7 ways to market to youth and get their attention

Millennials are rapidly becoming the generation when it comes to purchasing power. As the largest generation to date in the United States, this group, born in the 80s and 90s is just starting to come into its real power as a purchasing group. Any company that wants to remain competitive in the years to come needs to figure out a strategy to market to these individuals, and the sooner the better.

These seven strategies will help your company expand their reach to include Generation Y.

Social media is more than just Facebook

If the only website where your company maintains a profile is Facebook, it’s a good idea to start expanding your reach. Depending on your industry and your marketing plan, different sites – Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, for example – may be the right way to reach your audience. Look at others in your industry, and see where they spend their social media budget. Talk to your audience and ask which social media sites they frequent.

Understand influencers

The biggest influencers for most previous generations were friends and family. This is true for Millennials, too, but this is the generation who embraced the Facebook definition of “friend.” These individuals reach out to their social media network when they’re considering making a big purchase, when they’re looking for recommendations for a new TV show to watch, and when they’re not sure how to move forward with a troubling situation. This is why social media presence is so important; not necessarily so that your business can directly interact with the customer, but so that other influencers are aware of your company and feel comfortable talking about them to your potential customer.

Millennials have been changing the rules since they were born and started school. One of the most talked about generations in recent memory, they have incredible purchasing power, which will only grow in the coming years.

Show your story

One of the most interesting details about marketing to Millennials is that they want to know your company’s story. They know that no product or service is actually unique, so they want to know why they should support you. They grew up believing that they had the power to shape the world for the better, and they believe that spending their dollars is a political act. If you work with a local charity like RealityChangers or a worldwide charity like Doctors Without Borders, knowing that can take some customers from maybe to yes.

Focus on quality and service

When marketing to Gen X and Boomers, marketers often learned to emphasize that their customers were getting a great deal, or that they were never going to see this particular bargain again. That strategy doesn’t work on Millennials. These savvy consumers know that every sale comes around again, and they aren’t as inclined as their elders to wait for a bargain basement price. Instead, they want to know that they’re buying an excellent product which will meet their needs, and they want to know that your service is going to be stellar, from the first click to the last support request.

Market intelligently

It’s not worth your time to try and hide information from your Millennial customers. They are the most connected generation in history, and they know how to research anything they need to find. This can work to a company’s advantage. If you put out plenty of information on the quality of your products, build resources of real people using them and enjoying them, and legit reviews from long term users, Millennials are going to find them. Similarly, they’re probably going to track down negative reviews and troubling company history, so be aware of what’s out there. Have an answer ready if your customer asks you about something that happened in the past.

Don’t pretend you’re not selling

Millennials have been marketed to since they were in their bassinets; you can’t convince them you’re not trying to sell them something. Don’t bother trying; instead, approach a selling transaction with what can be a refreshing honesty. Tell them what you have to offer, and the benefits of the product, and let them make a decision. Remember that by the time you’re talking to them, they’ve probably done all the research they need, and are ready to buy, so they may not need the hard sell you might be accustomed to.

Make online purchasing simple

Generation Y loves their smartphones and their Internet connections. Shopping online means saving valuable cash on expensive fuel, especially for urban dwelling Millennials who may not have cars in the first place. At the bare minimum, look into making online ordering and instore pickup available at your brick and mortar location. Many Millennials are running errands between a bunch of different jobs to make ends meet, and their time is at a premium.

What does your business do to make itself Millennial-friendly?