How to market to parents of college students?

[awilson1776]

I have some products and services I want to market to parents of new college students. Does anybody know of any sources, websites, magazines... that are specifically for parents or any other ideas on how to market to them?

[jt66250]

Try social networking...

Social networking as a whole are becoming as popular as search engines such as Google and Yahoo. In fact Google bought Youtube® and started their own Myspace® type website called Orkut® and Yahoo attempted to buy Facebook®. Social networking is such a bonanza that doesnt even know their own limits of how large they will grow. Where does your small business fit in? Since they are free there is no money investment to make, but you will have to invest your time, especially in the beginning. You will need to take time to learn the site, set up your profile, and make friends. Remember, you are looking for ways to make the time you spend using this website as an advertising tool as fruitful as possible. Of course set up your profile with the focus of your business objectives and reaching your goals, and always abide within the rules set by the websites. Your investment of time is your efforts to build your network, because it will take trial and error to learn what is best for your business in social networking. Taking the time to build your network is the number one emphasis when it comes to social networking for your small business.

There are other emphasis which I will list below in no particular order:

* Try an individual profile as a representative of your business before you try a group profile for your business to give an idea of the time it will require to build a network
* Dont sign up for too many social networks, you risk diluting your message and emphasis.
* Share the networking responsibility with other employees or business owners once you have a business profile
* Dont be distracted easily, remained focus on what your business objective and building your network to reach your goals. If needed, set goals for building your network.
* Dont be afraid to get a little personable, people do enjoy talking to other people when networking, not just a profile on a website.
* Dont be random when searching for friends for your network. Its a waste of time, choose your friends carefully, and then extend invitations to their friends and their friends and so on.
* Alter your preferences on your profile to reduce spam and unsolicited offers. This will save you time as well.

Remember social networks can be people who are very passionate in one way or another about their cause so you need to be the same way concerning your small business on social networks. If you are its a very easy way to advertise and grow your small business on a budget.