marketing unique computer services to college students - advice needed

**yourwhiteshadow** · 10-12-2010 03:03 PM

i'm almost done drawing out my business plan, but i'm a little stuck on the best way to promote/advertise my services.

essentially, i am offering computer services geared specifically towards college students, and maybe small business owners. in the event of theft, the software is able to track down the laptop or device (it isn't lojack, its proprietary software). it can also use the webcam to grab a mugshot of the thief, and has tons of features.

anyways, i'm thinking of ways i can market it, and i've come up with the following:

comments or suggestions are welcome.

1). talk to the school newspaper and state newspaper, hook up the writers/editors with free service. hope that they write about the service
2). give frats/sororities special discounts and offer the service at frat/sorority houses

**petewilliams** · 10-14-2010 07:40 PM

Your software sounds quite interesting. I think the first thing you need to look at is what type of person is proactively looking for this software and how would they go about looking for this software, and then get in front of those buyers first and foremost. It’s much easier to sell to someone who’s proactively looking for a solution, so maybe some AdWords or SEO might be a good way to start to tackle people who are looking for laptop theft software or keywords around that.

PR is definitely a good way to go. Towards the school newspapers and state newspapers, it’s definitely a good way to go. Try and find some facts and some statistics around laptop theft and what it costs an average person in time, money, and headaches, so that could be the angle of your press release. Make it more about that story and that you’ll cover the solution to fight it.

Special offers and discounts are definitely a good way to go. Maybe there are some newsletters and things like that that you can advertise in in sort of the local university area. Even possibly, give away some demo copies like a two-month trial to some college students and stuff like that, and see how it goes. That would be the one I’d be looking at.

But in terms of a high-level business, I’d be really considering looking at it from a perspective of who is proactively already looking for this and who already has a want and trying to get fulfilled. This way, you just sell to people who are looking for a solution as opposed to first having to actually build up the want in someone to be able to sell them the solution.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Pete
p.s. This response was actually transcribed and posted by my virtual assistant.

**Stone** · 10-16-2010 03:48 AM

Your software sounds like a great idea and i wish you the best of luck.

If college and uni students are your target market, and what you are selling is technology based than I would go onluine where your target market hangs out.

I would approach as many popular bloggers in the market place and give them a free copy to do a review, people who love technology, love the newest and shinest gadget.

I would also do a lot of marketing on facebook, at the end of the day facebook is getting massive amounts of traffic (more than Google some days) and it is still growing, not just that THIS is where most of your target market is. If you don't know how to effective market on facebook invest in some really solid training or pay someone who does, if they know what they are doing it will be worth every cent and some.

Press Releases are great for techie stuff too, also look at other places your market is hanging out online like games - maybe WoW or something like that, maybe use trafficvance to promote your software.

I love joint ventures also, as you mentioned you are trying this with your school newsletter, etc.

Good luck, from the sounds of it your product is great.

**fanaitcal_g** · 10-27-2010 06:11 PM

Hey, I'm currently a college student, so I can help you out in whatever way you see fit

**guidemesingapore** · 10-29-2010 08:55 AM

I would say tie up with every local vendor or retailer where college students visit frequently. That way you can say something like 10% discount for all students of "whatever college name" or 10% discount for anyone visiting so and so cafe etc.

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**StockDC2** · 12-22-2010 04:26 AM

I know that you're asking for marketing techniques but have you considered the privacy issue that may scare people away from using your software? Being a small start up company with no history or background will make people skeptical since you're able to transmit data and pictures wirelessly from their computer.

I am actually quite interested in learning a bit more about this software. How does it take a mugshot of the perpetrator? It kind of doesn't make sense because that means that the webcam on the computer will have to be running 24/7 since it won't "magically" turn on when the thief takes the computer.

As for promotion, I would suggest you go directly to your university and see if they will allow you to put in a small brochure (or flier) into the student's "starter" package (packets that students receive at orientation). Another good one that someone already suggested is distributing a few copies to various reviewers.