College stores are always looking for new ways to connect with their students. For TCTC Campus Store, inspiration is often found in popular culture. For example, their latest initiative, Fall Frenzy, brings customers into the store for a series of in-store events that are based on current trends and correspond to each day of the week. Best of all, it cost very little to implement!
Each Monday, TCTC Campus Store staff members show off their silly staches.“We’re always looking for creative ways to interact with our students, so this is just another way to mix it up,” explained Kelli Harrison, assistant manager. “We tried to play off the first letter of each week day of the week, or use a theme we knew was popular with students, when planning each activity.”
Even the name of the event itself was named based on a trend.
“We came up with the idea during Shark Week and so much of the programming used the word ‘frenzy,’ she added. “We thought why not use that?!”
Each week kicks off with Mustache Monday, a favorite among their customers. Staff members simply wear silly mustaches throughout the day, creating a lighthearted mood. They regularly snap pictures of their ‘staches to post to their Facebook and Twitter pages, too.
“Mustaches are a big fad right now and our students think it’s hilarious,” she described. “We joke that it’s the one day of the week where it’s ok for them to laugh at us. It sets the tone that we’re real people and we’re here for so much more than to just take their money.”
After spinning the wheel to select a category, students can answer trivia questions for the chance to win a t-shirt on Tuesday.The fun continues on Trivia Tuesday, where randomly selected students can win prizes for correctly answering a question. Each has an opportunity to spin a wheel in the store to determine which category their question will come from. Options include everything from technology to sports, ensuring there’s something for everyone!
“If they answer correctly, they win a t-shirt of their choice from the store,” Harrison added. “We give a total of three shirts away each Tuesday.”
To make mid-week a little less monotonous, the store celebrates Hump Day on Wednesday. They decorate with Fatheads, or life-sized, precision-cut vinyl wall graphics, shaped as camels throughout the store.
“The Geico Humpday commercial is really popular right now, so we play that over the speaker system throughout the day,” she said. “It brings some humor to the shopping experience.”
Adding a bit of spice to the week, Taco Thursday features a special offer of free tacos from the store’s café. Finally, Friday ends the week with a bang! Students are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s gear for Fanatic Friday.
“Throughout the day, we’ll randomly select one student who walks through as a winner,” Harrison explained. “We’ll just walk up and hand them an iPod! It’s the most popular day of the week, without a doubt.”
Because each day’s activity is so different, Harrison says the initiative has helped to bring traffic through the store and put students in a good mood during the typically stressful back-to-school season.
“It’s made work more fun for us and created more positive interactions with our customers,” she said. “I would definitely say it’s been a success! “
