Why target millennials you might ask? Well, the fact that there are 9.6 million millennials that account for 27% of the total population in Canada is reason enough (Doug Norris, Millennials: The Generation Du Jour). That means that millennials account for more than a quarter of Canada’s total population. Not only that, millennials are highly influential and trendsetters across all industries. Convinced yet? Keep reading for some tips on how to successfully target millennials.
Brand Authenticity and Ethics
Millennials place high value on brand authenticity and ethics. Your brand image and transparency plays a big part in their loyalty. Millennials generally are attracted to brands that contribute in a positive way to the environment and to society. Thus, you should find a small way to make a positive impact to society and promote awareness of this contribution. It can be as simple as using less plastic in your packaging or donating a small percentage of your sales to a good cause. Moreover, millennials seek brands that are transparent with their motives. In other words, if you advertise false or exaggerated product features or omit information and they discover this misrepresentation, you will lose their trust and loyalty. As such, it’s important for your brand to be authentic and genuine at its core.
In-Store Experience
If millennials aren’t online shopping in the comfort of their home, they want their in-store experience to be worth their while. In-store experience doesn’t necessarily have to be events or activities. It can take the form of friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful staff. It could also simply be providing free testers and demonstrations. The experience that millennials get from making a purchase impacts their purchase decisions and post-purchase loyalty and gratification. Whatever your brand image is, your customer should feel as though they embody your brand after making a purchase. For example, if your brand represents innovation and sophistication, your customer should feel innovative and sophisticated after making a purchase.
Convenience
As mentioned previously, millennials like the convenience of online shopping. It is becoming critical for businesses to have an efficient and user-friendly online website. Having a website allows customers to easily find your business and discover what products or services you offer. Convenience is a really important factor in the millennial customer’s buying decisions. They will be more likely to buy a product online that offers free ship-to-your-door convenience, than purchasing the same product only available in-store or online with a shipping charge. Millennials favour products that offer maximum convenience at the lowest price. They want everything available to them at their fingertips, when possible.
Content Sharing Capability
As I’m sure you know, millennials love social media. They like to capture their experiences and share them with others. This is actually an advantage for your business! If you can provide an incentive for them to share their experience with your business or of your product, others will become aware and be more likely to purchase as well.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding about how to successfully target millennials. Truthfully, it’s really all about providing additional value beyond what they are purchasing. Interested in gaining more business advice? Contact us and we would be more than happy to advise.