Marketing in a Millennial World

Jabez LaBret received rave reviews from Leadership16 attendees for his presentations explaining the importance of the millennial demographic and how to hire, manage and market to this increasingly important group. These are not just kids. They are raising families, buying houses and work at the businesses that you want to work with. They are your customers, your prospects and at the very least, gatekeepers between you and potential buyers. Understanding what marketing strategies work with this group will give you a heads up on where you should be heading when devising your messaging. Here are some strategies that Jabez mentioned in his workshop.

80% of millennials trust recommendations from friends and family. If you want to reach them, reach their friends and families. This can be valuable when targeting millennials to work for your company. Jabez suggests delivering information specifically for family members. If you have a coveted new hire in mind, be attentive to their mom and dad as well.

Nearly half (44%) are willing to promote products or services through social media in exchange for rewards. To take advantage of this trend you need to be online and have content that can be shared, liked or commented. Our industry deals with tangible goods that have visual appeal. Consider Instagram, Pinterest or even SnapChat as a part of your social media mix.

84% of millennials report that user generated content on company websites at least somewhat influences what they buy. This falls in line with the trend of sharing and trusting the input of friends and family. If you have ever used Yelp to find a restaurant while in a new city, you understand the value of user generated content. To get started with positive reviews of your business, reach out to customers that you know will have positive feedback and ask them for a review in their social media platform of choice.

85% of millennials have smart phones. Make sure your web site is mobile. Your first impression is likely going to be online. If your web site is not optimized for small screens, your prospects will not stick around. Google understands this and will not show websites in search results if they are not mobile friendly.

77% of millennials participate in loyalty reward programs. You can use incentive programs to reward staff for the positive behaviors that grow your business. In marketing, an incentive program may deepen bonds and increase purchase frequency with your best customers.

61% of millennials are worried about the state of the world and feel personally responsible to make a difference. Communicate to your client base how your business makes a positive impact. Highlight green energy programs and conservation efforts. Promote products with recycled materials. If you are involved with local charities, don’t keep it a secret.

84% of millennials don’t trust traditional advertising. In the past, TV and print ads were a guarantee of business. Millennials have become numb to traditional advertising. Try to interact with your target market with one-on-one advertising: host seminars that educate, offer webinars that explain concepts or write articles that will interest your audience.

Millennials account for more than seven in ten SnapChat users. While SnapChat is a relatively new social media channel, it has been adopted by millennials in a big way. Because anyone with a mobile phone can become a SnapChat player, it may be a good idea to assign someone on your team to investigate how you can take advantage of this market.

90% of Millennials can be found on Facebook. And not just millennials—practically every demographic group is on Facebook. Perhaps you should be too.

Adopting these strategies will help you reach the growing Millennial market and help you connect with your current base. The Golden Rule states we should treat others as WE wish to be treated. To be successful in a changing marketplace you must speak to your prospects in the way THEY want to communicate.

Marketing guru, Jabez LeBret, lectures internationally on the multi-generation workforce and millennials in particular To see both of Jabez LaBret’s presentations at Leadership16, visit the video library on the member site.