How To Attract Millennials To Your Small Business

You are not alone if your business is having a difficult time encouraging younger adults to purchase your products. Grabbing the attention of Millennials and convincing them to buy are the two biggest challenges, especially for small businesses. A 2014 Eventbrite survey found that 76% of Millennials value experiences, such as vacations, concerts, and dining out, over tangible goods.  It’s not that they don’t shop at brick and mortar stores for discretionary material items. They are actually more likely to research products first, then purchase them in the store. But traditional stores are reporting lower sales for that age group that don’t offer an experience for shoppers, such as coffee or juice bars, customizable products or group experiences. These insights can give us some techniques to use to appeal to the 18-34 year old shoppers.

So what are the methods a business can use to entice a Millennial? There are three key points to remember. One, Millennials value experience as well as spending time with friends, so market the product with a sense of fun and adventure to be shared. Two, Forbes Magazine indicates that the younger generation prefer advertising that is light and entertaining. And three, while small businesses may not have a lot of money to spend on an extensive ad campaign, using social media is a low cost alternative.

Build a brand on social media that appeals to their desire of experience with an engaging viewpoint. Here are a few ways to present your message:

• Have a series of posts demonstrating how your product can help bring the dining-out experience to the comforts of home to enjoy with foodie friends.
• Infuse your social media with a series of videos that feature a whirlwind road trip with your product as one of the traveling companions.
• Use newsletters to highlight your company as a purveyor of the values the Millennial holds. Make sure to test your newsletter so it is optimized for mobile, as this is the main method this generation uses to get its information.
• Feature a blog with your product producing the perfect setup for late night adventures.

In addition, by using several outlets like Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr, you can connect to the younger crowd. Posting well-crafted messages on some or all of these sites will  portray the idea that your product is useful and essential to a technology-savvy crowd. When you have a positive online presence of your products relating to an experience, you will see increased sales from that age group.

Finding the right balance for the younger crowd can be a challenge. Businesses need to balance the dynamic of the need for their product with a fun and exciting message that appeals to Millennials. DCA Virtual Business has an expert social media team that can help promote your products through posts, blogs, and newsletters. There’s even a few Millennials on our team. Call or send us a message (even on social media!) today to tap into the ever increasing buying power of the Millennial generation.