Who are millennials you ask? The answer is, no one quite knows. The millennial generation, generally accepted as anyone born between roughly 1980 and 2000, is a generation plagued by an air of question and misunderstanding from previous generations who don’t quite understand how these technologically-consumed people work.
So given all the misunderstanding, how are marketers expected to reach millions of individuals who are currently in (or nearing) the primes of their careers?
The main reason that millennials are so painstakingly difficult for businesses and society to reach and understand revolves almost exclusively around the fact that they do not follow the traditional cultural norm of those that came before them, and as a result, any marketing traditions or expectations have to be rethought.
First off, millennials are the epitome of technology – they were born directly into it and are therefore able to grow and learn with it. Unlike generations prior, millennials have a sweet-spot for all things technology and have unparrelled knowledge about it. Whether that’s digital marketing, social media or mobile devices, millennials know exactly what they like and rarely stray far from their comfort zone.
Therefore, if you haven’t done so already, adopt a digital media strategy. Develop an app, use banner ads, increase your social media usage, and engage and interact with them whenever possible. The key with reaching millennials may not lie exclusively on the product or service like it had with previous generation, instead, they have an increasing need to feel like they’re contributing, to feel like their voices matter.
When it all comes down to it, the only way to market to millennials is to take the time to understand them. Ask them questions, learn from them, grow with them, and adapt for them because they are, whether you like it or not, the generation that is on the verge of taking over.
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