Many baby boomers and members of Generation X have a difficult time understanding the millennial generation. However, big businesses are starting to realize that they can’t afford to ignore this demographic. Over 80 million people were born between 1982 and 1993, which makes them a very large consumer market. You will need to understand how to relate to this demographic if you plan to sell products to them.
Don’t Underestimate Their Savviness as Consumers
Millennials are probably the most tech-savvy generation ever. They have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips. You will have a more difficult time selling subpar products to them than other generations, because they will do their research to find the best option. If you want to understand more about how millennials think then you may want to check out this blog.
Most millennials are also good at reading between the lines. Trying to disguise an advertisement to trick them into thinking you aren’t selling them anything is rarely going to work. Ryan Donegan, the author of “The Modern Millenial”, states that you will need to be totally transparent to them when you are selling a product. They are usually pretty open to being sold to, but have little tolerance for being jerked around.
Incorporate Social Media into Your Campaigns
Approximately three quarters of millennials are active social media users. You will need to incorporate social media into your various marketing channels to reach them.
You shouldn’t focus exclusively on using social media to promote your products, but there are different ways to tie your social networks into your overall marketing campaign. For example, if you are running a television advertisement then you should list your social networks on it. This will encourage potential millennial customers to follow you on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about your products and services.
Create an Ad Your Customers Can Talk About
Millennials are a very social demographic. They like to talk about new trends and catchy things they heard about. You want them to talk about your ad. Make sure that you give them a reason to.
Your advertisements should be catchy and offer something new. Find a way to make them appealing and tell their friends.
Of course, you want them to talk about your marketing messages in a positive way. Make sure that your ad resonates with them and supports your brand reputation. Most importantly, you need to make sure that the conversation leads to them actually purchasing your products or service.
Follow Recent Trends With Young Adults
Millennials are very susceptible to new trends. You need to make sure that you follow those trends so that you can market to them as effectively as possible.
You may want to read reports from the Pew Research Center. These reports are very helpful ways to better understand the priorities of different demographics. You will want to pay particularly close attention to information on millennials to better reach them. Robert Polet, the head of the Gucci Group, states that it is also important to see how their views and needs vary with other factors such as region and political preference.
About the author: Kalen is a marketing consultant. He is a millennial and teaches other businesses how to market to his peers.
Photo credit: Campbelltown City Council
