The millennials are the generation born between 1982 and 2002, and now take over the job market from the retiring baby boomers. This means that millennials are most likely a significant part of your potential customers. So, you need to know how to approach them and how to advertise to them if you want to attract their attention – and sales.
A Connected Generation
The millennials are the generation who experienced the creation of internet and mobile phones. They have gone through various technological changes, from the audio cassette to CDs and then to digital music. And they have discovered the power of instant communication, first on the computer and now on the smartphone.
This is a generation of people who are really savvy about technology and who know what they want, where to look for it and how to find the best offer. And when they decide to follow a brand on the social media and through other channels, they expect:
- 38% of them to be entertained;
- 42% to receive useful information.
So, what do they expect in terms of marketing and advertising? Here are a few salient points:
- An Omnichannel Approach
Millennials love to find promotions on the social media, in their emails and in stores. They are most likely to use a mobile phone, but are still connected on the computer, laptop and tablet. And, whatever device or channel they are using, they expect to find their brands and be entertained or approached with attractive offers. Moreover, the entire experience of interacting with a brand should be smooth, seamless and integrated.
This means that your advertising strategy must take into account an overall approach, including social media, Google AdWords and email marketing, as well as in-store promotions and activities targeted at your customers.
- Give Them Something Worth Sharing
The millennials’ slogan can very well be “sharing is caring”. People of this generation love to share many personal experiences with their social media friends: vacation photos, cooking advice, purchases they’ve made, interesting videos and articles.
For companies and marketers, this means one thing: create interesting content and you will have an army of brand ambassadors sharing it and exposing your brand to a potentially huge audience.
- Make Shopping Simple and Straightforward
Once they have decided to buy a product, millennials want a hassle-free experience. They are not used to waiting patiently for a page to load or to go through a long and complex order form. They are well aware that you are not the only company selling a specific type of product, so they will abandon a shopping cart (despite the attractive offer) if they feel that they are losing too much time with the checkout process.
Simple checkout processes are now among the list of best practices for ecommerce websites for all types of customers. But it is extra important when it comes to being able to keep your millennial customers happy.
- Socialise with Your Followers
Many companies have social media pages and blogs, but they forget the core activity involving these channels: socialising with followers. Socialising means starting conversations, answering questions, meeting your followers halfway when they want to interact with you, and generally being helpful to them.
What does this mean? If you see questions on your social media pages or under your blog posts, answer them as soon as possible. If someone consistently shares your content, thank them. If you want to increase engagement, organise a poll or a contest with prizes.
- Be Involved in the Community
Millennials are socially conscious and they want brands to be just like them. They will pay a higher price if they know that the brand supports a local charity or is involved in supporting vulnerable groups. For companies, this is a win-win situation. The proceeds you donate to charities are deducted from your taxes and your customers will continue to support you and recommend your business to their friends.