The T.I.S College Bookstore in Bloomington hosted their second annual Big Wheel 500 event on April 24th. The timing was deliberately aimed to coincide with the excitement of two other campus events, the Little 500, an annual bicycle race at the University, and “World’s Greatest College Weekend.” The bookstore had formerly been one of the exclusive ticket retailers for the Little 500, which was a terrific opportunity to promote their branded merchandise, as well as other items.
The incoming class will begin arriving on campus any day for new student orientation. Build customer loyalty and help overcome any anxiety by giving them a delicious introduction to everything your store has to offer.
We’ve come up with an event, several activities and all the marketing materials you’ll need to make the incoming class feel welcome at your store right from the start.
Connect with these potential customers with daily trivia questions, online crowdsourcing, ice cream-centered social events and then top it all off by combining sundae building with a bookstore tour.
All you have to do is follow our easy instructions to get started!
Every quarter, EIU University Bookstore initiates a special promotion to highlight their Apple product line. This Spring, staff member Taylor Brandon wanted to create a unique way to not only showcase the store’s Apple merchandise, but also all of the other items they have in stock. After some brainstorming, she developed a seasonal promotion to generate awareness on their offerings by driving traffic.
When students think of their college bookstore, many simply see dollar signs, thinking only of the place they go to spend money on textbooks. So, as collegiate retailers, you have to work extra hard to change that perception. Waubonsee Community College Bookstore recently came up with a contest that helped prove their dedication to affordability.
Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to celebrate just how thankful you are for your students’ continued support. University of Minnesota Bookstores has found a way to do that successfully while building engagement and generating sales at the same time. In fact, the store has been using the same promotion for so long now that it’s become a part of campus culture, according to Kari Erpenbach, marketing manager.
Out with the old, and in with the new. That’s the approach Ben Jastorff, manager of Trojan Center Bookstore at Dakota State University, adopted when he recently accepted the position at the store. Jastorff wanted to clear out inventory, some of which had been in the store for nearly two years, to make room for the updated apparel he had ordered.
You never know what will strike a chord with your students, so sometimes the best place to start is with your staff. In fact, that’s what Western Oregon University Bookstore did with their most recent promotion. Web Specialist and Head Cashier Mara Hoaglin was sharing her interests with coworkers one day, and was surprised to learn that her manager was also a big fan of the British TV show, Doctor Who. The store’s gift buyer quickly chimed in with the fact that she had access to Dr. Who merchandise, and the idea snowballed from there.
When offering promotions, retailers usually focus on how they can draw in the majority of their customers. But, in the case of college stores, that means some students’ interests or activities aren’t often represented. So, this year, Morehead State University Bookstore decided to make an extra effort to focus their attention on the various disciplines within their campus. They recently launched the first in a series of activities aimed at getting involved with departments who may not be marketed to regularly with the Fall 2013 Eagle Face-Off Student Makeup Competition.
Avast ye mateys! Ye hearties at Auburn University Bookstore have a treasure trove of ideas to share with ye. By hosting a variety of interactive activities in honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, students and staff alike had a ruckas!
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!
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