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Facebook, Twitter main channels for communication with the modern student

Andy Williams, Associate Editor, Avisian Publications

What did anyone do before Facebook? It’s long been the go-to place for teens and college students, and now universities are adding the social networking giant to their marketing arsenal.

Marketing the campus card is crucial because very few students know all the card’s uses. “A lot of students use their card for one thing, but we find we can increase the perceived and actual value if we make them aware of the different services available,” says Maggie Linder, program coordinator, the Griz Card Center, the University of Montana.

When students knows what’s available they use the card more.

For Linder, it’s all about being creative, since the school doesn’t have a budget for campus card marketing. Facebook is the Griz Card program’s primary marketing tool, she says.

It took some convincing five-years ago when the school first considered using Facebook as a marketing medium. Today it is well accepted and extremely popular. “For three years we’ve been building our Facebook page,” says Linder.

Linder handles the majority of the postings but does enable some students to post. To keep the schools content current, she uses Tweetdeck, a social media dashboard application for management of Twitter and Facebook accounts. It allows her to schedule posts to run throughout the week.

The school highlights card functions on the page, such as: “Did you know you can rent DVDs from the library?”

They also run contests to generate interest in the card.

“Where’s Monte’s Griz card” was a contest that saw students searching for an ID card with the school’s grizzly bear mascot. Another contest had students photographing their card with famous people and at interesting locations. “Last year, our winner was someone who took a picture of the card on a glacier,” she says.

Carlton College will soon have as many fans as students

Another strong believer in Facebook is Carleton College, a 2,000-student school in Northfield, Minn. “If you want to market your card, go where the students are,” says Julia Burmesch, director of Campus Services.

“Our Facebook page, called Carleton Update, is sort of our command central,” says Burmesch. “That’s where we run our information posts, contests and drum up interest among new students before they arrive on campus. We send them to our update page in July so they’re familiar with the OneCard and how important it is to them.”

The schedule is extremely tight during orientation, so the card program does not have a lot of time to market its services. This is why Facebook is so important, says Burmesch.

Before Facebook the school tried printed materials. “We did posters that were professionally designed. We tried to send regular email communications announcing deadlines, such as meal plans. They weren’t getting the message. We know they’re more likely to share something they’ve learned from Facebook than something they got in an email,” says Burmesch.

The comment section on Facebook is monitored in case there is a need for clarification or a follow-up post.

The school currently has 1,265 fans on its Facebook page, says Burmesch. “For a small school we’re very proud of that number.”

When the page first went up a few years ago it was an experiment. “We almost gave up. We tried to make it all about the card, It was administered by someone who reports to me. We struggled to find time for it and for things to talk about. We decided to expand it and involve students. That’s what got us going–students talking to students,” says Burmesch.

“Using social media has been such a windfall for us,” says Burmesch. “It’s an effective way for us to spotlight the work that campus services does in a positive way.”

In recognition of their efforts, Carlton College was awarded the 2011 interactive marketing award from the National Association of Campus Card Users.

System providers aid in social media marketing

Card provider CBORD offers marketing support and design services to all its customers, says Sarah Ledwith, CBORD’s marketing manager for colleges and universities, “This can range from designing a simple flier to card design to drafting articles and emails for campus communication,” says Ledwith.

More and more, its social media that’s seeing the most growth, she says. “Card offices are running Facebook pages, tweeting, publishing videos, and finding a lot of innovative ways to keep students thinking about their campus cards.”

Despite the success of its social cousin, traditional marketing hasn’t fallen out of favor. “We still see a lot of paper or digital ads in high-traffic areas, and they still work,” says Ledwith. “I’ve even heard of schools considering putting their marketing messages on the floor with stickers since that’s where students’ eyes are pointed when they walk around looking at their smart phones.”

Ledwith says card office managers understand that they are competing for their students’ attention. “If they want students to use their cards to make more purchases, they need to give them a good reason to have it at the top of their mind. If they can make it a habit, they’ve done well,” says Ledwith.

According to Donna Franklin, marketing manager at CardSmith, the company’s marketing offering can create a turnkey solution for card program clients. “If the campus is looking for something comprehensive it is the best way to do it,” she says.

CardSmith will help the campus with ID card and logo design and naming all the way through building awareness of the program on and off campus.

CardSmith offers a package to schools and card marketing is usually priced separately, says Franklin. “We will design their marketing package to the specific needs of the campus,” adds Franklin.

The end result of any good marketing program is driving awareness, says Lori Caffrey, CardSmith’s marketing manager. “We want to have everyone rally around the card,” she adds.

CardSmith also believes in the power of Facebook. “We view it as another communication channel to educate cardholders in the campus community,” says Franklin.

They create a Facebook page–such as Campus Cash Boston or Campus Cash Jacksonville–to promote their multi-campus, citywide merchant programs. “We post relevant information for all our campuses in those areas,” she explains. “It is an effective communication platform and our merchants see a lot of value in it.”

That seems to be a consistent message from many campus card forays into the world of social media–when done right, it is effective for the institution and provides real value for the users.

Frustrated with having to dig through your bag to find your Charlie Card? A group of undergraduate students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have conceived Sesame Ring, a wearable alternative to the Charlie Card that provides a fun and convenient way to travel in style.

