Here’s a breakdown of our top tips for marketing to Gen Z students for the fall shopping period.
Cyber Weekend is one of the biggest shopping periods in the student calendar. With Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday discounts, students across the world look forward to bagging themselves some money off their favourite treats and necessities. And because it’s important to young people, it should be important to youth marketers, too. In fact, your number one question right now should be: How can I best market to Gen Z students this BFCM?
In this blog post, we discuss the best ways brands can reach Gen Z student consumers this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as all the days surrounding it.
Consider the recipients as well as the gifters
Did you know most students kick off their Christmas holiday shopping early? In fact, of those who celebrate Christmas, 48% of UK students and 50% of US students will start buying gifts for the holiday season.
With so many students on the lookout for holiday gifts for their loved ones, November, and particularly Cyber Week, will be the time for them to step outside of their usual spending categories.
For the Gen Z gifters, we recommend creating a gifting section or ‘gift guide’ via your social media, website, app, or in your physical store which highlights all your top Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to help navigate young customers around your offering.
Offer exclusive student discounts
Remember, BFCM is a big deal to students. It’s an opportunity for them to grab a bargain, with many holding off on their typical November spending until the Cyber Week offer emails start rolling in. This year, 59% of students from the UK and 75% from the US are planning to splurge on Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers and deals.
It should come as no surprise then that one way to really entice Gen Z students is through added value discounts. Of course, brands are known to offer some of their best deals during Black Friday, but have you ever thought about offering stackable student discounts to really establish your brand as a go-to for young consumers? In fact, this year, 89% of UK students (and 90% from the US) would like to see special offers and deals during this period.
Build momentum to create excitement in the run-up
As a financially-savvy consumer group, Gen Zs like to prepare when it comes to exercising their spending power, particularly given the issues they’re facing this year with the rising cost of living.
Our advice? Get involved in the buzz around BFCM and make sure your deals are promoted well in advance for the Gen Z world to see. Try in-store posters, social media ads, and email newsletters to really get the ball rolling.
It’s also important to offer extra incentives to really entice customers in. Our research revealed that, aside from special deals and discounts, the most popular types of BFCM offers amongst this young cohort include:
- Free gift(s) with purchases (67% of UK students and 77% US)
- Free delivery (68% of UK students and 72% US)
- Flash sales and time-limited offers (54% of UK students and 68% US)
Make social your new storefront
Social media marketing is a great way to reach the student cohort and get a spot on their wishlists.
Visual platforms like Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest definitely make the most impact. If you don’t already, make sure your brand has a presence across more than one of these platforms.
The next step is to get creative and proactive! Get Gen Zers talking on TikTok by posting product tutorials; make them an offer they can’t resist sharing with their friends online; or make a statement on their Instagram timeline with sponsored posts and ads. 63% of students get ideas of things to buy via social media – whether you’re a physical retailer, etailer or both, social media marketing is a no brainer when wanting to reach Gen Z.
Want to find out more about how you can connect with students, achieve your objectives, and drive sales this Black Friday? Get in touch with our team today to find out more.
