To reach this influential consumer group you sometimes have to think outside the box.
While Gen Z has recently been the subject of conversation for many companies, Millennials are still the most influential consumer group in the world. Marketers around the globe have poured a huge amount of money and attention into this space, hoping to capture this valuable, yet mysterious audience.
As a result, “Millennial marketing” has become quite a crowded industry. Millennials, on average, see more than 3,000 advertisements a day. Through the noise, it has become increasingly challenging to differentiate your message and connect with valuable customers. The best brands and marketers are able to overcome this saturation by building creative strategies to reach their audience. The key here is differentiation, and sometimes that requires some out of the box thinking. Here are some prime examples:
1. Throw a party.
It’s true, we live in a digital world. While most of our communication is done online, there are still many opportunities to engage your customers in the real world. Since many brands neglect the physical worlds as a grounds for advertising, it is really easy to dominate the space.
One of the best ways to do this, specifically with Millennials, is to host a party. Pick a venue and theme that will attract a younger crowd and you’ll be sure to bring attention to your brand. This is not only a chance for short-term conversion but also a way to increase the lifetime value of your existing customers.
2. Go live on Facebook.
It is often challenging to keep up with the latest and greatest from the marketing world. The brands who do, though, are rewarded with that first mover’s advantage. Being first lets you shape the playing field, and often times, win the space.
Facebook Live is quickly becoming a more and more popular option for brands to broadcast their message. More importantly, it is a great way to reach an engaged audience. There is something special about going live that creates a more authentic and genuine medium for you to communicate with your audience. It’s also early in the live streaming game, so investing in this channel early can pay off.
3. Hold a giveaway.
If there is one thing we know most every person loves, it’s free stuff. And for a small investment, you can connect with a ton of new potential customers and cultivate a bunch of existing relationships by hosting a giveaway. Have your customers gain digital tickets in your raffle for logging into their social media accounts or sharing with the raffle with their friends.
Millennials, in particular, are very receptive to current and updated prizes. You can target this audience specifically by figuring out what’s hot in the marketplace and capitalizing on the trend. While it is not likely that everyone who enters the raffle is going to walk away with a prize, it’s still an excellent way to bring awareness to your brand and make someone’s day.
4. Run a competition.
Millennials are a very competitive bunch. A great way to appeal to this affection for winning is to host a social media contest.
Have entrants submit a video of themselves talking about your product or showing their own unique talent. This is a great strategy for many reasons. First off, it takes little to no work on your part. It’s a great way to connect with a ton of new and existing customers.
Perhaps the best part of all is that all of your entrants are actually creating a ton of reusable, transferable content that you can publish on all of your marketing channels. There is no better way to understand your users than to see them in their natural element, and actually reward them for participating in your contest.
5. Talk to them.
The truth is that the marketing landscape is always changing and there is no way to future-proof your strategies. What does that mean?
It implies that the best marketers are able to stay on top of their game by constantly understanding and learning from their audience. In this case, it means always engaging in conversation with Millennials. The best way to do that is to build a natural feedback loop in your system, in which you are always talking to your customers.
You can accomplish that with surveys, social media interactions, but best of all – find a way to get on the phone with them. This is the best way to ideate, get feedback on your strategies and stay in tune with the Millennial generation.
(Sourced from George Beall via www.business.com)