Marketers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to reach out to Millennials to build lasting relationships, and for good reason—Millennials represent up to $200 billion a year target market. However, it can be difficult to get and hold the attention of the group through traditional marketing methods, largely because unlike previous generations, Millennials aren’t as likely to respond to traditional advertising tactics, which means marketers must be creative and reach out to Millennials on their level. Although trends are constantly changing, there are a few strategies that have proven to be successful with Millennials.
Engage on Social Media
Millennials likely won’t come to you, so you need to go to where they are, social media. The younger generation is constantly using these platforms (more than 70 percent of Millennials are daily social media users), mostly on their phones, so brands that have a strong social media presence can make a big impact. Begin by using social media and adding hashtags, creative questions, memes, or contests. The key with social media advertising is to be subtle and not to sell things as overtly as a traditional commercial.
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Leverage Influencers
Celebrities have an impact on Millennials, but perhaps more so are social media stars that Millennials tend to find more real, authentic and accessible. These are people with large followings on YouTube, Instagram, or blogs who represent the younger demographic with their thoughts or lifestyle posts. Brands often have great success by partnering with social media influencers to use or recommend a product or service in a subtle and natural way. Instead of a traditional spokesperson sharing a message written by the brand, influencers can talk about a product naturally with their following and lead to organic sales and referrals.
Get Their Feedback
Millennials are used to sharing opinions and crowdsourcing reviews, so give them a chance to get involved with a marketing campaign. This can be as simple as asking a question on Twitter or getting feedback on new products. Some companies have even opened the door to Millennials to suggest new product names, flavors, or features with great success. Allowing Millennials to have a hands-on role for creating a product can turn them into long-term customers who want to share the product with their friends and gives them ownership over whatever you are trying to sell.
Back a Cause
Millennials tend to be passion and cause-oriented and like to be part of something bigger than themselves. Instead of just looking for a job, for example, Millennials tend to gravitate towards organizations that improve the world and offer a sense of community. Marketers can also leverage those characteristics by tying their product into some kind of social outreach, such as donating a meal or clothes to people in need for every product sold or planning a community service day. Millennials love to support brands that showcase corporate social responsibility, so find organic ways to work your mission into the message and encourage Millennials to get involved and make a difference when they partner with your brand.
Make it Visual and Cohesive
Millennials are huge fans of visual platforms like Instagram and YouTube, which means that your marketing campaign needs to rely more on capturing their interest through visuals not text. The more Millennials see your message across various platforms, the more likely they will internalize it. Remember, though, that they are likely viewing all of your content on their mobile devices, so all videos, graphics, and text need to be optimized for a strong mobile experience.
Read more about attracting Millennials to your company at Tech.Co
