Understanding the millennial consumer

For a business to stand out to millennials it has to get their attention and keep it. The millennials are economically valuable and businesses are willing to adapt to cater to them. As digital natives, they can command technology. They are loyal to brands that they like and  they tend to make up their own minds. Advertising pitches do not work for them. Given below are tips on understanding and marketing to this generation.

Optimize content for social media platforms

The content strategy of a business should be optimized for millennials. Millennials can be easily reached through social media platforms. Short videos that are captioned and are not more than eight seconds in duration are helpful in hooking them as viewers. Being proactive on social media platforms can help a brand. If the comments and questions of millennials are not answered within a minute, the millennials can lose interest. A centralized platform that can handle customer queries can make management of social media platforms easier.

Encourage customers to pass on recommendations

For millennials, a recommendation from a friend can be more effective than a print ad. A great way to get a recommendation from a customer is to stay in touch. Sending mails just to say hello or a birthday card helps when it comes to asking for a recommendation. When a millennial hears a recommendation, they would probably buy a product. If they try a product, and become repeat buyers, they can be asked to pass along a recommendation.

Be authentic

An authentic brand is one that is relatable and truthful. The content and the message of a brand have to be real. Images used should be real, stock images do not work for millennials. Photos of customers, products, and even team members can be used on websites and social media platforms. If the budget allows, it is wise to hire a professional photographer. Instead of using models for images, it is better to use images of people who use the products of a brand.  A truly authentic brand is transparent. If a brand makes a mistake, the best thing to do is to promptly apologize to customers. Listening to customers is also important. A brand can also be authentic when it shares information about the authenticity of the ingredients and testing of its products. User generated content and honest posts are always helpful as millennials always seek holistic messaging.

Be socially conscious

A millennial is concerned about how a brand impacts the world . Doing good cannot be taken lightly. If a brand is doing charity. Then it should contribute meaningfully and not just donate a check. If a brand has a cause that it believes in, then millennials would definitely support that brand. A brand should care about more than just profits, and take a stand in an authentic way. Before joining a hashtag campaign that centers around a cause, a brand should carefully consider whether the campaign is aligned with the messaging it wants to convey. Negative tone should be avoided in messaging if it is about human crises.