Millennials: how to attract the largest living generation to your business
Posted: December 4, 2019 - By Elizabeth VelezAs the first truly digital generation, millennials expect a seamless online experience, and also a consistent in-person experience. Both offline and online encounters are important to this generation. Although sometimes it may seem like marketing to them requires more work, when your business meets their expectations you’ll notice what works for them actually brings in other generations as well, like Generation Z. And if a large pie of your potential and current customer base is interested, well then business is good.
Here are four ways to attract the largest living generation to your business, and in turn impress other generations along the way.
Create a customer experience that makes them stay
Millennials are often said to have no brand loyalty, but research has shown this isn’t the case. Though price and quality play a part in choosing a business, they also place a heavy weight on superior customer service. When a business can offer all three: a fair price, good quality products, and exceptional customer service, they often earn the loyalty of millennials, as well as other generations.
A very simple definition of top-notch customer service is offering fast and convenient options, as well as meeting most of the customer’s needs. Businesses can blame Amazon for the ‘customer is king’ expectation, but it’s a reality that’s here to stay. One reason why convenience is at the forefront of must-haves for millennials when choosing a product or service is because they are the first generation to truly live their life on-the-go.
Give them the convenience they’re accustomed to receiving
Millennials prioritize convenience over lower prices most of the time because of their fast-paced lifestyles. Convenient online tools such as appointment scheduling and confirmations are crucial. While waiting in line at the store, they’re often multi-tasking by making an appointment or reviewing their favorite fitness gym’s class schedule. Though they are often accused of focusing on their cell phones and not paying attention to the world around them, they may actually be reading that promotional email you sent them and trying to purchase that Buy 2, Get 1 Free offer before it expires.
This is why having a website that works for you when you’re out of the office is imperative. If a prospect or current customer of any generation clicks through an email or text you promoted and can’t complete it online, you will most likely lose their business. This is especially true for Gen Z-ers as they are digital natives who were born into a world that already offered YouTube and social media.
Point them to a review site where their opinions can be heard
One actionable change that came with the world of social media is the sharing of opinions and experiences. Millenials love to share with their peers, whether it’s what they ate for lunch or a recent purchase they made. They want people to hear about their interaction with your business, so it’s wise to point them to a review site or survey where their opinions can be heard after they’ve done business with you.
This is why embracing review sites like Yelp, Facebook, Google, Vet Ratingz, and WebMD is so important. Your business should be aware when a customer is posting about it so you can respond quickly and be a part of the conversation. It’s also how your business will grow it’s online presence so that prospective Millennials and Gen Z-ers will be able to find your services in the future. Their need to be heard goes hand-in-hand with their interest in hearing what their peers have to say about you.
Offer them customer endorsements
More than one-third of millennials prefer to wait until someone they trust has tried something. And although they trust the feedback from a direct connection, they also trust the social proof that comes with images showing a success story. They respond to marketing that shows instead of tells, so your business has to go beyond just saying you’re the best in the industry.
Take the time to collect before and after testimonials from clients who have success stories so you can build trust with potential customers. Testimonials should be shared on your website, review sites, and your social media pages so that prospects consistently see this message of success across all channels.
Millennials have notoriously shaken the shopping climate to its core, but Generation Z is right behind them as they enter the workforce and begin to make and spend their own money. Marketing to these generations is no longer just an option to consider, but really an impactful business strategy that can’t be put off.
