Marketing to millennials

 by Kathleen Aoki

http://news.fastgroup.com.au

Millennials are savvy, confident and generally open-minded, love to be challenged and, as the first generation to grow up completely online, are exceptionally well versed in anything and everything to do with technology.   So, traditional marketing methods may not work to secure their business.

There are, however, a number of ways to get into their minds and make them see that you’re the right broker to tackle their needs.

Research

This is a given: you must do your research into what millennials are thinking. What do they want? Talk to people who represent the age bracket and then really listen to their answers. Sign up for Google Alerts, head to social media to see what they’re talking about, and read up on some blogs – find out what they want to know and then provide the answers to those questions. In order to show them that you understand their world, you need to understand it first.

Content is king

Millennials spend upwards of 25 hours a week online. They don’t take messages on face value and generally don’t respond to traditional marketing methods such as television or print advertisements. They do, however, respond to stories. Millennials want to know how you can improve their lives – they want authentic content, not product listings. Be the source of that authentic content by reacting to the research you’ve done. Create a blog about mortgages for the younger generation – topics such as “how to purchase your first home” and “how to save for that dreaded deposit” [link to the B2C blog posts] will show millennials that you can help them by taking them on a journey through engaging content.

Use social media

For the millennial generation, social media is where the interaction happens: if you’re not there interacting too, you’re missing out on key opportunities. Set up accounts in your company’s name on the social media channels you believe are relevant to you – generally speaking, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are the ones to focus on. Update your pages when you have something interesting to say or share, but don’t be overly commercial. Millennials want your authentic self; they want to know how you can help them, not what you sell.

Go mobile

Millennials are constantly tapping into their networks while on the go. This means their mobile is glued to their hands or in their pockets. Social media, blogs, emails, banking and communication is all done online and on a mobile device, so you need to be there, too. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly so they can access it no matter where they are.

Have fun

Millennials are a generation of fun. Generally speaking, the thrill of the chase is sometimes more appealing than the end point, so make their research interesting. People will always research which broker and lender to do business with – provide interesting links and informative content that is relatable and shows you understand what they want. Make their research entertaining and inspiring and they’ll gravitate towards you when they want to engage a broker.

Marketing to millennials may sound challenging at first, but all the switched-on generation really wants is an honest, engaging and informative experience. It’s your job to show them you provide this.