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May 2018

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Marketing tips for startup brands

With over 600,000 startups launching in the UK last year, each will take a leap of faith when it comes to marketing. It’s all about the gamble and as any startup will know, it is a gamble that may or not pay off. The key is to fully plan and executive an effective marketing strategy based on clear and achievable objectives.  

Your initial campaign can shape the future success of the business and so it is pivotal for attracting your first consumers, consumers who may even become ambassadors of your brand without them even knowing it!

Here at BAM we regularly speak with startup businesses on a weekly basis. We guide them through the murky waters, we provide advice on the best routes to market, we share our experience of the student market and of course, most importantly, we help them understand exactly why they should be targeting students.  

Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with many startups businesses and there is one in particular I will always remember – my first ever startup campaign! Back in 2013, I was approached by a young startup called Unii, a social network specifically designed for University students. Unii asked BAM to help launch their brand in the student market with the following main objectives:

1 – Maximise awareness of the Unii brand amongst UK University students

2 – Drive as many students as possible to sign up (with an .ac.uk email address) to the Unii platform 

With zero exposure in the student market, we knew that Unii were starting from a standing position and so we devised a plan of action that would get them off the ground and running. In a crowded market we had to ensure their campaign was clear,  powerful and effective enough to cut through the noise. Using our experience and knowledge of the 1000’s of media channels available, we developed  a multi-channel campaign that truly made waves in the student sphere.

As a result of the campaign Unii gained a massive 150,000 sign ups in the first six months, which was achieved through a mixture of digital, display and face to face channels. You can find out more about Unii’s success in the student market in their case study.

Back to the present day, our latest startup business comes in the form of HireWindow. HireWindow came to BAM for help in launching their brand into an already competitive graduate recruitment market. To achieve their objective of driving students to register to their platform, we formulated a campaign that was an effective mixture of social media management, careers fairs activation’s and digital media. From content creation to the identification of the key sectors to target, BAM are working with HireWindow to guide them through this lucrative market and maximise their marketing spend.

When marketing to students you cannot deny the power of face to face. However, there are several unique advantages of using digital media channels. The advantages include the ability to track campaign performance in real time and the ability to tweak and change the campaign to ensure budget is spent on channels that deliver the best results. BAM have all the tools and expertise to help brands develop and execute a cost-effective, target driven campaign that provides global access. 

With over 2.5 million students studying in the UK, startups have a unique opportunity to tap in to this key demographic of youth. As a startup brand you can be much more flexible in your approach and also be more intimate with your consumers, giving them more time and attention than larger established brands.

Students are in nature early adopters, with the opportunity to become a brand loyal consumer, if your message is right. Never underestimate students, they are a savvy bunch and know when they are being sold to. They are much more receptive to brands who show they understand them and offer them something different. Take advantage of the community environment that students find themselves in, an environment that allows your message to spread faster giving you more exposure.

If you are a startup or simply want to know more about the power of the student market then get in touch!

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Wilko’s Youth Marketing, University Freshers’ tour

Wilko are a perfect example of how adopting a consistent and coherent approach to marketing to students delivers great results. They understand perfectly what students value about Wilko and that has allowed them to become a firm student favourite. For students across campuses all over the UK, where there is a Wilko there’s definitely a way.

BAM have loved playing a key role in Wilko’s approach to students over recent years and during Freshers 2017, we once again coordinated their tour taking on double the locations that we visited in 2016.

Learning from 2016, we agreed to adopt the same approach but simply fine tune the campaign deliver even more effectively. Central to the campaign was the ever popular Wilko goody bag. BAM managed the central collation, unpacking, sorting, logistics and storage of over 150,000 items of stock.

With the hard work of collating stock complete, building a data capture app, securing optimum fair spaces and recruiting top quality promotional staff for the job, made everything that bit the easier.

During the tour BAM distributed 25,000 goody bags to lucky students, The goody bags contained some amazing samples including Original Source shower gel and Lip Balm. However students were most pleased to see the return of their favourite item…the Wilko wooden spoon. We know they are handy and useful for students, but we are not so sure why students go quite as crazy as they do for them, but who are we to question why.

Each of the goody bags also contained a scratch card that gave students the opportunity to win a free sweet treat in store. 2618 students redeemed these treats from Wilko stores during the two weeks following the Freshers events. For those who weren’t quick enough to get their hands on a goody bag, we had the consolation of a second scratch card with the chance to win from a selection of Gift Cards. Over £8,500 worth of gift cards were awarded to students.

Throughout the course of the campaign, over 40,000 students signed up to the Wilko mailing database. BAM have supported Wilko with their clear comms plan which ensure Wilko continue to connect with students throughout the year, developing an always on approach.

Linked to the year round approach, we have also been supporting Wilko with continual activity throughout the year at two key cities. We have already started to see the positive impact of a consistent approach with Wilkos being cited as a key brand students remember seeing on campus.

With the planning process well under way for 2018 we looked forward to supporting Wilkos and their continue to grow their brand love in the student market.

 
 
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Tip 7 – Keep the message alive

We may only just be on the cusp of summer, but Freshers planning is well under way at BAM HQ with many brands already booking their campaigns at Freshers Fairs up and down the UK.

So in these pivotal planning stages we have compiled 7 of the most important tips brands should remember in order to have maximum impact and achieve maximum results. These tips may seem obvious to some, but brands should never underestimate the importance of these seemingly small details.

Tip 1 – Include student participation

Gamification is key. Adding a gaming element to your activation will not only ensure your brand stands out from the crowd but it will also increase attraction and engagement with your brand.

The possibilities are endless with concepts and creations for your activation. You can keep it nice and simple with a classic game of spin to win or you could pull out all the stops with something new and innovative that students have never seen before!

Whatever the budget, whatever the nature of your campaign, there is an engaging concept out there for everyone, the only limit is your imagination. We also advise brands to ensure they have a coveted prize on offer to be won, something students want to participate and compete for. These prizes do not need to break the bank, they just need to be fun and desirable to the student audience.

Tip 2 – Don’t forget the Freebie!

It it safe to say students love a freebie, well, don’t we all?! Whether it’s a sweet treat, a nonsensical toy or a practical household item, if it is free, students want it!

When considering what freebies to bring to the fairs, try to be creative and fun with your ideas, whilst ensuring it has use and longevity. By offering attractive, desirable freebies you will attract swarms of students to your stand, vying to get their hands on one.

Tip 3 – Keep your data collection simple

It may be tempting to ask hundreds of questions exploring student habits, lifestyles and preferences whilst you have their attention, but students can be easily deterred by lengthy forms. For students value exchange is important. What you are offering students has to be worth their time and has to be worth them providing their details in exchange.

With hundreds of activation’s for students to get round in just a few hours, your stand must be attractive, engaging and more importantly quick to ensure students connect with your brand. After all, an email address is really all you need to re market to students in the future. Ensuring your data collection is simple also means that your promotional teams can process as many students as possible during the fair, resulting is maximised data collection.

Tip 4 – Don’t fall victim to buffering

It is important to be aware that not all unions provide wifi at Freshers events, and if they do, be prepared for weak signal strength as every stallholder attempts to log on. With this in mind, we always advise brands to take their own dongle to increase their chance of staying online.

Sometime however, even having your own dongle doesn’t cut it. This doesn’t mean brands should revert back to pen and paper though, it just means brands need to make sure they have a plan B!

What’s plan B? Be functional offline!

BAM can provide brands with a bespoke, GDPR compliant, data capture app that is fully functional offline. Struggling with wifi is not an option when you are surrounded by students wanting to give your their data. An offline app ensures your data capture is always on.

The data is stored on the device and once connected to adequate wifi, the data can be synced and processed. Get in touch with our team to find out more.

Tip 5 – Expect the unexpected

One thing to remember during Freshers is that anything can happen. With over 200 days of fairs happening at 120 universities up and down the country, it can be a very busy and manic couple of months.

Our advice is to stay ahead of the game and be prepared. We highly recommend arriving at the fair as early as possible. This will allow you the space to set up and the time to resolve any issues you may experience with your activation before students arrive.

Once you are all set up and ready to go you can simply sit back, grab a coffee and watch all the latecomers rush to set their stands up with barely a minute to spare.

Tip 6 – Be engaging and leave your mark

It is often said that you never get a second chance to make a good impression, never has a statement been more true and relevant than at the Freshers Fairs. The students you meet at these events are experiencing a major milestone in their lives. For the first time they are living away from parents, they have a new found independence and they are now in charge of managing their own finances.

