The Millennial Generation: Marketing Like a Rockstar

Business leaders, being innovators, put a great deal of effort into developing their product. They make sure that it is relevant, effective, and a welcome addition to the millions of products that are already out there.

However, even the most useful and innovative products or services would not be successful unless they are marketed excellently. We now dwell in a world where the future and survival of businesses rely not only on how excellent the product is, but how well you market them to your target customers. And when it comes to target customers, the fastest growing consumer group today is that of the Millennials.

Categorically, the word Millennial is another term used to describe the Generation Y consumers. ,According to award-winning Fintech and marketing service provider Kasasa, millennials refer to people who were born from 1981 through 1996 and are now between 25-40 years old. This generation is trained to absorb and digest a high-volume of condensed information. Their attention span is limited. According to digital marketing heavyweight Socialfactor, one can compare the attention span of millennials to that of posting a message on Twitter. When one tweets, there is a character limit, a finite number of letters that one can compose. Anything higher than the limit can no longer be posted. That is how the mind of a millennial works. For an advertiser or a market specialist, it takes only 8-10 seconds before you lose the attention span of this very lucrative audience.

This is why the most important thing to do is to market your product in a creative, engaging, and efficient way.

Independent media outlet Buzzfeed has mastered the language of the millennial. As a news, lifestyle, and pop-culture website, they have curated their news as Top 10 lists or as quizzes, thus breaking down what could potentially be information overload into small, bite-sized, and easily digestible pieces of information. This is why they have logged millions of views on Youtube and there has been constant high engagement on their website and social media accounts.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways on how to market your business to the millennial generation. If you want this high-income demographic to come to your business or buy your product, you need to do marketing like a rockstar.

Consider Using Video Animation

Have you ever asked yourself why everyone in the world knows Nemo, Bart Simpson, or Buzz Lightyear?

According to Aneela Hoque of Digital Glue, 53% of all customers engaged with a brand after they saw videos of that brand on social media. Moreover, media analysis findings show that using animation is a much more effective way to sell a product compared to paying for an ad in a broadsheet or hearing a short commercial over the radio.

Hoque further expounds that animation is a quick and eye-catching way to explain new or complex ideas in a manner that is fun, casual, short, and engaging. When one is trying to sell a product or a service, video animation is able to break down concepts into simpler thought nuggets because of its capability to use storytelling creatively.

Entertainment brings about audience engagement while audience engagement translates to sales or revenue generation for your business.

Image is Everything

Not more than five years ago, Nielsen published a corporate study that also focused on consumer behavior including those of millennials. The study showed, as fleshed out by Sarah Landrum of Forbes, that a whopping 73% of millennials would gladly buy a brand that champions sustainability, good business ethics, and social responsibility. To some extent, millennials view traditional forms of marketing like a billboard, a television commercial, or a radio ad as manifestations of a greedy capitalist system that employs invasive, in-your face marketing. Nearly every space or airwave wants to be conquered by these businesses to sell their product or service. Nowadays, millennials have come to expect brands and businesses to be more socially responsible, give back, and pay it forward.

This interesting finding derived from Nielsen’s study all the more supports the migration of marketing tools, campaigns, and strategies online through various forms of social media and online sites. These methods also enhance a business’ Branding.

When you want to instill a positive image in the minds of your audience when it comes to your business or improve your brand reputation, digital and online marketing platforms are guaranteed to reach more people. This takes the word VIral to a whole new meaning.

Think Mobile instead of Desktop

How do you even begin starting a conversation with a potential customer when he is always moving around?

That’s a perfectly accurate question and description of the millennial generation. They stand in the subway, do multitasking in the office, and talk to so many people the entire day. Not only do they not have the attention span. They also do not have much time to listen.

According to marketing firm Convince and Convert (C & C), giant media conglomerates like Amazon, Comcast, and American Apparel have re-prioritized their creative marketing content to accommodate the designs and limitations of the small screen. It is important to create “scrolling friendly” marketing ads to suit the lifestyle of such a busy group of people. It is also important to note that your marketing tool must be easily shareable and one that can easily drive feedback and audience engagement. The “Share” and “Comment” buttons on many social media accounts are there for this reason.

Consider using a Marketing Software

In a related article published by business magazine Forbes, marketing today has to be highly efficient, if not scientific, all the time. The digital age also lends new digital platforms to market to a digital audience. There are now more than a handful of marketing software that prove to be extremely useful and indispensable when it comes to your marketing and sales campaigns. Softwares like Mailchimp, Hubspot, Salesforce, Infusionsoft, Marketo, and so many others have helped countless numbers of business owners transition from traditional marketing into the digital world. (This is the focal topic of this blog.)

In a nutshell, and especially among millennials, excellent products and innovative services do not see the light of day until good and innovative marketing also come into the picture. In this busy, crazy, and noisy world of fleeting attention spans and with potential customers always on-the-go, rockstar marketing is one that is able to engage and entertain its target audience, even if it’s only a minute or 45 seconds. Because most of the time, a minute is really all it takes. Any business leader or marketing specialist should never waste this.