Ok, I’m just going to come right out and say it: I’M A MILLENNIAL. I know, how awful, right? The world has conditioned me to loathe myself because I’m “lazy,” “entitled,” and “don’t know how good I’ve got it.” I have grown to learn that I, because of my age, am the worst kind of human there is… Which really sucks. What people don’t know about Millennials is that we’re actually a pretty kick ass group of humanoids and we can really help you old folks out.
Here’s the truth about Millennials: MARKETERS NEED US. Millennials know about all the hottest trends, we know who the coolest celebrities are, we know exactly what we want… and we aren’t too lazy to go get it, contrary to popular belief. Can you say all those things about yourself?
Anyway, like I said, we Millennials are awesome and we’re crazy helpful when it comes to marketing. You’re probably thinking to yourself “what the hell is this kid talking about?” Allow me to explain…
Millennials understand technology better than any other generation. That’s a bit of a broad statement but stay with me. We Millennials grew up with the internet, which is one of the reasons why we’re so often labeled as “lazy.” You see, the internet has allowed us to do things like navigate through years of schooling without ever having to pick up a real book. I mean, those things can be heavy… Do you blame us? We don’t just utilize our resources, we make them a lifestyle.
Whether it’s the sleekest new cell phone, tablet, self-driving car, or whatever, we know every detail about it. And if we don’t, well, that’s just not acceptable. Because we’re so versed in technology, we know where the crowds form. Personally, I never got into Vine because I knew, or at least hoped, that it would flop. Thankfully, apps like Twitter and Snapchat took care of that for us. What I’m saying is, we Millennials can stay ahead of the trends for you and help you avoid silly mistakes like building up a following on a platform that won’t last, such as Vine.
We define ourselves through social media and are eager to share your posts, as long as they’re relevant. Along with all of the wonderful traits we possess, we Millennials may also have a flaw or two, but no more than two. One of our flaws is that we really, really care about what people think of us. We care so much that we invest incredible amounts of time into our social media platforms. It’s in our heads that if we have hundreds, even thousands, of Instagram followers, we must be really popular and well liked. That makes sense, right? We think so.
Because of our deep love for the attention we get from social media, we know the platforms like the back of our hands. No update goes unnoticed, no popular picture goes unseen, and no trending articles go unshared. What this means for you is that your aim should be to impress us. Get our approval and the whole world could know your name.
We’re results driven, which means we acknowledge what works and we run with it. With inbound marketing, your goal is to put out content that attracts your target audience and inspires them to take action. Because we Millennials, too, have that same frame of mind, we know what works and what doesn’t. Maybe you’re thinking of investing in a Super Bowl ad or using humor in your upcoming campaign. Run it by a Millennial first. We know what works, when it works best, and why it continues to work.
Lastly, we’re well rounded and we play well with others, most of the time. Millennials have been raised in a world where it’s more acceptable than ever to be gay, purple, or from Mars. We know how to communicate with any kind of person, whether they are the same shade of purple as we are, or not. We don’t send out messages with any exclusions, and we are able to easily adapt to unfamiliar surroundings.
Like I said before, we’re a kick ass group of humanoids and we should be seen as such. We know what works, when, and how. And, we know how to apply this knowledge in a way that reaches all audiences. So, when the time comes for you to set up your next big campaign, bring a few Millennials onto the team.
