Millennials. Who are they, anyway? Millennials are those from the ages of 19 to 36 who form the largest population (nearly 76 million) in American history and will make up half of the workforce by 2020. When it comes to marketing, this “buzzword” generation is going to drive our consumer relations. In fact, it’s already starting.
Do you know everything you should to make sure your product or service is top of mind for this generation? Here’s a quick primer:
Millennials are highly educated. They may have student debt, but they value success and are heading up start-ups. With the world at their fingertips, they are self-learners and highly informed.
Millennials are tech savvy. They are highly engaged on social outlets, primarily use a smart phone or tablet and are always looking for the next best thing.
Millennials do their research. Brand is what customers tell their friends. They read and write reviews (seriously) and share good (and bad) experiences with their networks. Word of mouth is power.
Millennials spend. Their estimated purchase power is $1.68 trillion. They like to travel and want to engage in experiences.
Millennials are passionate. Their values drive their habits and they love a cause-driven company.
What does all of this mean to you? Here are a few ideas to think about when you’re creating your marketing plan.
- Be real. Talk to them like you would a friend; be relevant and timely. Speak to their values, understand their lifestyles and make them feel involved. An emotional connection will influence loyalty and trust.
- Get social and listen. Engage frequently, ask your customers for feedback and pose questions that can help drive your marketing strategy. Satisfy and engage these customers and they will stay loyal and spread the word to their networks. And, you can even use Twitter as a customer service tool.
- Go digital, go visual. Make it simple and at their fingertips, especially when it comes to purchasing. Visually engage customers using video and infographics. Need help designing? Check out online infographic creators like Piktochart. Did you know that 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual and is processed 60,000 times faster than text?
- Be socially responsible. Share your mission and tell a story. Millennials want to feel connected to your brand and feel good about their purchases. Whole Foods, for example, promotes their mission frequently from their print marketing campaign to their reusable bag credit donations to local community organizations.
What tools are you using to engage millennials? Share them in the comments!
Looking to learn from entrepreneurs from across three generations? Join us for State of Small Business on Feb. 18 to learn from a millennial, Gen Xer and baby boomer.
Maggie McEntee is the communications and marketing specialist for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
[Photo from Little Visuals]