38 / 116
FEW PLACES BOAST AS DIVERSE
a
group of people as those involved
in a university. Athletes, academ-
ics, education administration
professionals and loyal alumni
are just a few of the population
segments that clamor for promo-
tional products related to their
school of choice. Like many
other markets, the education sec-
tor comes with plenty of chal-
lenges—but just as many oppor-
tunities to form longtime rela-
tionships with buyers looking to
reach multiple audiences with
messaging that will produce the
same result: support for the
school.
University students today are
the youngest of the Millennials, a
group with more than $400 bil-
lion in combined spending
power that includes more than
$100 billion in discretionary
spending, according to NAM
Youth Marketing. Millennials are
highly influential among their
peers and they see technology as
integral to the college experience.
Thus, promotional items that
encourage or enhance digital
engagement can be a valuable
marketing tool for recruiters as
well as student organizations on
campus.
Ubiquitous technology hasn’t
diminished the desire for good
old-fashioned paper and pen,
though. Missy Kilpatrick, CAS,
vice president of new business
development for supplier The
Book Company in Delray Beach,
Florida, says journals are more
popular than ever among end
users.
“People are over-
loaded with technol-
ogy, spending too
many hours each
day staring at
screens,” says
Kilpatrick. “Journals
provide an escape
from the screen and
allow for focused time
to think. Studies have
shown that people who
take handwritten notes are
more likely to absorb and
retain the information they
write down. It has also been
shown that people who write
down their ideas and goals are
more likely to accomplish
them.”
Kilpatrick adds that clients
at colleges and universities are
providing journals to alumni
organizations, the admissions
department, internal school pro-
motions (medical, health and
law) faculty meetings, new-stu-
dent events and high school
recruiting fairs, among others.
“Our journals are all selected
due to their unique styling,
affordable cost, color selection
and our ability to add
four-color artwork on
‘Promo Pages’
inside
the pages of any journal,” she
notes. “Our top three sellers are
the COOL Journal and SYM-
PHONY Journal, and the
TEMPO Journal, which
comes with a pen.”
POMP AND
PROMOTIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCE
36 •
PPB
• AUGUST 2016
GROW
MARKET
TO MARKET
GRADUATE FROM DISTRIBUTOR TO PROMOTIONAL CONSULTANT WITH THESE IDEAS FOR THE EDUCATION FIELD.
By Jen Alexander