BHC Bookstore Offers a ‘Stache of Cash at Buyback

Nyla Woolard, manager of Black Hawk College Bookstore, is always trying to keep up with the latest trends. So, when she saw that the April Marketing Plan on Foreword Online included Facebook Cover Photos based on what’s popular with today’s students, she knew she had to implement one for buyback.

The first 150 students to sell back their books received a 'Mustache on a Stick.'

“They were all so cute that my staff actually fought over which one we were going to use first!” she explained. “But, as soon as I saw the ‘Stache of Cash mustache theme I knew that was it. I’m a huge Pinterest fan and you can’t go on the site without seeing mustache merchandise everywhere; it’s very popular right now, and I knew students would love it!”

Once the theme was set, Woolard decided to run with it. She branded this semester’s buyback as the Mustache Bash and turned to Pinterest to find ways to create an entertaining atmosphere.

“I knew we could have some fun with this theme,” she said. “We had to operate on a pretty small budget though, so I wanted to find ways that we could do everything ourselves.”

To spread the word, Woolard customized the free poster template that came along with the Cover Photo on Foreword Online with her store’s specific buyback dates. She also added the image to a postcard which was handed out at the register.

“Students always stop by and ask when they can sell their books, so it’s great to be able to hand them a reminder that they can hold on to,” she explained. “The mustache theme got them talking right away, and they were curious to see what was coming.”

Every three minutes, students had the chance to compete in a game of 'Pin the 'Stache on Burt Reynolds.'

Woolard and her staff created ‘Mustaches on a Stick’ as an incentive for the first 150 students who sold their books at the store.  By constructing the ‘staches from cardstock and adhering them to sticks purchased at a local craft store, they kept the cost to a minimum.

“We put a tag around each one that said ‘I got my Stache of Cash at the BHC Bookstore Buyback’,” she explained. “Our hopes were that students would show them off to friends and that they’d be a conversation starter. It definitely worked; everyone loved them!”

The theme didn’t stop there, though. Woolard also came up with unique games to amuse students as they sold their books.

“Every three minutes, we had a timer go off and that meant it was time to play ‘Pin the Stache on 1970’s Burt Reynolds’,” she described. “We blindfolded each participant and whoever got the mustache the closest to Burt’s mouth would win a free drink from the store. It was a big hit!”

The store’s staff got involved in the effort, too, by cheering on participants.

“They were really working the crowd!” added Woolard. “It was a great way for us to interact with our customers on a more personal level and have some fun with them.”

Students waiting in line could pass the time playing 'Name the Celebrity 'Stache.'

Woolard even planned activities to help those waiting in line pass the time.

“We printed pictures of 20 different mustaches on 8×10 sheets of paper and hung them in the hallway outside our store,” she said. “Students who were in line to sell their books could play ‘Name the Celebrity ‘Stache by filling out a form with their guesses, then submitting them for a chance to win prizes.”

Staff then put those who submitted the correct answers into a drawing for gas gift cards.

“We purchased the gift cards using our MBS Marketing Allowance, so it didn’t cost us anything!” she said.

Throughout the buy, several customers commented on the unique theme, providing positive feedback.

“The younger generation totally gets it and even some of our older faculty and non-traditional students find it hilarious,” she explained.

Overall, Woolard considers the new theme a success as the store spent less than $20 on their ‘stache of fun activities and were able to generate excitement from their customers.

“Buyback is not always a happy day for students, so anything that we can do to make it more enjoyable is worth it,” she said. “We’re definitely going to keep it going and try another fun theme like this next semester!”

Be sure to check out the other Cover Photos we created in the April Marketing Plan. There are several options for both Buyback and Rush – add them to your Facebook Timeline today!