Commuters simply tap the ring in the center of the card target, much like their existing Charlie Card. The ring’s 3D-printed design, already approved by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), enables user preference including customized face designs as well as color selection.

In April 2013, the students proved reliability of the ring by testing it in collaboration with partner college, the Singapore University of Technology and Design. The university ordered more than 300 rings as an inauguration present for incoming freshman. The rings were used to access laboratories, lecture halls, classrooms, and other campus & hostel facilities.

With support from MBTA officials, the students have launched a Kickstarter campaign in hopes to raise enough money and awareness and bring Sesame Ring to the rest of the world - with Early Bird Specials to those who back the project.

The group expects to have enough rings manufactured for the promised delivery date of Christmas.

Read more here.

Heartland Campus Solutions, a division of Heartland Payment Systems, has published a two part series on enhancing the campus card program by using contactless smart card technology.

The company touches upon the implementation process, looking at three main areas - beginning with the card, and followed with the reader and cardholder.

The Card

When planning a contactless card roll out there are a number of considerations to take into account, including what information should be on the card, should a multiple technology card be used, and how to get the cards to the cardholder.

If an ID card is presently in place, review what information is on the card and decide if it’s really needed or if anyone uses it. Campuses will need to determine if other technology, such as a bar code or magnetic stripe, is needed on the card in addition to the contactless technology.

Many campuses debate removing the magnetic stripe totally from the card. For an initial rollout, however, it is recommended to provide a multiple technology card with contactless and a magnetic stripe for backup in case there are areas or alternate systems that do not have the capability to accept contactless technology. This also provides the opportunity to replace existing magnetic stripe readers with a phased in approach or as budget allows.

The Reader

Installing readers for acceptance of the contactless card will go hand in hand with the issuance of cards for both financial and access related functions. The goal is to utilize card reading devices or terminals wherever possible and not rely on printed information on the card.

Implementing multiple technology readers that are capable of working with a variety of contactless technologies, such as NFC technology, will allow more flexibility. It will enable the option to move from one contactless technology to another, to phase out an older contactless technology, and it will allow for using NFC-enabled smart phones as a credential.

The Cardholder

For those campuses that do not have a system or card in place, or those that would like to provide a new card with contactless technology, a carding event is needed to inform the cardholder of the changes to the program.

Constant communication with cardholders will help ensure a smooth process, generate excitement about new services, and breathe new life into an existing program. Let cardholders know what is expected of them to obtain a card, how to use the card and where it can be used.

This outreach will keep all parties aware of changes while helping to increase usage on campus, which may translate to an increase in revenue on financial terminals.

The Muscogee County School District (MCSD) in Columbus, Ga. is taking a high-tech approach, using biometric palm scanning technology to assist students with meal purchases, according to a local news brief.

Using Meral Computing Services software in conjunction with Fujitsu PalmSecure hardware, MCSD high school students can buy their lunch with a simple scan of the palm. When a student comes through the lunch line, he or she can simply hold their hand over a scanner, which then reads the student’s palm and links it to their meal account.

It’s a quick and easy way to help expedite the time spent in the lunch line to purchase meals and helps to ensure accurate, efficient identification of students, funds, and reports, said School Nutrition Director Marian Bone.

The system works by taking a high-resolution infrared photograph of the vein pattern just below the skin. This new scanning capability increases the time available to eat lunch for students by reducing unnecessary time in the lunch line, searching for the student’s name and/or account number. In addition, it is hygienic.

Participation is voluntary. Parents may opt out by notifying the school in writing. Students who do not use palm scan must bring a student ID to the cafeteria to purchase a meal.

Read the full story here.

College students have enough to juggle when it comes to school, work and their social life. Fighting fraud often doesn’t make their list of priorities. College-bound students are susceptible to identity theft, however, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends that they take seven simple steps to protect themselves on campus.

Identity thieves don’t care if you’re a struggling student and don’t have a penny to your name, said Michelle L. Corey, BBB president and CEO. All they want is to exploit your clean credit record. By establishing good habits for monitoring and detecting fraud, students can lay a path for healthy financial practices for the rest of their lives.

The BBB recommends that college-bound students take the following seven steps to fight identity theft on campus:

  1. School mailboxes are not always secure and often can be accessed easily in a dorm or apartment. To combat sticky fingers in the mailroom, have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address, such as a parent’s home or a P.O. Box.

  2. Important documents should be stored under lock and key. This includes your Social Security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. Also shred any credit card offers that come in the mail.

  3. Never lend your credit or debit card to anyone, even if they are a friend. Just say no if your friend wants you to cosign for a loan or financing for items like a TV.

  4. Make sure your computer has up-to-date antivirus and spyware software. Always install any updates and patches to your computer’s operating system or browser software which help keep your computer safe from any new advances by identity thieves online.

  5. Always check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity. The sooner you identify any potential fraud, the less you’ll suffer in the long run.

  6. When shopping on unfamiliar websites, always check the company out first with BBB online. Also look for the BBB Accredited Business seal along with other trust seals; click on the seals to confirm that they are legitimate.

  7. Check your credit report at least once a year with all three reporting bureaus for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. You can do this for free by visiting ww.annualcreditreport.com.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research, identity theft committed against people aged 18 to 24 took the longest to detect (132 days on average) when compared to other age groups. The average cost of losses to this age group ($1,156) was roughly five times more than amount lost by other age groups.

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