Millennials are quite unlike any generation that has come before them. Born between 1982 and 2000, they are internet natives, spending their childhoods using computers, tablets, and social media.
This exposure to technology has helped them adapt to new trends far quicker than other generations. Understanding this generation is a must if you, as a marketer, want to sell them your product or service.
The rise of social media influencers
Millennials know what advertisements look like and can spot them a mile off. Yes, social media platforms allow you to advertise directly to them, but you may need to use a bit of imagination.
Hence the rise of the social media influencer. This is someone in social media who has a large following and could potentially influence their followers to buy something from you.
If you pay them to collaborate with you and promote your brand, the content will come across in a far more engaging, organic way instead of the hard sell. You’re effectively paying them to spread positive word of mouth about your brand, which could have more credibility than traditional advertising.
Go all-in on mobile
Most Millennials are accustomed to ordering pizza, Chick-fil-A or Uber via their smartphone. They have no fear when it comes to mobile and will happily shop using their devices, safe in the knowledge that it’s just another way of accessing the same website they’d use if they were on a work computer.
So, as you’re building your website or social media advertisements, ensure each experience is relevant to the platform. An advertisement you’ve pushed out on Facebook aimed at desktop users may not translate well to Instagram, which is predominantly mobile. Getting this right is a key to successfully engaging this demographic.
If you use discounts, save them time
Discounts and coupons have never been easier to distribute in this digital age and Millennials love a bargain if it’s relevant to their needs or search behaviors. Small things like having voucher codes that automatically process at checkout versus typing the SAVE10PERCENT code helps them save time and aggravation. Plus, it shows that you understand that small step speaks to the core of who they are.
The less complicated and time consuming the transaction is, the more likely they’ll keep coming back and becoming brand advocates for you. With the power of social media, the opinions of your Millennial customers can have a huge impact on how your brand could be perceived in a world where so much emphasis is placed on social reviews and 5-stars.
The Millennial generation poses a unique set of challenges and opportunities for small business owners and marketers. Constantly test ways to organically promote your product and win them over. And, once you do win them over, then you could have a loyal customer for the next 50 years.