than just the product…

Brand Experiences!

555 …Offer Experiences. To attract a millennial you must be appealing in the right ways; the trend these days appears to be brand experiences over ownerships. A person may buy a product or service from you, but have they been given an experience online or in store?

Even if you are selling something really simple to students there are still tons of ways to ensure they receive a full brand experience. Interaction and engagement are key to guaranteeing their custom. Even after they have made a purchase, you can keep them on board via social media and PR stunts. Millennials are way more likely to become a loyal customer if they are consistently interacted with on social media! Fresher’s Fairs provide the perfect opportunity to do something fun with your customers in a face-to-face setting, 80% of our clients believe this to be the most successful form of marketing!

Check out our blog ‘Three Brands That Are Smashing Their Student Marketing Out The Park’ for some inspiration:

Online presence!

Millennials have grown up with technology and are much more comfortable making purchases via smartphones and handheld devices when compared to older generations. Make sure your websites are optimised for other devices; this way people will be able to check out your products wherever they are!

What do millennial’s look for when spending?

Millennials are more likely to consult social media before making a purchase and more likely to be influenced by video content about a product so it’s worth investing time into your online presence. Sharing reviews and user experiences is another great way to get people talking about your brand! Millennials share a lot of information online and will often take each other’s advice over a brands; so don’t be afraid to put user experiences out there.

If you deliver these three things when selling your product you’re sure to be a hit! It’s also a good idea to follow the trends amongst millennials so you can join in on current topics and engage with them in a familiar environment So keep your ear to the ground or get in touch for some expert advice!

A student is for life, not just Freshers

Attracting students during Fresher’s Week is important if you want to crack the student market, but it’s also important not to forget them throughout the entire year if you want to maximise your impact among them. Business lesson 101, retention is widely believed to be more profitable than acquisition. If you engaged them during Fresher’s Week, well done, but the job is not over. It’s important to keep engaging with students so that you can build relationships with them and keep them interested in your brand long-term.

Here’s team BAM’s top six tips to put into action throughout the year to ensure you keep students engaged beyond Fresher’s:

Use the Internet

Make sure you’re creating content that can be shared on social media to capture the attention of those students (it’s where they spend most of their time). This is a direct and often inexpensive way to put your brand at their fingertips – even social media advertising is reasonably affordable.

Keep their income in mind

Most students will be on a tight budget, so it’s important to approach them with offers and helpful tips if you’re trying to sell to them. Also keep in mind important dates such as loan drops! (see our Essential Dates to Remember When Marketing to Students blog)

Use students you’ve already reached out to, to help you reach further

Word of mouth is a powerful thing in student communities. If you have students on board with your brand already, why not ask them to become brand ambassadors and spread the word – students are always looking for part-time work and experience!

Offer a student Discount or Membership

Students are usually looking to save pennies; they’ll appreciate products or services at a discounted rate and will probably continue to use them throughout their time at university.

Give away some prizes

There’s nothing a student loves more than a freebie. Giveaways and competitions are great for generating buzz around your brand and getting students interested.

Hit up the University

If you can get permission from the university then why not schedule a few more visits throughout the year so you can get more face-to-face time with students (if you throw in a few freebies I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to come!).

If you can keep students interested in your brand throughout university there’s a high chance they will continue to be a user after they leave. The importance of consistent marketing throughout the duration can indeed lead to an increased customer lifetime value, so don’t skimp out on the student’s people!

However, if you feel you need a gentle nudge in the right direction, get in touch with one of the team here today.