By Eyal Yechezkell , CEO, PredictoMobile

 

Here's what you'll learn in this article:

1. That Millennials (Generation Y) represent 25% of the U.S. population;

2. That Millennials communicate quickly and efficiently -- even email seems slow to them;

3) That Millennials prefer to connect with businesses through a variety of channels.

 

Millennials—the generation born after 1982—represent a quarter of the U.S. population, making them the largest age group since the Baby Boomers. Team oriented, socially connected, and more technologically savvy than any previous generation, Millennials have a huge impact on popular culture, driving the creation of new media and marketing channels that extend far beyond traditional print and television advertising.

Email marketing, banner advertising and search optimization are now commonplace elements of the multi-channel strategies many companies have adopted to keep up with the changing times. Truly effective modern marketing, though, is about more than just using new media to reach a demographic.

Draw inspiration from this influential generation and create a business strategy that’s not only innovative, but relevant. Millennials are also referred to as “The Bridgers,” because most of them experienced adolescence as they bridged into the new millennium. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you bridge the latest generation gap and make your business matter to Millennials:

Say it instantly. Millennials (and increasingly, the rest of us) move through the world at such a fast pace that even communicating by email seems slow, compared to the immediacy of instant messaging, or texting via mobile device. Today’s consumer is simply too impatient to absorb marketing that isn’t already integrated into their regular communication habits. Use SMS and text messaging to issue important updates, or create instant messenger IDs to increase brand awareness and broaden your reach.

Why sell to consumers, when you can sell to a community? Trying to target an audience on the go can seem like a daunting, not to mention hit-or-miss, proposition. But if you address your customer base as a community, you not only help build a brand that customers learn to trust, you establish a much more direct line of communication between you and your customers. Create a blog where readers can leave comments, offer full disclosures regarding service queries, and remind your customers that they’re part of something bigger.

Reinforce the connection. Treating customers as a family may seem like a well-intentioned stretch, but this approach can grant you the fresh perspective needed to strengthen the bond between brand and buyer. According to a new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, cell phones and the internet, now central components of modern family life, have afforded families “a new kind of connectedness.” Don’t you want the same experience for your customers?

Use content to enrich. Give customers a chance to engage your content in ways that enhance their busy lives. Relate your product to identifiable trends and make more interactions fun, informative, and great for business.

Eyal Yechezkell is CEO of PredictoMobile™, one of the fastest growing premium mobile services. PredictoMobile™ offers its members a game that’s on the pulse of the latest developments in entertainment and world affairs.  Program information is available at www.predicto.com.

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