Marketing to millennials can be trickier to advertise to than brands think – as they are extremely wary of traditional advertising outlets and do tons of research on reviews and information about products before buying. However, brands that understand truly what millennials want from products and know how to deliver in a creative, exciting way can capture their attention easily. Here are five ways brand can improve their marketing strategies to deliver to millennials.
Understand the diversity and differences between millennials.
Under an idealistic world, it would be safe to assume all millennials share the same personality, attitude, tastes and interests. Unfortunately, this is not true, as millennials are extremely diverse. An Experian report shows that 45% of millennials identify themselves as Hispanic or non-white. However, most of this demographic is not bilingual. They are second-generation immigrants who view themselves as American, while still sticking to their cultural roots. Additionally, some millennials have different tastes in music based on the time they were born. Younger millennials, for example, would be interested in One Direction and Taylor Swift, while older millennials may still be listening to older bands like No Doubt or Blink-182. Therefore, pop culture references might get lost in translation with different generations. Learn to segment millennial audiences based on the marketing tool you want to use and the audience that is interested in it.
Know what motivates them and drives passion.
Millennials are constantly surrounded by technology – from laptops, to smartphones to tablets. Technology allows them to express themselves – whether it be through an Instagram picture or a selfie on a selfie stick. The question that most brands ask themselves is – “what does our brand say about our company?” When marketing to millennials, the question every brand should ask is “what does our brand say about our consumers?’ Use millennials to express your own brand’s identity.
Follow the slogan ETC – Education, Transparency, and Choices.
Because millennials view the products they use as a reflection of who they are, they want to know everything about the product – how it is made, where it is made, and what makes it different from the rest. They also want brands that keep it real and are not trying too hard to be cool. Lastly, they want products that offer a variety of options that suit their different needs and wants. It is important to remember to educate millennials about the product, provide a transparent base that leaves nothing left unsaid or unexplained, and leave them with option of what to choose.
The power of brand ambassadors.
Recommendations from friends, peers, classmates and coworkers play an important role in the purchasing process. Online reviews are key to confirming whether a millennial will purchase a product. Millennials are more trust-worthy of word-of-mouth advertising than traditional outlets –85% said they trust the opinion of people they know when looking to try out new products. Starting a brand ambassador program is a sure way to spread the word about your brand and product on campus quickly and efficiently. For more information on the benefits of brand ambassadors, click here.
