Ah, millennials… Is there a more fun group to complain about? It seems that wherever you turn, someone is whining about these (allegedly) lazy, self-indulgent, sensitive youngins. Heck, I can’t even escape this sort of kvetching when I’m relaxing with some sports. My favorite sports show, Pardon the Interruption, features an old coot reporter named Mike Wilbon who loves nothing more than to bash millennials. But considering they make up a huge chunk of his audience, I would wager he’s probably joking.
So what’s so bad about these millennials, anyway? Well, like I said, they’re generally perceived as lazy and sensitive. Too busy being glued to their smartphones to pay attention to anything important – unless it’s a trending hashtag on Twitter.
Are these stereotypes legit? In some cases. But like all stereotypes, they are also often incorrect and misguided. The truth is, it’s the job of every generation to lament the “awful” generation that follows it. But instead of complaining, we should be striving to reach these millennials in the most effective ways possible. Because they will be our primary consumers one day; we’d better get used to them.
Social media: the official platform of millennials
Baby Boomers had their cars and Generation Y had its websites, but millennials will probably be known for their social media profiles. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Pinterest, millennials are on it and they’re on it all the time.
While this may annoy you when you’re trying to have a conversation with your teenage son at dinner, it’s a boon for marketers. Social media is already an integral part of the inbound marketing formula. But if you want to reach millennials, you’ve got to ramp up the efforts. Post to your social media sites multiples times each day if you want millennials to receive your message. And always respond to comments!
The most skeptical consumers in history?
The Baby Boomers were famous for not trusting their government, and every generation since seems to get more skeptical. By the time we reach millennials, they’re downright cynical about everything. Just consider the preferred comedic tool of the millennials: the internet meme. Have you ever seen an internet meme that wasn’t snarky or sarcastic? That’s because millennials are perhaps the snarkiest generation of them all.
So what does that mean for you? They’re not going to trust promises and pretty words. They’ve grown up on spam emails, so they understand a scam when they see one. But if you’re embracing inbound marketing strategies, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Because that’s a marketing strategy that prioritizes providing value to the customer.
Millennials signify the (very near) future of marketing
I don’t need to tell you another time that the yellow pages are dying. You know that already. But as the years pass, inbound marketing is going to become an even larger and more successful marketing platform. And that’s because the internet is going to continue to dominate our daily lives.
Just consider the lifespan of the millennial. They’ve never known dial-up internet, or cell phones that can only make phone calls (and barely that). The internet is second nature to them. If they need an address, a phone number, a dinner recommendation, a movie showtime or the latest headlines, their first instinct is to search the web. And with all that internet activity, you’re going to miss out if you don’t prioritize digital marketing strategies.
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