College stores depend on keeping a steady stream of student foot traffic throughout the year. Regular, well-planned bookstore events and sales can increase student and faculty engagement while positioning the store as a campus social hub. We recently sat down with Carissa Drake, bookstore coordinator at Riverland Community College, to discuss bookstore events and the best ways to reach the entire campus community.
Topics: back to college, retail management, bookstore events
Just because things slow down once school begins doesn't mean you have to accept slower sales! By taking a proactive approach and scheduling a mix of fun events throughout the semester, you can expand your customers' perception of your store from "just" the place to pick up their course materials to a year-round staple. Here are some easy ways to get started:
A student stares down at rows of books, perplexed, eyebrows drawn together as she squints at the shelf tags between the constant stream of other students shuffling by. To her left, another student stands with his friends trying to look up the books he needs online.
The start of the school year is prime time to cultivate loyalty among new customers. Don’t wait until rush to reach out. Plan a treat for newcomers now that you can advertise during orientation and schedule early in the year.
Connecting with nontraditional students can be a challenge. As they come and go, more disconnected from campus events than other students, your message can be lost. Many of these students have jobs, they might have kids and they are older. All of this contributes to making them feel disenfranchised on campus. Keeping this population of students in mind, here are a few ideas of how your store can engage with overlooked students.
Certain times of the year are naturally busier than others. Promotions and events can be lost when there isn’t time to plan and host an event on top of everything else you do. Take advantage of this summer’s lull to organize and prepare your marketing efforts for the rest of the year.
Buyback is just around the corner, but it isn’t too late to encourage students to sell their textbooks back to your college store. Follow this easy-to-use checklist to make sure you maximize your buyback marketing efforts.
Do you believe in luck? Do strange occurrences happen when there is a full moon? Whether or not you personally believe in superstitions, many people do. So many, in fact, that on Friday the 13th retail sales can suffer. This April, take the opportunity to turn this well-known superstition into a fun sales event for your store.
With winter slowly coming to a close and spring break right around the corner, everyone could use a little bit of fun to brighten their day. A lively scavenger hunt will engage students and give them the opportunity to save some green in the store this March.
December is to shopping what Halloween is to candy. While it is a busy season for college stores, it is also the perfect time to take advantage of the shopping spirit and run a holiday sale. That’s why we have compiled some last-minute holiday promotion ideas to increase foot traffic in your store.
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