Before we get into how to market to millennials, I would like to explain why marketing to millennials now and in the future is going to be crucial for growth in your business. Currently there are over 80 million millennials in the United States alone, which makes up one-forth of the total population. 

So what’s the big deal aboutmillennials? Young adults born between 1977 and 2000 account for 25 percent ofthe US population and wield over $1.3 trillion dollars in direct spending power.

Now that you know how importantit is to market to millennials, what are the most effective ways to do so? Inthis blog we will show you five key factors to marketing to millennials in2017.

Social Media

Millennials are perhaps mostactive on social media platforms. As such, they expect businesses they followto use these platforms, too. But being online isn't enough; to engagemillennials, businesses must tell stories that resonate with them. Tip: yoursocial posts must be both genuine and engaging. A brand that talks but doesn'tlisten, or one that automates everything it posts, will fail to gain traction.

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Let them be part of your brand

When you are making decisionsregarding your business, seek the input of your millennial followers. If, forexample, you are choosing between a new logo or color scheme for your office,ask for their feedback. Millennials, especially, appreciate when you make themfeel valued and important. And when you do, they will begin to take ownershipwith your brand. The result? Incredible brand loyalty.

Inbound marketing is KING 

If your idea of marketingto millennials is to use billboards, radio ads, and mailers, it is time tocompletely shift your focus. Why? Becausemillennials don't respond to these traditional tools. Inbound marketing is whatworks with millennials, plain and simple. 

A good example is when you createcontent that benefits your desired audience(s). If you sell pools, for example,perhaps you put out a weekly blog that guides pool owners with identifying thebest and worst chemicals to be as Green as possible. Or perhaps you focus onanswering the questions Millennials often pose to you. Traditionaloutbound marketing, by comparison, basically tosses out a ton of un-targetedmessaging, hoping that some of it sticks. Millennials would call thatspam. 

If you are marketing with apurpose and value-driven ideas, you will succeed at capturing the attention andloyalty of millennials. Some of the effective inbound marketing tools that wehighly recommend: blogs, tutorial videos, and e-books.

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Tell a specific story

There is plenty of business forevery business that wants to sell online. You just have to be smart aboutattracting it. So look at the glass as halffull, not half empty. How can you narrow your messaging to appeal tomillennials? 

Let's say, for example, that youown an automotive repair shop that changes oil quicker than thecompetition. You could try marketing to every single person who drives acar, but you would get much better results if you market to people who valuequick oil service, such as busy executives or house moms who are constantly on the go runningerrands. Tip: If you tell your targeted stories well enough, you canactually charge more for your services. 

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Use influencer marketing to your advantage 

More than likely your online audience follows influencers. Who is an influencer? Someone with a significant number of followers in a specific niche. Influencers have the power to persuade other people what to think or do. Often, when they say buy, people do. Millennials are especially influenced by influencer marketing. What influencer marketing can do for your brand is huge. Your challenge, then, is to build a relationship with influencers that your millennial followers respect, so they can influence for you.

For the most part, influencer marketing is not expensive. You want to connect with an influencer  who has a larger following than your own. But don't think that you have to choose someone with millions of followers. Reach out to influencers on the platform they prefer to use, and ask if they would be interested in endorsing your product. One way to identify influencers is to use software services, such as NinjaOutreach, which tracks influencer statistics.

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