Millennials are often called Generation “C”. They have been “connected” since childhood, and their phones are never more than three feet away from them today. This is how they get their news, “meet up” with their friends, and check their social media pages/accounts several times a day. And they are now the largest online spending group. Last year, they spent just over $200 billion.
Millennial Priorities
Millennials have also been called lazy and entitled by the two older generations who hold middle and top level positions in corporations – generations who have been wedded to their careers and long hours of work. They have a difficult time understanding the millennial concept that social and family life should demand as much time, if not more, than work, that flexible work hours and places and benefits are more important than salary, and that they are willing to change jobs every couple of years. They are progressive politically and socially, and value tolerance and relationships. They want to work for companies that meet their standards and principles, and they also want to do business with such companies.
How does Your Brand Measure Up?
Every brand has a “culture.” While it is sometimes difficult to nail down the specifics of that culture, it has to do with its purpose, its reputation, its internal structure and operations, and the “picture” it presents to the public. The “culture” of a large bank, for example, will be very different from the “culture” of a payday loan operation. The “culture” of a Mercedes-Benz showroom will be very different from that of Harley Davidson. These organizations appeal to very different demographics, and their “cultures” reflect that. So, how does a brand develop a “culture” that appeals to millennials customers? It does so by first researching and understanding what this generation believes is important about their shopping experiences and what will promote brand loyalty.
4 Factors of a Brand that Appeals to Millennials
If you to develop a brand culture that will attract and engage millennials, then you will want to evaluate that culture against these five “demands” that this group has.
- Millennials “Live” Within Online Relationships. They want to “connect” and be engaged, not by “hard sells” but by a softer approach of being “invited” to participate in something other than just making a purchase.
You will need a strong online presence, and that presence must be very focused on where they are and what they are talking about. You will want to create a website and social media presence that speaks to them; you will want to engage them in conversations, not about your product or service, but about what is important to them. They need to know “who” you are before they care about “what” you sell. If you can engage millennials with great content, they will share that content with their communities, and your brand will spread. If you can show that you share their values, you will win their loyalty.
Example: Millennials embrace tolerance in all ways. They reject, for example, the traditional notion that physical attractiveness is important and what that attractiveness must look like. There is a reason why the TV show “Big Bang Theory” is in its 9th season. Millennials do not like superficiality – it’s not genuine. So, they want companies that genuinely share their values of tolerance and inclusiveness.
The company ModCloth does a great job of this. It is a female clothing retailer that has fully embraced the notion that women have all body types and that this is diversity which can be valued. It features all body types modeling its clothing and openly solicits customers to send photos of themselves wearing clothing they have purchased from the company.
Of course, this company does many other things to engage its audience too. It runs contests to name new items of clothing; it asks customers to vote on clothing items; it engages customers in long, running conversations about their purchases, their likes and dislikes, etc. In short, millennial women see a company that shares their values and that is as interested in what they think as it is in making sales.
- Millennials Will Share Content that They Find Exciting, Humorous, Shocking, Inspiring, and Relevant.
Millennials want to be of value to their communities. When they discover a website, a post, a video, etc. that they know their friends will find important, interesting, fun or exciting, they will share it. They want to look smart and savvy and gain credibility.
Your job is to offer something of value in the way of a product or service and to present your brand and your product/service in a highly engaging way so that millennials will want to share it.
Example: Dollar Shave Club is a company that sells razor blades and other personal care products. This is a pretty boring product, but the company has found a way to market its product so that it solves a problem for its customers and does so in a humorous way. It offers a subscription-based service and sends the razors directly to the customer each month. Subscribers will never run out of fresh razors again, and the price is right. To make the product even more appealing, the company has presented it in a great way, with a funny video on its homepage (it has received over 22 million shares) and amusing descriptions of its product options.
The company’s presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is in the same style as its website, and it has accumulated hundreds of thousands of followers who tune in daily for the next hilarious post. Millennial market captured!
- Millennials Trust Recommendations from their Communities When They Look for Products or Services.
These recommendations are based on experiences that customers have had with you. If they have gotten to know you and have had good personal experiences with you, you have a huge advantage over your competitors. Become someone they have come to trust and know personally. Share who you are; feature your team on your site, your blog, and in your social media posts; brand yourself as an expert in your niche. Suppose, for example, that you operate a website that reviews and recommends a list of the best writing services that can for college students. You have reviewed and rated these services based on student surveys and polling that you have personally conducted. Students have followed your recommendations with great success. They will share that within their communities, and your traffic will skyrocket.
Example: A company that has always valued a personal relationship with its customers is Apple. It has gone to great lengths to personalize user experiences and to ensure that customers know “who” they are. Millennials have come to trust Apple, not just because they have great products but because of the “face” that Steve Jobs brought to that company. Whenever a new product was launched, Jobs presented it himself, via video that was published all over the web. He “connected” with his customers and they came to trust him explicitly. Of course, Apple hopes that they can continue this with their new leadership.
- Millennials Demand that the Companies With Whom They do Business Exhibit Social Responsibility.
There is a reason why large companies are now speaking to their environmental responsibility, to all natural products, to humane treatment of animals, and to helping those who are less fortunate. They know these things are critical if they are to appeal to millennials. Businesses that support causes and publicize their support of causes will win the hearts of this generation.
If you have a cause you support, you need to make that public and invite potential customers to share in that support. Your invitation will be spread along with your brand.
Example: Probably the most famous company in this regard is Toms Shoes. From its inception, this company was built with the mission of using some of its profits to help those in need. It began with a single focus: For every pair of shoes a customer purchased, one would be donated to someone in poverty – domestically and internationally. The company has grown and become hugely profitable. It has now taken on additional causes – clean water, along with eye and prenatal care for the needy. It doesn’t use humor or excitement – it inspires people to participate and, in so doing, develops an emotional connection. Here is a Facebook post from Toms during the 2015 holiday season.
Where Do You Stand?
If you take the time to really understand the millennials, you will be able to build a brand culture that will engage them. You must be genuine, trustworthy, willing to develop personal connections, and demonstrate that you understand their values and their needs. The payoff will be more than worth the time and effort you put in.