Skiddle’s Student Loan Day Strategy Guide

When do student loans hit bank accounts?

Student Finance pays maintenance loans 3 times a year, with each one coming at the start of term.

The exact dates vary from university to university, but students will likely receive their loans at the beginning of the month. That makes the next one due at the start of April 2025.

So, now you know when the loan drops, let’s take a look at how you can best take advantage of this time and get those ticket sales booming. 

Before Loan Day

Generate Interest with Artist Alerts

Before loan day, dreams of summer getaways to far-flung countries and weekends spent at the best events spring into the minds of students.

You want to plant your event in their minds before the loan drops and make sure it’s your event they choose.

You can do this with our Artist Alerts feature.

If you’re launching your event this week or haven’t already tagged the artists appearing at your event, now is the time to make use of it.

Artist Alerts will help you:

• Get on Students’ Radar Early – A push alert plants the seed before plans are made.
• Reach the Right Crowd – Alerts go straight to students who follow your event, the artist, or similar ones, ensuring news hits the right people.
• Generate Hype – As loan day approaches, excitement builds, and students rush to grab tickets.

Artist Alerts can help you have a successful student loan drop day. Head HERE to discover more. 

Attract Customers with Social Media Content

With 18-24-year-olds said to spend a daily average of over 6 hours online, it’s paramount to get your social media game on point.

Getting in front of the camera can be daunting, sure. But remember: show your personality and have fun with it. That will shine through, up the authenticity and endear more students to your content.

Instagram Reels are the easiest way and according to Buffer, they see 36% more reach than other post types. And remember:

• Take Inspiration – Have a look at the trends that are popular at the moment and see how you can adapt them.
• Have Structure – A clear hook and message gives the content purpose.
• Don’t Overload – Students don’t want to be force-fed promotional content, so stick to the 50/30/20 rule, as explained by our very own Hannah Boggan below.

 

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When Loan Day Hits

Hold Loan Day Flash Sales

When loan day hits, it’s time to leverage impulse buying with social media flash sales.

Create a post on social media and tell your followers you’re giving away 20% discounts to your next event. All they have to do? Share the post on their story and comment underneath the post with an emoji.

This strategy will:

• Create Urgency – Students are more likely to act if they know they can get a great deal.
• Attract New Customers – You’re leveraging the networks of existing followers, showing your event to potential new customers.
• Boost Sales — The race to secure discounted tickets will lead to an increase in sales for your event.

Learn how to apply Discount Codes for your event with our how-to tutorial video.

Galvanise Your Reps

Alongside holding flash sales on social media, springing your Reps into action is crucial to hoover up those looking to splash the cash on loan day.

If you aren’t familiar with Reps, the concept is simple: Students can sign up to rep for your event and begin selling tickets in exchange for cash or rewards.

You can set the rewards, keeping you in control and creating some friendly competition among your reps.

By using Reps, you can:

• Expand Your Network: Reps can sell to fellow students who can become new attendees of your event.
• Create Multiple Networks: Reps at different universities in the same city can sell to students, increasing your chances of ticket sales.
• Increase Word of Mouth Buzz: People are likely to trust the words of their peers and people they know.

Set up Reps and reap the benefits ahead of student loan day!

Promote Payment Plans

A payment split is a payment made easier, and when students’ bank accounts are freshly minted, they’ll be on the hunt to secure tickets to make sure their summer is one to remember.

That’s why loan day is a perfect time to promote Payment Plans. Use them to:

• Encourage Sales: Payment Plans encourage sales as they allow students to work the cost into their budget.
• Generate Steady Revenue: With multiple monthly small payments, you aren’t relying on a final week surge to generate income.
• Reduce No-Shows – If students have already paid part of their ticket, they’re less likely to back out closer to the event.

Watch our how-to tutorial to discover how to set up payment plans.

After Loan Day

Keep Students Engaged with Email Marketing

The promotion doesn’t stop once loan day has passed. You want students to return when the next one hits and attract new attendees who missed out.

Email marketing can help you here, allowing you to cut through the noise and advertise directly to students who have already shown interest in your event.

Here’s how email marketing can help:

• Encourage Repeat Attendance – Send exclusive discount codes (10-20%) to past attendees to bring them back for your next event.
• Attract New Customers – Reward new subscribers with early access or special deals.
• Maintain Awareness – Regular updates keep your brand fresh in students’ minds for the next loan drop.

Make sure your email campaigns are engaging, visually appealing, and offer real value.

Boost Social Media Engagement

Keeping up social media activity after loan day will help build momentum for your next event. A mix of humorous content, crowd shots, and highlights from past events keeps engagement high and ensures students continue interacting with your brand.

Try these strategies:

• Post-Event Recaps – Share the best moments from your event to generate FOMO (fear of missing out).
• User-Generated Content – Repost attendee photos and videos to build a community.
• Engaging Posts – Use memes, polls, and interactive stories to keep students engaged year-round.

Build Long-Term Hype with Brand Pages

To turn a one-time loan day success into consistent ticket sales, make use of our Brand Pages feature.

Brand Pages offer:

• A Centralised Hub – Show all your events in one place for easy browsing and purchasing.
• Brand Alerts – Followers receive direct notifications when you list new events, keeping them engaged beyond loan day.
• Continuous Promotion – Tag future events around the next student loan dates, ensuring students stay in the loop.

By staying active with email, social media, and Brand Pages, you’ll turn loan day wins into year-round success.

For in-depth tutorials on Brand Pages and all other Skiddle features, head to our FAQ page.