Millennials are a generation that has unique values, thoughts, and connections to themselves. Your brand needs to take its place amongst the millions of other brands fighting for their attention. How your brand speaks to Millennials is going to be a pivotal component to customer acquisition, the share of wallets, and product preferences. Businesses that understand how to speak to this generation, and categories that embrace and leverage the shift to a “Millennial Mindset” will lead their industries for the next 50 years. What is the millennial mindset? Millennials are confident, bold, and free. They live in a time where social media has allowed them to be exposed to more than any generation in the past. They have a high level of loyalty towards a select few brands that they personally relate with. They are family-oriented and value the opinion of their peers and influencers over marketing messages. Whether it’s music, food, or politics, Millennials make buying decisions based on their interests and values. That’s why it is important that your brand speaks to millennials.
If you are unsure of how to reach Millennials, we have compiled a few tips that will help!
Be On-Demand
Millennials are infamous for not wanting to wait for anything so it’s no surprise that they make up a large percentage of on-demand users. If you are not familiar with the term “on-demand”, on-demand services are a group of cloud-based software applications that allow users to instantly receive products and services. By definition, on-demand services offer an intimate and convenient way for consumers to connect with providers and purchase goods. What makes on-demand services so popular? The answer is simple: instant gratification. People love the ability to have what they want when they want it, and that is the appeal of an on-demand service. It is human nature to want what we can’t have; and when you give people what they want when they want it, this builds trust in your brand. People will go above and beyond for something that is convenient. If you provide your customers with quality products at a high level of convenience, not only will your products meet their expectations, but they will also talk about the experience with their friends and family.
Be Authentic
One of the biggest issues and mistakes that brands make is misrepresenting themselves and their brand on social media. Millennials especially are becoming increasingly savvier when it comes to spotting a brand that is trying too hard to be hip, cool, or authentic. They have no problem calling out a company that tries to pose as something they are not, and they will not hesitate to share their disappointment or frustration via social media. This is why it is important for your brand to be yourself on social media. Don’t imitate the voice of others. Take time to get to know your audience and see what they respond to. This does not mean you have to change your entire brand, but maybe dedicate more time to Twitter and less time on Facebook. If your audience shares articles about dogs every day, then maybe you should focus on content about dogs.
Speak the Love Language of Millennials
As a marketing professional, do you wish you could understand how millennials think? Would you like to speak their language and influence their purchasing decisions? Whether you run a company or are working for one, the answer is probably ‘yes’. Millennials are the fastest-growing segment of our society with more buying power than any other demographic group. They are coming into their own, getting married, having children, and buying homes at an unprecedented rate. And, Millennials now make up the largest part of the workforce and will become one of the most powerful consumer groups in the coming years. This poses a challenge for many marketing professionals because marketers on both sides – B2B and B2C – are playing catch up with how best to reach, connect, and understand millennials. Understanding how millennials think is vital for anyone who wants to effectively market today’s savvy and tech-savvy consumer.
Millennials are a unique group of people that are often misunderstood. Nowadays, the generation is constantly mocked and criticized for being ‘wasteful’, ‘lazy’, and having a bad work ethic, but is this stereotype really something to be believed? There is no doubt that the millennial way of marketing is increasing in popularity with more and more businesses adopting marketing tactics that reflect their perspective. It is clear that this demographic has a major impact on the future direction marketing will take if they choose to. The reflection of research done on millennials also shows the importance of understanding what they want from companies going forward. Anyone who is serious about growing their business and success in this business needs to understand that millennials are important to your company’s growth.