Building a strong connection with the Millennial consumer
Proactive and engaging communication with the millennial consumer is key to effectively serve this essential market segment.
Millennials, also known as Generation Y, is the generational cohort born between 1980 and 2000. Set to become the largest demographic by the end of the decade, Millennials recently became the most valuable demographic group across the UK in terms of their “wallet size”.
As the first truly digital generation, millennials’ demands have been shaping the future of business. For brands to establish a strong connection with the coveted audience, it’s important to understand what Millennials want and how they operate. Let’s go through a few considerations:
- Millennials want answers to be online and quick
Regardless of what they are looking for, millennials search for answers online. Tech-savvy as they usually are, they demand a user experience that solves problems fast, and they’re less willing to put up with slow or poor service than older generations. An intuitive, engaging online presence is a must.
Instant messaging tools made available to Millennials are massively appreciated, for their ability to provide instant help and answers to their questions. Hence, live chat might just be the simplest solution to Millennial-proof a website.
- Communication ought to be to the point
Having grown up in the era of instant access to information, millennials expect communication to be simple and direct. Corporate robots and ‘salesy’ messages are likely to drive them away.
Companies that are able to approach the audience with an empathetic, human tone will gain an edge.
- An eye for authenticity
Advertising is not an effective way to gain the trust of millennials. In fact, only 1% of the digital natives said that compelling advertising would make them trust a brand more.
Millennials go to blogs, they read customer reviews and inspect reactions on social channels before trusting ads — so the key for brands to capture their attention is to find ways to show authenticity and brand values that align to their own.
- It’s a myth that millennials aren’t brand loyal
It’s historically been a struggle for companies to connect with millennials due to their inherent distrust towards organisations. However, the common belief that millennials aren’t brand loyal is simply not true.
A research conducted by Accenture found that millennials can be exceptionally loyal customers as long as they feel they are treated as valued customers.2 Personalised service that is tailored to their needs proves very effective to ignite brand loyalty in this generation.
The same research found that more than 95% of millennials say they want brands to win them actively — which shows how important it is for businesses to take a proactive approach with their communications.
This is where technologies like live website visitor analytics can prove incredibly useful; as they allow businesses to proactively engage with visitors and prospects while they are online — and make the best of behaviour data to provide a personalised service.
A ticket to success
Companies looking to grab a piece of the coveted millennial pie will need to find ways to make the best of communication channels to provide a seamless end-to-end experience and deliver a consistently personalised service.
It’s time to throw out the old playbook and make space for new technologies. Innovative and engaging communication tools, combined with direct and strategic messaging can make a world of difference for effectively connecting with this lucrative demographic.
This story is published in The Startup, Medium’s largest entrepreneurship publication followed by + 370,107 people.
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