College Access Marketing (CAM) is the application of social marketing concepts to the goals of college access. More specifically, college access marketing encompasses communication that encourages students to plan and prepare for college, as well as communication to audiences that strongly influence students' choices and options. One of core principles of college access marketing is to know your audience. The more you know about your audience, the more you can tailor your messages and strategies to their unique needs, interests, attitudes, and concerns, thereby increasing your chances of communicating successfully. [For more information about CAM, visit www.collegeaccessmarketing.org]
College Goal Sunday is one initiative that has embraced college access marketing as a way to increase the number of students, especially low-income and underrepresented minority students, who apply for financial aid. An annual college access event managed nationally by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and funded by Lumina Foundation for Education, College Goal Sunday brings together financial aid administrators and other professionals who work in college access programs with students and families at sites around the country to complete the FAFSA form, line by line. With the understanding that what matters most is "not what you say to students, but what they hear," College Goal Sunday retained Spitfire Strategies, a strategic communications firm with expertise in social marketing, to find out more about one of the key audience groups -- teens. NASFAA agreed to let us share their findings. [For more information about College Goal Sunday, visit www.collegegoalsundayusa.org]
What Teens Think
- They believe their futures are bright. 71% of teens agree with the statement, “I’ll always be successful.”1
- They care about education. 40% of African-American teens say they care strongly about education, compared to 26% of Hispanics and 27% of Whites. 82% of teens expect to go to college.1
- They don’t need you to be cool in order to listen to you. Don't try to be them, just show that you “get them.”1
- They tune out messages that aren’t clear and straightforward.
- They want to have ownership over their decisions. Don't be patronizing. If you want teens to do something, you should ask them to.
- They like being made to laugh. Humor is a key element in communicating with teens.
- They love things that are free.1
Reaching Teens through Grassroots Efforts
- Create a youth advisory group. Recruiting teens to an advisory group can be a huge asset to your marketing; they give you access to inside information and can also serve as credible messengers. Make sure you look for the teens who represent your target audience and are influential in their social circles.
- Target parents. Parents are powerful influencers for teens, as are other adults, such as faith leaders, teachers, and coaches.
- Segment your audience. The more you can zero in on your audience, the better. If possible, it helps to know who exactly (by name) you are trying to reach.
- Face time is important. There is no substitute for person-to-person contact in motivating young people.2
- Send personalized mail. Since many teens never get “real mail,” personalized snail mail gets their attention.
- Find out where they hang out. Take advantage of events and places where teens “hang out” (sporting events, concerts, bus stops).1 Another idea is to use “coming attractions” slots at the movies. 62% of African-American inner-city youth go to the movies two or more times a month. More than one-third normally attend movies on the opening weekend.3
Reaching Teens through Media
- Radio is one of the best ways to reach teens. 96% of teens listen to the radio each week,4 and radio has more credibility than TV because it feels local and interactive. Latino and African-American teens are especially avid listeners. When using radio, focus on local stations and get urban DJs to serve as spokespeople.
- Television is teens’ favorite source of entertainment, at an average of 10.24 hours/week.1 Focus on the channels that are popular with teens and explore local cable programming options.
- Internet is a crucial medium for communication with teens. In 2004, 87% of teens ages 12-17 used the Internet,5 with more than half of teens going online at least once a day.6 It is important to note, however, that 13% of American teenagers still do not use the Internet, and this group tends to be lower-income.7 When marketing through the Internet, be sensitive to people who use dial-up services – graphic-intensive sites slow download times and can be frustrating. Use interactive elements, like quizzes, games, chat, or forums,8 and avoid spamming, pop-up ads, and banner ads.1
References
1 Zollo, P. (2004). "Getting Wise to Teens." New Strategist Publications.
2 Green, D. & Gerber, A. (2002, October). "Getting Out the Vote in Local Elections: Results from Six Door-to-Door Canvassing Experiments."
3 MEE Productions. "MEE's National Lifestyle Survey: Critical Insights into a Profitable Market."
4 Walsh, D. "MediaWise with Dr. Dave: Instant Messaging Kids." National Institute on Media and the Family.
5 Kerner, S.M. (2005, July 27). "Teen Use of Web, Online Technologies Growing." ClickZ Network.
6 Regan, K. (2005, July 25). "Study on Teen Web Use Reveals E-Commerce Challenges." ECT News Network.
7 Lenhardt, A., Madden, M., & Hitlin, P. (2005, July 27). "Teens and Technology: Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation." Pew Internet and American Life Project.
8 Evans, M. & Stroll, H. (2005, June 7). "Marketing Challenge: Three Sure Ways to Reach Teens." www.marketingprofs.com.
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