Millennial students need a discount for everything they purchase. To them, a high priced product is ‘never worth it’, and when a discount is offered tend to jump onto the brand’s product or service. Discounts and constant sales make them feel heard and taking advantage of that factor, brands must work toward it.

1. Actually Target Students

While most brands state that they target the student market, this is just lip service with no concrete steps taken on the ground. Even if action is taken, in totality, the discount or promotion offered is usually minimal when compared to the brand’s overall marketing strategy. If converting students into customers is a goal, then like with any goal, implement strategies and allocate sufficient resources so as to actually make a tangible impact. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your time.

To help in taking your brand on course for the #1 spot among millennials here in the UAE, click here:

2. Ask for More

Create surveys and formulate questions to help you and your business understand the needs and wants of the UAE’s students. Feedback is always good, because it allows you to tailor your promotions and offers to what is actually in demand. Conversely, it allows you to learn if strategies are not working and refocus the impact of your budget.

To gain insights and information on the UAE’s millennial market, click here:

3. Student Engagement

Provide students with an opportunity to be a part of the campaign, company, or brand. Word of mouth is the key to marketing. Millennials are the most marketing averse generation on the planet, and tend to trust recommendations from their peers over any form of digital or traditional advertising. Launch a campus ambassador program, or begin hiring interns from the UAE’s colleges or universities.

To hire student interns for free, click here:

4. Stick To The Point

Students like minimalism. The attention span of your everyday teenager is roughly about ten seconds, so don’t beat around the bush. Get your message across clearly, and keep it short. But most importantly, keep it simple.

5. Create a sense of Interaction

It may be in the form of ‘Contact Us’ or even a ‘What do you think?’. Allow students the opportunity to provide your brand with feedback in the form of a 150 word message or even an email. While this may not be used very often, it makes the oft ignored student feel important. Psychologically speaking, it goes a long way to building trust between said student and the brand. As the great Hannibal Lecter once said,

“If you win the mind, you win the game.”

Targeting students is important. Not only can it help push present day sales, but can also set you up for windfall of success once these high schoolers and undergrads become high earning, brand loyal consumers in the workforce. Ronald McDonald didn’t think students were important, and eventually paid the price. For more on this, click here: