Can you help me come up with guerilla marketing methods targeting college freshman

13 replies
I have a startup. I'm working to get some early adapters. How can I get a few hundred to come try out my app?


All help appreciated!
#college #freshman #guerilla #marketing #methods #targeting
  • Profile picture of the author imogenhobbs
    Maybe a bit more information? I can't really help with these details you know...

    App-wise, I would try to get people in at low-cost or free as beta testers and reviewers. Then up the price once word spreads around and the app has a good rep.

    Imogen
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    • Profile picture of the author KalobTaulien
      Without more information we can deduct some basics from this:

      Who is your target audience: College students. What do we know about them?
      - They are busy
      - They are willing to invest in themselves
      - Most like to party
      - .... This list goes on for a while ...

      What do you know about their lives as College Students?
      - How much does the average grad make? Start campaign ideas based on that.
      - How much is the average student loan after interest? Start a campaign based on that.
      - How often to college students flunk out? Start a campaign based on that.
      - ... This list also goes on for a while ...

      So how do you reach busy, invested, driven and (mostly) young people?
      I would work from the inside, or their private online networks. Does a college still use their own version of Facebook (before Facebook was around)? If so, find a way on there. Otherwise why not find a student in a particular college to help you market? I'm sure you can't just walk into a college and start signing up people. But another current student could. (could be a good addition to your team, too).

      Look for Google+ groups, Facebook groups, student forums, Twitter hashtags, and other social sites where young punks who cut across our lawns hang out (LOL. Joking about the young punk thing.)

      If you're ok with non-students, you have LOTS of resources. Here are two from just one website I can think of off the top of my head.
      - The place to get Alpha and Beta users to test your app/website
      - r/SideProject - A community for sharing side projects and startups
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  • Profile picture of the author barbling
    Reach out to their student organizations. Works grand.
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  • Profile picture of the author sasuke120
    Give out flyers.
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    • Profile picture of the author wiifm
      I read a post the other day that fits this to a T. The suggested having desperate students actually go into related classrooms before class starts and put the fliers right on the desks. By the time anyone complains several of them are already stuffed into people backpacks.
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      • Profile picture of the author wordwizard
        I like the various flier methods. Also, consider running an ad in the student newspaper...
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      • Profile picture of the author BackLinkiT
        Originally Posted by wiifm View Post

        I read a post the other day that fits this to a T. The suggested having desperate students actually go into related classrooms before class starts and put the fliers right on the desks. By the time anyone complains several of them are already stuffed into people backpacks.
        There was a whole WSO about this plan not so long ago...
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  • Profile picture of the author mistercatt
    The app is an online cloud computer fully loaded with a Windows 7 OS. You can login/use it anytime. We're trying to target high school seniors coming into college and also college freshman.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      Originally Posted by mistercatt View Post

      We're trying to target high school seniors coming into college and also college freshman.

      Are your plans to make money with your app? If so, you might want to rethink the targeting of HS seniors and college freshmen unless this is strictly monetized through advertising.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Davids22
    Fiverr.com. Under 'advertising' -> 'flyers & handouts'
    Hire People to Hand Out Your Flyer, Handing Out Flyers | Fiverr

    Many offer posting X amount of flyers on college campuses around
    the U.S/World.

    It's also extremely cheap in my opinion (the average being 50 flyers for $5).

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  • Profile picture of the author Devin X
    Banned
    Hang out at the college and showcase the app. Recruit students to post flyers, generate buzz, etc. Use your head and think of creative ways to distribute the app on campus. There's always clubs and FB groups for colleges and orgs that contain your target market. FB ads allow you to target 18 year olds too.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom B
    Banned
    Originally Posted by mistercatt View Post

    I have a startup. I'm working to get some early adapters. How can I get a few hundred to come try out my app?


    All help appreciated!
    A keg of beer should do nicely. Seriously, throw an event (legal one) and if done right you could get a lot of word of mouth going through the college dorms. Free food and networking with other college students would be enough to get most kids interested.
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