A tabling event is probably the most effective way for a brand to establish credibility on a college campus—if it’s done the right way. But it takes more than just arriving on campus, setting up a table, and pushing out flyers to passers-by if you want to make your campus marketing campaign a successful one.
Key Ingredients for a Successful Tabling Event
Work with the university
Every college has regulations about what is and is not permitted on campus. Many universities require you to register your event beforehand. Make sure you’re operating within all of the college’s guidelines—if you’re going to invest your resources on campus, you should do it the right way.
Create an experience
To create an effective opportunity for your brand, provide an experience that students will want to participate in and remember. It doesn’t have to be over the top, but it should be enjoyable and provide some kind of value. It could be as simple as handing out gift cards or a finals week study kit. Better yet, why not give them something they’ll love to remember, like a fun experience with their friends at a photo booth?
Your marketing goals will help determine what the experience ought to be like. If you’re trying to get downloads for an app, or website visitors, or new subscribers, you should provide an experience around those things.
Find the right location
Chances are, not every student is in your target demographic. Identify the places your ideal customer is most likely to be, and go there. Simply setting up a table anywhere on campus reduces your likelihood of reaching the right students. The time and money you spend to be there won’t be worth it, because you don’t know if you’re reaching your target audience.
Pair it with an established program
But even if you’re in a good location, you might not generate much interest if you’re competing against other factors, such as the rush to get to class on time or social activities on the weekend.
A successful tabling effort isn’t done on a random day—it’s done in conjunction with an established program that’s happening on campus. It’s done with preparation that considers how to generate student interest. Figure out what’s going on around campus and identify ways you can pair your tabling with those events.
By getting connected to existing programs, you’re able to capitalize on the things that already have students’ attention and interest. You aren’t competing with other activities, you’re joining in!
Get data you can measure
A successful tabling event will either collect personal information, conduct market research, or both. Whatever your marketing goal, be sure you’ve got measurable data you can use to track the success of your event.
One Brand’s Successful Tabling Event on Campus
We’re currently running a program for an engineering software client. Their product is used widely by engineering firms, and they have made it available on campuses to engineering students. Students can use the software for free as a part of their engineering program. The idea is to make the application available so that students can become proficient with the software before they begin their careers.
Our client wants students to know that this software exists and that they can use it for free. So they asked, How can we establish ourselves in an area of campus to hit our target market?
We looked for established programs to pair the campaign with, and set them up at engineering career fairs. This provided the perfect opportunity to reach out to students who were already thinking about how to prepare for their careers and make themselves more marketable. We were able to use messaging that said, You should consider using this free software on campus now, because when you graduate, businesses in your field are going to be using it.
We set up a table at a career fair at the University of Connecticut and collected surveys. We wanted to gather data to see if students were aware of the product. In exchange, the students received a phone charger.
It worked very well. We got a significant number of survey responses over the course of the day, based on total attendance. The brand was very pleased.
Effective tabling events on campus are the result of identifying the right target audience, the right time and location, and a rewarding experience for students. They’re based on measurable goals and they collect data the brand can use.
At Go Commando, we help our clients to develop smart campaigns that students will love and brands can measure. Want to make sure your next campus marketing campaign is a successful one? Let’s talk!
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Who is Campus Commandos?
Our college marketing agency functions to serve two purposes; to provide opportunity for college students, and to market products and services on behalf of brands to students on college campuses and universities across the United States. Contact us to learn more.
