The millennial generation is getting older and that means they are making up a large part of the active consumer population. Millennials make up a group of consumers that equates to more than 86 million people who are ready and willing to spend their money. This means that it’s time to up the advertising game when it comes to connecting with this group. That means knowing what to do when it comes to marketing to millennials.
The youngest millennials are ages 18 to 24 and they rate their mobile phones as a crucial part of their everyday lives. This means their phones are more important to them than their TVs, cars and other material possessions.
Here are some ways to make sure your business is making the most of your advertising dollars by getting your ads in front of the millennial population.
1. Skip the sales lingo.
Millennials can smell a rat from a mile away. They are highly tuned into the world and they don’t like to be brainwashed or fed cheap ad line. You cannot steer them into purchasing one product over another.
Keep in mind, millennials have been advertised to their whole lives. They automatically and easily block out common advertising buzzwords out of habit.
The best way to get to a millennial is to address them directly and honestly without hiding the fact that you’re selling something to them. Empathize with their needs and be as authentic and relatable as you can.
2. Get social.
Social media is a powerful tool when it comes to reaching millennials. But the best way to use it to actually get a conversation started rather than talking at people the way that ads used to do.
Use social media to your advantage by using Facebook ads, running fun marketing campaigns and contests on your social pages. Explore newer platforms that most businesses tend to overlook. Take Snapchat for example. It’s not just a social platform for you to post selfies with dog filters, show what you are eating, nor to send flower crowns for your friends to see.
You can post actual snapshots of crucial moments in your life and your business or even short tutorials to help your audience feel more connected. Kylie Jenner built a multi-million dollar business with help from social media, and especially Snapchat.
While you don’t have to shoot for a celebrity influence on social media, you can still attract your target audience. Enjoy the opportunity to market your business for free on several different social platforms.
3. Use mobile-friendly tools.
You’re not going to get anywhere with millennials if you don’t get responsive with your website. Give them the ability to interact with your business from their smartphones. This means that your mobile friendly site is up and ready to go the second you open your doors for business.
Don’t let them waste once second of time waiting for a page to load, and don’t make it hard for them to click a button or two and purchase something online.
They’re used to doing it everywhere else and if you don’t offer them the ability to do so on your sites, you will likely lose the sale.
4. Engage, don’t sell.
Finally, focus on engagement over selling. If your content doesn’t contribute anything new to the conversation, it is going to go stale really quickly. Make your target audience laugh or feel enlightened or entertained after engaging with your business. Share content that takes a clear stance and prompts people to respond.
Summary.
Marketing is almost always more about the ‘who’ than the ‘what.’ If the millennial group is a part of your target audience, you’ll want to keep these our tips in mind when creating your strategy for marketing to millennials.
