Marketing to Millennials 101

By Sarah Beath,   Junior Social Media Designer

The generation of spenders & ‘digital natives,’ who value small comforts over stability is defining the new market by dominating the largest buying portion of the commercial world. A Millennial is any individual born after 1980 and is stereotypically known for their superior tech-skills, entitled attitude & excessive expenditure on small luxuries and comforts. These luxuries and comforts take precedence over stability, such as owning property or job security, as these are seen to be more difficult to achieve than it originally was for the older generations. Whatever your opinion is of them, they are today’s buyers.

The world is currently facing tough economic times, where millennials are turning to retail therapy for comfort, making them a by-product of the consumer world that has been created through intrusive marketing and advertising. However, traditional forms of advertising are not being received by millennials as they were previously by the older generations. These forms have failed to sway their decision making as millennials have become far more immune to advertising because they come across it almost every day via various social media platforms.

Reaching and interacting with millennials isn’t necessarily difficult, it simply requires an overhaul as to how you market your brand to them. Marketing has to be done on ‘their’ terms via their most interactive platforms. There are two important factors to introduce into your marketing strategy when marketing to millennials: understand and speak to the values that they are conscious about and what drives them, such as passion, happiness, discovery, diversity, and sharing. The second factor is overseeing their lifestyle and experiences in a realistic fashion and finding ways to amplify their reality in a positive manner. Ensuring that they feel involved and informed, rather than feeling as if they are being observed under a magnifying glass. Your branding should emphasis authenticity and an element of being interactive with the consumer through creating a long-lasting connection. This can be done by creating engaging content.

When producing content, opt for the sleek and minimalistic design in your brand identity; using monochromatic tones and well-defined designs can unconsciously relax the overstimulated mind. This gives the idea that you are not advertising to them directly. To trade in the digital space, it is beneficial to align your brand with the generalized philosophies valued by the wider audience of millennials.

Mobile is more important than ever, however, you should only market on the social media platforms that are relevant to your target market and the products/services that you’re offering; or else you may get lost in the sea of social media accounts, which offer no real value to your brand. Engage your audience on a weekly basis and draw them in rather than getting swiped past without a second glance.

Millennials are shaping the buying patterns and therefore are directly changing marketing strategies that are targeting them. It is in the hands of the marketers to put together powerful strategies for reaching this game-changing generation; by earning their trust, you can earn their business.
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