Page 275 - Social Media Marketing for Dummies

favorite influencer. They want to be entertained, and a message from someone
they follow is acceptable. (See https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewarnold/
2018/01/21/millennials-hate-ads-but-58-of-them-wouldnt-mind-if-its-
from-their-favorite-digital-stars/#28063ff459ca) for more information.

If you market to this group, you may want to invest in advertising with influenc-
ers that hold considerable sway with this population. They will sit through an
introduction by a celebrity but ignore a short ad.

Look for recognition and feedback

Parents of Millennials made sure that their children received encouragement for
their efforts. They gave them recognition for small wins and provided input on
how they could do better. For this reason, Millennials expect their managers at
work to act similarly. They look for encouragement and solicit feedback. If they
don’t receive it, they’re likely to look for work elsewhere. They want to feel that
each job they take contributes to their career advancement.

Prefer to share or barter

Millennials are careful with their money. One of the myths about Millennials is
that they are cheap. However, this isn’t accurate. There are several reasons why
they’re careful spenders, not the least of which is the amount of college debt that
many have accumulated. They are also unsure about the economy, having
experienced the 2008 recession. They don’t want to bet on smooth sailing in the
future.

This is one reason the sharing economy has become so popular among Millennials.
They would rather not buy a car when they can share or barter for one. For
example, Zipcar (http://zipcar.com), as shown in Figure 17-1, is popular with
Millennials. They can rent a car for a set amount of time for a fee. The time can be
a short as a few minutes to a few days. Millennials often prefer to use a service like
this instead of investing in a car.

It’s worth your time to figure out if there is a sharing option for your product that
you can present to your Millennial audience. In this way, you can develop a new
revenue stream and perhaps increase your reach.

CHAPTER 17 Marketing to Millennials 259