Every August, new classes of freshmen college students eagerly arrive on campuses across the country, excited for adventure in a sometimes new town. If you have a college nearby, campuses are excellent places to start building support for a local currency program and attract new customers to local businesses. Many colleges already partner with local restaurants to allow students to use their food plan off-campus, and there are several creative ways you can introduce local business to students as well.
Introducing Students to Local Business and Local Currency
- Suggest that the university highlight local businesses during New Student Orientation. A “Tour of Downtown” with local currency as a gift will bring students to the shops. Colleges are always looking for innovative and different orientation programs, so propose this as a way to introduce new students to their local community.
- Partner with Greek organizations. Fraternities and sororities have a service component they must fulfill every year; recommend they support local business by holding fundraisers that benefit the shops around them or using local goods as prizes at events. You can also partner with other student clubs and organizations that put on campus-wide events. Be a part of as many student events as you can so you continuously expose your brand and the unique benefits of a currency program.
- Market local businesses in the college mailroom, cafeteria, and any other places students gather. If you are hiring, ask to put up flyers or be added to e-flyers. Hire college students and ask them to serve as ambassadors for your business. You can also give out coupons and other information about local businesses that are a good fit for students. For example, for a coffee shop talk about how it would be a great place to study. For a store that sells local, handmade goods mention how those items would make unique holiday gifts for their families. By specifically marketing what these businesses do and how they can benefit the students, they’ll get more customers in your door.
Getting the University Involved
Now that you have some ideas to boost local business on campus, how do you begin a program with the college? The best place to start building these partnerships is by visiting the college’s website. Search for their marketing coordinator who can put you in touch with people in student life, admissions, and any other departments that make sense for your business. Sometimes, it just takes letting the right people know about local currency programs and the benefits of shopping local to make it a staple in any community. With the right connections, your business will be a must-stop-shop for all students before they graduate!