Who is responsible for making a good impression for your brand? Your promotional staff.

Behind every exceptional campaign is exceptional staff. At BAM we provide the very best promotional staff of all levels, from Brand Ambassadors to Event Managers. We have a comprehensive database of experienced, talented staff across the UK that will bring your campaign to life and leave the right impression of your brand in the student market. If you want to secure the best promotional staff for your campaign, get in touch with our staffing experts for more information.

Tip 7 – Keep the message alive

Don’t forget students are for life not just for Freshers, a motto we stand by here at BAM. Freshers may be one of the biggest events in the student calendar, but it is extremely important to continue engaging with students throughout the rest of the academic year and beyond. Many businesses become overly dependant on Freshers and forget that there are endless opportunities to reconnect with students to build and secure life long relationships. Contact us for more information on creating an “always on” campaign.

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How unsexy brands build brand love

Building brand love within industries such as finance, healthcare and insurance can sometimes be a challenge, however, we are here to explain how these traditionally ‘unsexy’ brands have successfully built brand love in the youth market and engaged them through genius campaigns.

You can mimic a result but not the creativity
When making the uncool cool, creativity really is the key. In today’s competitive business landscape the only way to separate yourself from others is to show how well you think outside the box and utilise your creativity. This is no exception for even the unsexiest of brands. In the words of Albert Einstein, “Imagination is more important than knowledge” but when every aspect of your business appears to be nothing but corporate, how do you build brand love?

A guide to building brand love

Sponsorships
Making unsexy brands sexy since the beginning of time.

Cool by association is real thing and it’s something even the most corporate of brands continue to take advantage of. Sponsorships increase brand awareness and build associations between desirable, well loved brands and brands that may not be getting the brand love or perception they deserve. When thinking about sponsoring an event or campaign it’s important to always pick a brand or business whose target audience aligns with yours. When chosen carefully, the right sponsorship will not only place your brand directly in front of your target audience, but will also show your brand in the desirable limelight you are striving for.

From DHL sponsoring London Fashion Week to Mastercard sponsoring The BRITS, these unlikely partnerships are both mutually beneficial and effective when showcasing your creative side. DHL and London Fashion Week may seem like a world apart, but the two are in fact a match made in heaven. With the immense pressures for designers with shipments and equipment arriving on time, DHL is there to help ease the pressure and help put designers minds at ease. Known for not being the sexiest of brands, DHL becomes cool by association when joining forces with what is arguably one of the coolest and you guessed it, ‘sexiest’ events of the calendar year.

The association between the brands has even continued after the shows have finished. As DHL continue to deliver designer branded goods, the brand secures a connection with it’s audience every step of the way, from catwalk to consumer clothes rails.

Social Media
There really is endless possibilities in the content that you can post and share on social media. Regardless of your sector or product offering there is still one thing that all brands should aim to incorporate in order to nail sexy social…. Storytelling.

Storytelling has always, and will likely always play a large part in successful marketing. From blogs to videos and still imagery to gifs the social world is your oyster. Whether you’re a parts manufacturer or the NHS, a story with feeling and emotion will drive brand love through the roof.

Stories also help enable businesses and brands to portray personality, create connections and weave a creative narrative into a seemingly corporate brand.
Whether you use visuals on Instagram or a video on Facebook, imagery is a great place to start when striving to create eye-catching, engaging and memorable brand moments.

Campaigns
There’s nothing sexy about a boring campaign, so whether you’re a bank or a brick seller, your campaigns shouldn’t be and needn’t be boring. Ranging from the humorous to the shocking, the light-hearted to the thought-provoking, your campaign needs to have an impact and you must start thinking outside the box. Once again, creativity is key.

With a corporate brand in 2018, it’s easier than ever to get caught up in the technology and data to optimise the delivery of your ad. However, if the original idea behind the ad is lacking creativity, you will not receive the desired response from your target audience!

The power of creative campaigns to transform brand perception and inspire consumers can never be underestimated. One ad that makes the world take note, that makes the world stop and think, can revolutionise your brand’s reputation, drive emotion and most importantly showcase your sexy side!

Want to know more on how to build brand love? Get in touch with our team who would be happy to help