Businesses have various audiences to appeal to. The millennial demographic, which consists of people in their late 20s to early 40s, is an attractive market. They have an income and strong spending potential to drive up profitability.
However, these buyer profiles can be rather complex compared to other generations of spenders. It’s essential to employ the right strategies to convert millennials into customers.
Showcase Transparency
Building trust is the foundation of a successful marketing campaign. It is especially important when tapping into the millennial market since many prospects want to understand a company’s mission and vision. Focus on exercising brand authenticity.
There will likely be questions about the offerings as well. About 53% of millennials worldwide want brands to be reliable. Be trustworthy when relaying information about the product or service and discuss its potential impact on their lives.
Part of being transparent is having open discourse. Companies should not delete negative reviews. What’s even better is acknowledging those customers’ experiences and committing to doing better.
Millennials are also conscious of exaggerated representations of their product. Creative marketing is encouraged, but remember to keep it as honest as possible. Misleading information will only drive them away further from the company.
Businesses should strive to be open about storing and using customer information. Millennials are big technology users. Instead of letting them worry about where their data is going, take the initiative to respect and secure it.
Practice Social Responsibility
The millennial generation holds high ethical standards for companies. It’s important to portray a strong sense of social responsibility, especially for industries with a reputation for harming the environment, wildlife and humanity.
Many want manufacturers to be more sustainable. Processing and overproduction can result in plenty of waste. In the height of climate change, businesses must be more conscious of their environmental impact.
Employ marketing campaigns that aim to showcase social responsibility. For example, work with waste reduction companies to ensure proper disposal or conversion of excess materials. A cleanup drive can also be a powerful statement.
It’s also worth looking into a change in production. Millennials are willing to pay more for products and services if they benefit the environment, so companies should use eco-friendly practices. They can increase sustainability by committing to biodegradable and plantable eco packaging.
Social responsibility goes beyond caring for the environment. For example, businesses can donate money to disaster relief or charities that align with their goals. Even providing a workplace health and safety program makes the company image more honorable.
Create a Digital Presence
Determining where to put marketing material can influence whether a company secures a specific demographic. Millennials are active digital natives, so businesses should create a presence within that space. Websites are an excellent start to establish themselves.
Social media platforms are also important to tap into. About 68% of millennials say YouTube is their favorite social media platform, while 62% cite Facebook. It’s worth diversifying into other networks, like X, Instagram and TikTok, as the younger generation also frequently uses them.
Once profiles are set up, businesses must create posts that resonate with the target audience. Look at what’s relevant and determine how to connect that to a brand. Go the extra mile and seek ways to be viral.
Customer engagement is a good way to accomplish this. For example, Toyota learned about a man who put 1,020,130 miles on his Tundra and repurchased it for $8.000. It also gave him a brand-new Tundra Double Cab. Such feel-good stories are effective at tugging at the average millennial’s heartstrings.
Make Digestible Content
Marketing material must be easy to consume. Millennials’ attention span is around 12 seconds, four seconds longer than Gen Z’s. Shorter video content is one of the best ways to convey a compelling message to the audience.
Apply the same logic to texts and photos and form marketing campaigns with fewer words or visuals. However, businesses should be wary of sacrificing quality for snappiness. It’s important to have a balance between the two.
Long-form content is still worth posting on websites and video-based social media platforms. Just have a great hook at the beginning. A millennial should be convinced by the first 12 seconds or so to keep watching the marketing content.
Edit longer videos into fragments and reupload them. That way, the key points remain, and prospects can view them easily. Monitor engagement and see what works for a brand.
Be Witty and Human
Boomers may not appreciate witty puns, but millennials have a more adaptive sense of humor. Consider taking more liberty with marketing material to remove the corporate mask preventing them from connecting with the business.
Companies should be culturally and socially sensitive when creating this type of content. It’s hard to please everyone, but show respect toward the audience. A bad-taste post may drive people away rather than attract them.
Humanize brands. Industry professionals can go on camera to discuss certain business processes, positioning themselves as thought leaders instead of faceless corporations.
Partnering with influencers also increases appeal. They have an existing relationship with their audience, removing the obstacle of creating personability. About 60% of marketers plan to raise their influencer marketing budget in 2024.
Stay Consistent
One underrated way to win over millennials is to be consistent with marketing. Businesses must run campaigns now and then to generate interest. This is also important for client retention, as some consumers may forget about brands that don’t appear on their feeds.
Even without a current campaign, it’s still worth making a post now and then. Millennials use their phone for 3.7 hours a day. That screen time can refer them to competitors and other businesses. Companies should be active to stay on their radar. It influences their ability to recall an establishment in the future.
Prioritize quality over quantity when marketing. Spam-like posts may warrant an unfollow or even a block from a prospective customer. Invest time in content development to have a consistent posting schedule and valuable media.
Market to the Millennials
Millennials are a great market for all businesses due to their buying power. Winning them over is challenging, but accomplishing it can increase an establishment’s customer engagement and boost sales in the long run. Companies focusing on connecting with this generation will find their efforts well worth it. Foster a relationship and go the extra mile to convert them and reap the rewards.
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