5 Engaging Tips for Marketing to Millennials
There are currently about 80 million millennials in the US. They have well surpassed the baby boomer population of 74.9 million. Additionally, with an annual buying power of $200 billion, it is safe to say that they are the most advantageous markets for companies to be taking a look at.
However, this target market differs from others in many ways. They spot the tricks of the trade. They understand the fact that companies see them as a dollar sign.
And guess what? They find it annoying and don’t like it.
This is because they are constantly bombarded with media. The constant media is not what they are annoyed with. They understand that their screen time use is off the charts compared to other generations. However, this means they aren’t going to simply buy into everything and anything that you put out there. They are able to cut through the trash pretty quickly.
Keeping that in mind, here are 5 modern tips for marketing to millennials.
Authentic Content can be Empowering
As a millennial myself, I feel I can seem to be one of the most looked-down upon generations ever. No, we don’t like the idea of a 9-5 desk job. No, we don’t want to sit in an office full of old folks who just want to tell us we are young and naive. This is why EMPOWERING content is so refreshing for us. No one seems to believe in us but wants our fresh, young perspective. Can you say, “Feeling a little used”? Because of this we put our tech savvy and internet conversation power to use. We like adding to the conversation that is happening on social media. We get lost in video, blog, and photo content for extended periods of time. Therefore, when we come across content that we feel is not only current but honest, we take note. 43% of millennials rank authenticity over content when consuming news. Additionally, we want to share this refreshing content with our friends. If it sparks the feeling of being trustworthy, it is likely to have a domino effect.
2. Collaboration!
Collaboration is key for millennials. However, nailing this aspect definitely calls for some research. It involves looking at the work of companies, accounts, and products that your particular audience is interested in. Take a look at the content they are generating. Don’t be afraid to name drop those places in your content. It shows that your goals align with their current interest and places that they trust. Additionally, don’t forget to reach out to social accounts driving media influence.
3. Outbound Material is Way Out
After mentioning how content driven millennials are, hopefully you have caught the drift that traditional methods are fortunately out. Millennials crave connection in marketing. Therefore, your traditional random/picture perfect girl or guy flipping their hair and smiling for your product unfortunately isn’t going to cut it anymore. In the mind of a millennial, this comes off as impersonal and company driven. Millennials want to feel involved and important in what they invest their time in. We want to add to the conversation and feel we are a part of it.
4. Intentionally Crafted Material
Outbound marketing leads us to out next point… the importance of understating their lifestyle. What is the best way to form a relationship with someone? Ask them questions about what going on in their life.
We are a generation that thrives off of sarcasm and humor. *Note, the success of memes with our generation. They are usually lifestyle based and something that we laugh at and share with/tag our 10 bffs in. Also, take a look into some of the words that are selling products right now: wanderlust, craftsman, discover, organic, escape, authentic. They all have something in common, they exude a sense of being real/in the now. Let’s look back to point number one… Constantly being put down can be emotionally draining. It’s not like millennials don’t understand that this is not how life naturally is. We simply seem to be the generation that has collectively adopted the mentality of breaking free from the routine lifestyle. We value freedom, experiences and living in a different way than others do. By going out and doing it. Also, we don’t let the judgmental forces we face every day get the best of us. This is why EMPOWERING content is so refreshing for us.
5. Millennials Just Want to Have Fun
*Que Cyndi Lauper. Yes… I know who that is. The bottom line for millennials here is that they are all about the now, experience and living in the moment. Things that comes a sense of well… fun. And honestly, is it so bad that we have a generation that is craving a sense of authenticity and genuine relationships. In world that has become so disconnected, give your audience a way to become connected and feel valued.
If you nail the marketing strategy for reaching millennials, you will see results. What is your company doing to reach this demographic?
