During the past decade, the Millennial generation and its unique habits have hamstrung the marketing world.
The age-old techniques and go-to mediums just aren’t as effective as they once were.
Not only are Millennials less likely to see our ads; they’re also less likely to believe them.
Ninety-nine percent of Millennials say even the most compelling ads don’t lead them to trust a brand.
And, to further complicate things, social media is quickly becoming a primary venue for communicating with businesses.
Clearly, reaching the Millennial demographic—one with such immense buying power—requires a different game plan.
This young audience uses multiple devices, consumes media on-demand, and even generates its own content across several different social platforms.
Do you do this in your personal life as well?
If you aren’t living this digital lifestyle, attempting to market to those who do is akin to exploring a foreign country without a map.
Leverage the Locals
Instead of marketing to Millennials with an outside-looking-in perspective, leverage the knowledge and talents of your team members already immersed in the digital world.
Here’s why…
Millennial Marketing Tip #1: They’re Eager to Contribute
Across all industries, a majority of Millennials feel unable to stretch their abilities.
In fact, just 28 percent of them believe their skills are being maximized at work.
Your creative department is a great place to allow these eager, up-and-coming workers to flex their muscles.
If you give your Millennial employees the freedom to innovate, they’ll help craft authentic campaigns that successfully resonate with their peers.
Millennial Marketing Tip #2: They’re Digital Natives
Technology comes naturally to Millennials.
They grew up using the platforms and devices that tenured marketers are trying so hard to wrap their heads around.
In fact, 39 percent of Millennials report interacting more with their smartphones than with humans.
When it comes to online media consumption and shopping habits, a Millennial member of your staff will intuitively know which messages will and won’t resonate with their counterparts.
They understand how young people go about discovering and interacting with brands.
They innately know what strategies will win over the demographic.
Millennial Marketing Tip #3: They’re Social Media Masters
The Millennials on your team spend more than an hour each day looking at their various social media accounts.
Millennials know which content is best suited for Twitter and what will work wonders on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Further, Millennials can easily tell the difference between a tweet that was written by a peer and a tweet that was written by one of their mothers.
Given that 53 percent of them are looking for brands that match their personalities, it’s key to have your social media voice be authentic.
Otherwise, you’ll come across as canned.
In a sense, your Millennial employees are kind of like your double agents: They are already living inside the culture and climate you’re striving to understand.
The Millennial market can be fickle, but if you empower your youngest team members to reach their full potential, they’ll immediately help you craft campaigns that hit the bull’s-eye.
