There has been a lot of talk about us amongst the people suggesting Millennials are ungrateful. Others say they are lazy, easily distracted. I’ve even heard selfish and entitled thrown amongst descriptions of my generation, a whole new breed of human some might say.
But in fact, I think my generation are hard working, open minded, out of the box thinkers and change makers. Yep, they’re everything you thought they weren’t. They have a better understanding of human beings and the World than any other generation. This is all thanks to the internet and their ability to share, instantly.
Thanks to this their impact on this planet will be great. They will make a positive impact just like their predecessors but on a much larger scale. They will impact everything from Poverty, Racism, Hunger, Environment, Health, Technology, Education, Transport, Banking and how we understand the Universe. I’ve previously wrote about the importance of understanding the way Millennial’s think so today I want to show you how you can market to this mindset!
Today you will learn:
- How to influence the hearts of Millennials
- How businesses can capitalise on Millennial’s Work/Life values
- 3 tips for tapping into the Millennial mindset
The interconnectedness a Millennial shares between the physical, emotional and digital aspects of their life is what makes the Millennial mindset truly unique!
So what do Millennials want out of work and life and how can businesses capitalise on this?
The modern world has opened up many new avenues for Millennials. Because of this, they don’t like to be restricted by the same dated rules and boundaries that have led so many before them to follow the same paths. They want it all, how they want it, and when they want it, and they won’t give up until they succeed! Maybe this is where people get the self-entitled idea from, but in all honesty, they think this way because they know humans are capable of so much more.
[Tweet “Millennials want life to be as customisable as the outfit they wear each day.”]
This philosophy may sound idealistic to some, but to others, it’s totally ideal! Why not go straight to the heart of all your wants and desires? If there is another, more enjoyable path that will get you to a similar destination, why not try it out? Once you understand what they value, marketing to a Millennial should be a breeze!
3 Tips For Reaching the Millennial Mindset
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The Power of Convenience
These people are growing up during a time where you can see a live news broadcast from the other side of the world as it’s happening, where you can learn how to fix your car on YouTube, have dinner delivered straight to your door just by sending a pizza emoji, and even find someone online to come over and eat it with you – all in the same day! They appreciate convenience over just about anything.
In order to engage them and keep their interest, offer some kind of discount or a way to make things easier on them so they feel like they’re getting a better deal and even better service! Think immediate access to your product or services from your social media accounts, discounts for referring their friends or free shipping for only a three question sign up form!
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Millennials have strong Morals and Values
The recent generations are now more educated on sustainability and global responsibility than their predecessors. They tend to think on a much larger scale than they are used to because now that everything is online and global, they attain more worldly knowledge and awareness than we grew up with. They know their efforts alone aren’t going to save the world, but it makes them happy when they can contribute to a worthy cause. They’re really not as selfish as some may think!
They will be loyal to a company who displays a good set of values, and morals that gives them something to believe in. Many of these types of companies are started and made wildly successful by their fellow generation. Telling stories and using real life examples of the different ways you are trying to contribute to the greater good give back to the community or the world is one of the best ways to attract and keep their attention.
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We are all about Collaboration
Although Millennials love coming up with their own ways of doing things, they are actually very receptive to advice and help from people who know what they’re doing! They like to feel like they are part of a team that works well together. This way things can do things to the best of their abilities and everyone benefits in some way. If there is something you can do to help them achieve their goals, you can bet that they can reciprocate the same kind of effort back to you! They are very loyal to quality products and services and will be more than happy to return the favour by spreading the word among their personal and social networks.
Try things like offering trades for goods or services, advertising in each other’s spaces, sharing posts or social pages, or using referrals to establish a feeling of mutual camaraderie! Having Millennials on your side can quickly create bandwagon business as most of them like to use products with good references from people they know.
Once you have tapped into the Millennial mindset it’s time to motivate action and you can do this by influencing the hearts of Millennials.
Tips for brands trying to influence the hearts of Millennials
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- Make a difference or support a cause: We like to give back. It’s how we’ve been brought up. If our heart strings are pulled at, naturally our desire to love as human beings kicks in. We like to feel like our purchases are making an impact bigger than ourselves.
- Deliver an experience: When I know and trust a brand, like most Millennials, I have no reservation about shopping online. Unless of course, the online shopping/enquiry experience is horrible and not easy from my mobile.
- Don’t take us for suckers: We’re a liberated generation and will go somewhere else if we feel like we’re being ripped off. That’s why we appear to be so afraid of commitment. Poor quality and doing things like dropping in extra charges at checkout isn’t cool. We won’t stand for it. We value transparency and honesty.
- Empower us to be rewarded and liberated: We are highly motivated by instant gratification and fast results. Thats why Thank You Company has invested so heavily into their “Track Your Impact” technology. Not to mention brands like Domino’s and their Pizza Mogol.
- They’re dream makers not excuse takers: They are trying to experience as much as possible, as quickly as possible, all while maintaining an optimistic attitude that everything will work out in the end. The beautiful thing about this mindset is that it offers much more satisfaction and happiness more often.
Crack into the Millennial mindset and you’ve broken into your greatest consumer market. Put yourself in their shoes. We can all learn something from the Millennial mindset. Life is short, and you should be doing what makes you happy. It’s that easy. Prioritise the things that will bring you a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction with how your energy is spent!
It seems kind of selfish, but with how much the world has changed in the last couple decades, there is no choice but to keep pace and follow the flow of the people. If you are open to new ideas and ways of doing things, you will have the opportunity to learn something, and even teach some of the things you have to contribute! It’s a beautiful deal really. Something we could all use a little more of.