Millennials are not, nor have they been on track to grow up and live the same lifestyle as their predecessors, Gen X. By sticking to traditional tactics and focusing on cheesy gimmicks, you’re bound to lose your audience quicker than the latest technology will go out of style. If you can understand that Millennials care more about their social identities and community, rather than conforming to the traditional way their parents lived, you can attract a long-term relationship with a younger demo audience.
In the U.S., Millennials account for 27% of the population and will spend almost $200 billion by 2017. That’s a huge consumer group, so businesses need to start figuring out how to connect with them. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you’re trying to create that, “customer for life”.
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1. Create content that matters
As part of your content creation, you need to be present, personable, and persistent at all stages of the buyer’s journey. Millennials know when something isn’t authentic and you are trying to deceive them. Gimmicky sales pitches don’t work with this generation. Be authentic and target the specific social groups your audience associates with. Also, keep in mind how much information is consumed on a daily basis. Attention span is short and your opportunity to make a meaningful impact with your message needs to be quick. Make it matter.
2. Inspire the influencers
An increasingly popular way to reach Millennials is to use the power of influencers. Youtubers are a great example of how you can align your product with a personal brand and tap into an existing audience. Millennials want to see first hand the value of your product so having influencers engage with your product can help you sell more authentically.
3. Make it a conversation
Just having a social media presence and pumping out boring content on channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram isn’t enough anymore. Communication is key and is more effective if you engage with your audience. More importantly, you need to demonstrate that you are listening and valuing the opinion of your audience. One way to do this is by liking their posts, retweeting, replying, and sharing their original content. By creating this relationship, the consumer feels like they are part of the experience. Let’s be real, everyone likes a bit of attention!
4. Have a social impact
Millennials donate to charities, so you should too. By standing for more than your bottom line, Millennials will be more willing to support your brand. This means their purchasing decision will not only get them a product they want, but will also give them the feeling of supporting a cause they care about.
Building loyalty amongst this group is not easy. If you take the time to understand and use some of the above tactics, you will be on your way to creating a long lasting relationship.
If you find yourself looking for more information on this topic, check out our ebook, “Digital Marketing to Millennials”. You can learn about developing a digital marketing plan for Millennials and much more.
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