Gen Z is heading to college, and in an ever-evolving digital world staying in front of them in an engaging way can seem a daunting task. You may be surprised to learn that email is still an important way of connecting with these up-and-comers. Ninety-one percent of consumers check their email once a day (that includes Gen Z), and 88% of renters indicate that email is their preferred method of communication. So how can email marketing help you reach them? Keep reading to find out more.
Choose your Audience
In order to build an email list for your email campaign, you will need a strong understanding of who your targets are. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you want to focus on students exclusively, or parents, too?
- What income bracket do they fall into?
- Do they have good credit?
- What is their level of education?
- Are they fans of college football?
Be careful to steer clear of any categories that may violate fair housing – but outside of that, the sky is the limit! You will want to make sure your list is large enough to have an impact but targeted enough to reach the right audience.
Choose Your Message
The next step is to define your messaging. Consider how many email sends will make up your campaign. And how frequently will they be sent? Do you have a special or promotion for mid-semester move-ins that you want front-and-center for the next four weeks? Or will this be a six-month campaign designed to grow your brand and spread information about your unique student community? Be specific. Consider customizing your subject lines and content and follow best practices. With careful attention to detail, you can’t lose.
Choose Your Timing
The student housing audience has unique seasonality that should be a part of your email strategy to truly resonate with your target. Delivering a well-crafted message at the wrong time can fall into a sea of email never to be seen again. On the other hand, a well-timed message can drive higher engagement and results.
A strong email marketing strategy can help you connect with potential prospects between semesters, mid-semester or anytime you need to jumpstart your leasing. After all, more than half of U.S. consumers report checking their personal email in excess of 10 times daily!
Track Your Performance
Understanding performance is key to using email marketing effectively.
- Is your email list one that you have curated or someone else’s list? A list that you have purchased can be a great way to reach new prospects but keep in mind it will likely have a lower open rate. Nurturing a list you’ve curated will give you the best results.
- Don’t forget to utilize tracking links, emails, and phone numbers so that you can attribute traffic. Make sure to include several clear calls to action that give prospects more than one way to contact you. By tracking performance over time, you can start to figure out what combination works best for you and your audience.
In addition to familiar methods of digital and campus outreach, email marketing is an important part of a winning strategy. With the right partner, email marketing can help you land your messaging to the inbox of the targeted demographic you want to reach, spark their interest, and drive the results you need. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you reach your email marketing goals.