Ah the dreaded “m” word. It seems like every day there’s a new article (or 20) about how to market to millennials and everything you should be doing to hit this demographic sweet spot. In case you’ve been living under a rock, “millennials”—born 1980-2000 and also known as Gen-Y—are the biggest generation in history. By 2020, millennials will comprise nearly half of the entire U.S. workforce. That’s a lot of dollars!
The rise of this powerful consumer base isn’t slowing down, and retailers have already begun to feel the effects of the obvious developments in the past few years. So, how do you win with millennials? What do they want? I’m going to let you in on a little secret: we have absolutely no idea. But here’s an insider’s perspective, from a living, breathing, 24-year old:
1. Get mobile-optimized
In a recent study, 72% of smartphone users admitted they keep their phone within 5 feet of them the majority of the time. So, if I see a commercial for your company, my friend tweets about your product, or a coworker starts raving about your services, guess what? I’m Googling you. And considering 67% of the buyer’s journey is now done digitally, you need to make sure I like what I find.
Also important to note is that over 30% of readers bounce immediately after landing on a site, not engaging at all (Marketing Land), so if your website is hard to navigate, or appears funky on my cell phone… you’ve already lost me.
2. Please, please don’t make me call you
For all the attention that millennials pay to their mobile devices, it’s certainly not to make phone calls. But who really is eager to call up a customer service rep to address an issue or ask questions about a product anyway?
And while having a useful, informative website is key for consumer interaction, it’s certainly not the end-all-be-all. In fact, total search traffic in 2014 has decreased, largely because the use of mobile devices withholds a lot of search traffic from traditional channels, and users are turning to apps and direct traffic instead. In today’s digital age, you need to use your various digital outlets in a creative way to provide consumers with the answers that they’re looking for.
The best way to do that?
3. Tweet me (back)
Twitter is instantaneous. It’s real-time. And despite the fact that you might not be sitting in front of your computer, tablet, or phone, waiting for consumer tweets, it certainly feels that way to the average millennial. And it should! Your brand needs to be accessible.
So don’t just maintain a Twitter page; really use it to interact with your followers. You could be sending out 10 awesome tweets a day, but it means nothing unless you’re engaging in a direct way with the customers who are trying to talk to you.
For more on this topic, view my blog post on How to Win with Social Customer Service
4. Be empathetic
Empathy is a hot topic in retail right now. Consumers want to feel that you understand them. And with millennials in particular, a personal connection is all but required. Millennials don't want to be spoken to; they demand to be spoken with. So don’t just say, show; use images, experiences and narratives to connect with this audience on a personal level.
5. Embrace “showrooming”
With the advanced capabilities of smartphone and mobile technology, your company needs to be able to fight fire with fire (in Amazon’s case, quite literally). Synergy is key in today’s retail world. Millennial consumers need to be able to go from website to store to app to social (and so on), without losing perception or functionality.
In today’s day and age, the power of consumers to inform themselves and make their own choices is stronger than ever. Information is so accessible and there are more digital touch points for brands to connect with consumers—so utilize them!
In conclusion…
There’s no one right answer for capturing the millennial market share. Sorry. But that’s just it! Today’s consumer outreach and communication strategy, especially to millennials, depends on variety. It’s a multi-channel world, and we’re all living in it, so don’t be afraid to try something new and branch out of your comfort zone. Now excuse me while I get back to watching funny cat videos on Youtube… (just kidding!)
