Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Not Your Mama’s Marketing


Gone are the days when all you needed to do to find new clients was post a billboard and a few TV commercials. Thanks to technology, the entire philosophy of marketing has shifted, and the demographics of your target audience have likely shifted, too. Back in the day, women held the purchasing power.  Businesses and brands targeted their advertising and messaging to women in the hopes that they would share their experiences with family and friends.

Today, teens and young adults have more purchasing power than ever before.  They’re an incredibly savvy group, so in order to capture some of that purchasing power requires that you speak their language and spread your message where it’s most likely to be heard.

How to Capture Young Audiences:

Include useful information in your marketing message -– not just “advertising” statements.

Today’s young people are bombarded with more advertisements than ever before.  From pop-up and sidebar ads on their favorite blogs, to commercials on music streaming apps, advertisements have become a part of their minute-by-minute experience. Simply stating that your product does x, y, and z or your organization does x, y, and z is not good enough. They’ve heard that claim before – perhaps from your competitors. Instead, include information that grabs their attention.

Remember, your viewers will only see your ads for a second, and then their attention will be on to something else. Make sure that second counts by including only the most pertinent information about your product or service in the ad.

Focus on providing engaging, interactive content on your website and social media pages.

To capture a dedicated, young customer base, you need to provide them with more than just your key product. Draw them to your website or social media pages with content that they want to engage with. Don’t make it all about selling your product. Trust that after they grow to love your company for its witty, interactive content, they’ll come around to giving your product a try on their own terms.

  • Make Facebook posts about day-to-day life that encourage your followers to respond. For instance, you could post a status that says “How many people have already gone swimming this season?” at the beginning of summer.
  • Keep your blog updated with regular posts related to current events in your industry. If you sell clothing and accessories, you could make bi-weekly posts about the latest trends in the fashion industry and what celebrities wore to certain events.
  • Post pictures on Instagram of things you come across that are related to your business. If you sell healthy snacks and you’re driving past a strawberry field, take a picture of the strawberries.
Your goal is to draw your target demographic (young people) to your website and social media pages with great, engaging content – then let them make the decision whether to learn more about your product and perhaps purchase it on their own.

Make it clear that your product or service solves a specific problem.

The companies that have been successful in selling their product to the younger generation all have one thing in common – their products solve a problem. 

To encourage young people to try your product, your advertising needs to make it clear that your product solves a specific, real-world problem, thus making their lives easier. Wording such as “Are you tired of, xyz? Our product eliminates xyz by…” is very useful. And, USE VIDEO.  This is a must when catering to young people. Depict someone struggling with a problem, and show how your product solves it. This will make your ads relatable.

Develop a company mission that’s deeper than sales – and make it clear to your customers that you really care about the cause.

Today’s young people are caring and passionate about the world around them. They want to do their part to preserve the environment, save animals, fight homelessness, feed the hungry, and support other worthy causes. They want to buy from businesses that share their morals and values. 

If you want to market your business to young people, you need to show them that you care about more than just making a profit. Choose a cause that you and your partners or employees are truly passionate about, and get involved. Participate in fundraisers related to that cause, or pledge to donate a portion of your proceeds. Then, let your viewers know what you’re doing. Post about it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Ask your viewers for their opinions about the cause.

Young people will appreciate that your company is “about more than just the business,” and you’ll gain not just any customers – but loyal customers who share your passions.

Marketing to the young generation is not simple. You must take a multifaceted approach, carefully tailoring messages on your website, social media accounts, and other outlets to ensure they are in line with your target demographics’ values and needs.

Above all, engage! Respond to comments on social media. Go where the young people are.  Don’t wait for them to come to you.

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