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Marketing To Millennials: How To Do It Right

We've been talking about marketing for a while now. Tactics, mistakes, ideas, etc. For this reason, we're going to focus on a growing demographic. One that you should take into consideration, as far as marketing is concerned. As a matter of fact, Millennials are the largest living generation. Most importantly, a demographic that every brand wants to win the affection of.

But the first trick in getting their loyalty is to get their attention and keep it, which is no small feat. Especially when these young consumers react differently to advertising. Millenials aren't as likely as Gen-Xers and Boomers to respond the same way. As a result, traditional marketing tactics tend to fall flat. That's why we're sharing the right ways in which to market to Millennials.

1. Make Sure Your Product Is Instagram-Worthy. The presence of social media acts as a badge of honor. Especially to Millennials. Subsequently, they do best with brand education and awareness through a variety of social media platforms.

2. Let Your Audience Be Your Star. This group of consumer enjoys their spotlight in the media they consume. Therefore you need to focus more on user-generated content to tell your brand's story. On Instagram, consumers will use brand hashtags as a way to submit their images and videos. You can create an incentive to share by offering gift cards or other promotions. As a result, you are able to feature the assets in a variety of marketing channels. When your consumer can relate to your content, it feels more authentic. As a result, a more honest look into the brand experience is created. Which means your brand's message will go a lot farther. Make sure you find out how to identify relevant hashtags for your business.

3. Optimize Content for Social. Social is the new SEO. Especially when it comes to Millennials. Therefore you need to focus your marketing on reaching them via social platforms. Social media platforms really do drive the most significant traffic back to brands. However, it's also a good idea to take the time to optimize the content. As a matter of fact, the highest shares are on short, captioned videos. Ones that hook the viewer within the first ten seconds of content. Ultimately you need to keep it short and sweet. The main takeaway is that Millennials aren't waiting around to watch long videos with the sound on. Don't forget to check out content marketing mistakes and how to do it right.

4. Word of Mouth Works. If a Millennial hears a recommendation from a friend or coworker, they are more likely to buy, instead of trying a product they saw in a print ad. You're on the right track once a customer tries your product and passes along their recommendation.

5. Meet Them In Person. Trade shows and consumer shows work great for this tactic. Take time to talk to the people who don't know who you are. Then make it a point to engage them in conversation. You can shoot for conversations about their shopping habits. It all comes down to building a connection with your potential audience.

6. Responses Should Be Instant. Millennials have the ability to snuff out authenticity. Therefore authenticity is essentially worth its weight in gold. As a result, the content, message, and videos need to be real. If it looks like an ad, it will be skipped over in an instant. Unfortunately, there is no set formula. It takes time to test thousands of different messages. Where you measure engagement and responses. But enough of them will help you understand what resonates best with people.

But once you do, you're in! Marketing also extends beyond the add, too. Millennials will ask questions via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And they will expect an instant response. If you have it within your budget, make sure there are enough people who can answer questions within a few minutes. You might see a substantial increase in sales from people who you interact with throughout the whole marketing process.

7. Campaigns Should Be Adaptable. Millennials have a tendency to lean towards to newest tech and the newest type of services. Therefore marketers need to emphasize a new way of thinking. One that is cutting edge. Many are interested in instantaneous satisfaction. Which means you need to market immediacy of whatever it is you offer. Social clout is important - which Millennials use to tilt their brand experience in their favor. Something that they can receive instantly is a good way to go.

8. Keep Their Values In Mind. The purchase habits of Millennials are centered around creating memorable experiences. As well as their social identity. Therefore brands that appeal to these values will get more traction. Brands that make a difference is a big deal. Especially because Millennials want to align themselves with organizations that do good in the world. They will use their purchasing power to support companies that have similar values.

9. Transparency Is Key. You have to be transparent and meet them where they are. They have virtually any information at their fingers. All while being bombarded with messages. Which means that cutting through the noise is vital. This can be done through a variety of mediums and is vital. Whether it's how you share your information about ingredients or the testing of products. The use of user-generated content means that you need to keep it simple, real and honest. It's the best way to market to ALL consumers. But it's especially important to the Millennial.

10. Sell Your Purpose, Not Your Product. What is your why? How do you impact the world? Lead with your purpose and you'll go far. Philanthropy can't be a side conversation. If you are a company that helps those in need, be honest about what you do.

11. Make It "Post-Worthy". It's a good idea to design things with Millennials in mind. For example, if you are a restaurant you could tap into the foodie culture. Making it a point to feature items that are instantly shareable. Both in real life and on social media. You can also partner with key social-media influencers to help spread your story. Give them exclusive access and they'll share the experience with their followers. Therefore it's very important to advertise on Instagram.

