Millennials, also called Generation Y, is currently the largest living generation. This group, composed of people who were born in the 80s up to the mid-90s, is moving into their prime earning and spending years. They are poised to shape the economy.
That is why many companies are making changes to cater to their interests and needs. Practices that used to work on previous generations are no longer relevant.
As a business owner, how do you capture the attention of millennials? Here are a few tips:
Importance of Social Media
Millennials are the first “digital natives.” They know their way around the internet and the internet is an essential part of their daily lives.
That is why it is important for any business or brand to have an online presence. You need to create social media profiles to reach millennials. It is free and it allows you to advertise to thousands, if not millions, of potential customers.
However, social media is full of distractions. You need to have engaging digital content to cut through the noise. It is best to work with digital marketing services to craft an effective campaign geared toward internet users.
In the United States, the majority of adults use at least one social media platform regularly. YouTube and Facebook are the most popular.
A study found that social media directly influences a person’s decision to purchase an item. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest help consumers, especially millennials, to discover products they might want and use.
You will hear the terms “Instagrammable” or “viral.” These are the kind of words you want to be used to describe your campaign for it to be a success.
Make Them the Star
People love to see themselves in the media they consume. For millennials, that means generating and featuring user content to help the brand create an identity.
On Instagram, for example, users can submit photos or videos that feature your product to win a prize. You can create a hashtag that they will use to find and compile the entries. This way, your consumers help you advertise your products to their families and friends.
A campaign that relies on millennials to add to the story or conversation will be effective. You have to ask them for their experiences or encourage them to be creative for you to catch their attention.
Be Authentic
Millennials demand authenticity. They can see through the lies and they are willing to call you out on it.
Focus on keeping your advertisements as authentic as possible. They want to see who is behind the brand and the values that the brand possesses.
They know exactly what marketing speak is and they are often turned off by it. They want real connections. Drop the strings of adjectives you use in marketing your product. Make every interaction as pleasant and as personalized as possible. An authentic voice is what millennials look for from a brand.
Have a Purpose
If your purpose is to be rich, you have to be ready to face criticism. Millennials are conscious of how their actions affect the world around them. They are well aware of the issues that plagued the society. Pitching the features of a product will not be enough to convince them to make the purchase.
There has to be a “why.” Giving to charities or championing a movement should be at the forefront of the brand.
Millennials are a very different kind of consumer compared to the generations before them. But they are inevitable. If you want to sell to them, you need to make changes based on their terms.