12. Be authentic. Millennials can spot an ad in an instant. They are very aware of what is marketing versus authenticity. Therefore it's a good idea to keep your communications, advertisements, and content as real as possible. You need to provide authentic and actionable tips. Be transparent whenever you share your company's values and keep adjectives to a minimum. Above all, know your real voice and use it to effectively connect with others. And not just to market to them.

13. Find An Alternative To Traditional Ads. Whenever you partner with well-known social influencers, the word gets out in a unique way. Most importantly, women of this generation value real and honest opinion. You can re-share videos of social influencers using your product and make a bigger impact. It's a lot more engaging as far as the community of followers is concerned. This type of marketing will carry a lot more weight with Millennial consumers.

market to millennials

14. Appeal To the "Fear of Missing Out" and Frugality. Millennials don't want to miss out on a unique experience, event, or special offer. You can tap into this "fear of missing out" in order to get them more involved and stay in the loop. Millennials also tend to be frugal. So special coupons and deals offered on social channels and apps resonate with them. It also works when you share a sneak peek of something that's trending. Of course, Snapchat and Instagram are the main platforms of choice for those under 35. This means they are great choices for promotions and as a way to generate a buzz for your brand.

15. Reviews DO Matter. Social proof is very important to the Millennial consumer. You should pay attention to what your customerss have to say about you. You can gather information in the form of surveys and reviews. Always make sure that your reviews are easily viewed by your customers.  They make a big impact on potential customers.

16. Be Relevant and Engage Across All Platforms. Millenials are always the first to explore the newest facets of technology. They absorb and interact with information differently across a variety of platforms. Therefore you need to tailor your marketing strategies to be more relevant. They also need to be more engaging across a variety of devices and applications. Depending on the targeted platform, that can mean a variety of things. From the use of photography and video content. Just make sure that it's relatable.

17. Establish Sincere Relationships With Influencers. Millennials are quick to notice a brand story that isn't genuine. They seek value and appreciate the convenience of discovering new brands online. They aren't reading the newspaper as a way to get a dose of current events. Instead, they are reading their Instagram feed. As a result, Millennials put a lot of trust into the recommendations of influencers. This is why brands need to make it a priority to establish sincere relationships with the people behind trending lifestyle accounts. These influencers have the chance to become advocates of the brands they work for. You need to reach out to these engaged narrow pockets of prospective customers through digital channels.

You can do this through a variety of channels, like podcasts, blogs, and social media influencers. A  long-term partner can help you reach millions of Millenials. If done in an effective manner. They need to be genuine and entertaining in a way. Either through their blogs, live video content, podcasts, and social feeds.

18. Provide An Interactive Experience. Millennials crave to be apart of something bigger than themselves. And their drive for this exists online as well. Therefore you need to make sure that you give them an interactive experience. As a result, they will engage more. It's important to let Millennials know that they are part of a much bigger experience.

19. Listen To Them. Millennials are great at telling you what they love. And on the flipside, what they hate. This can be incredibly helpful if you truly listen to them. You can do surveys asking them what new colors they like, or flavors you should consider adding to your latte menu. That way whenever a Millennial makes a purchase, they are not just in love with it, but they feel as if they are a part of something special. One that the helped to create.

20. Use Your Influencers. Influencers have a major role in the purchasing decisions of Millennials. Therefore brands need to utilize influencer campaigns whenever they market to this group. They have the ability to relate to the authentic feeling of the influencer's content. One without frills and in an up close and personal nature that those on social media crave. When an influencer promotes a brand, it doesn't usually feel like an ad. It feels more like a trusted friend is recommending a product. But it has to be thoughtfully done. It's important for influencers and brands to choose the right partnership. One that maintains a mutually appropriate voice and tone. The key is to avoid appearing forced. Because once that happens, you could risk losing credibility among your audience.

21. Invest In Understanding Them. The key topic on every marketer's mind is how to effectively and efficiently market to Millennials. I mean why else would you be reading this? But the issue is that a very small amount of marketers truly understand this diverse group. This group has purchase power. The potential for spending power is huge. The question should be, will they be brand focused and spend or will they save? Yes, it's a guessing game. However, the brand who finds the right answer wins first.

22. Be Transparent and Accessible. Millennials want transparency. Like clean and understandable ingredient panels. Or companies that display social and environmental responsibilities. Millennials want to feel like their buying decisions make an impact. Not just in their life but in the lives of others.


As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider. Especially when you are marketing to Millennials. It's a diverse group. But if you keep some of those ideas listed above in mind, you're on the right track. As a brand, are you doing anything we listed above? If so, let us know in the comments below. We'd love to know what works for you and what doesn't. Or what you look forward to trying.