These days, everyone want to court the Millennial Generation, that group of people born between 1980 and 2000.
While men and women who fall within that age group resist being lumped into a generational identity, they do share certain characteristics that companies today want to appeal to.
The promotional marketing industry is sometimes frowned upon by GenX and Baby Boomers, but has a surprisingly strong appeal towards Millennials. How can you work with this coveted group of people and get your message out? It’s all about the experience.
Millennials know when they are being sold to. They resist hard pitches and would rather be part of an experience. They appreciate fun in their sales pitches and a sense of engagement and interaction. A lot of brands incorporate parties or fun promotional giveaways to help foster the relationship between company and buyer. Again, the experience is key.
Brand parties are popular with this generation. A recent study showed that 73% of Millennials surveyed said that they attend these functions because the topic, speaker or entertainment sounded fun, while only 47% attended because of brand loyalty or interest. The same goes with promotional products that they keep and use.
The great thing about marketing to Millennials is that you don’t have to do anything particularly groundbreaking, but you have to do it in a fun, unique, and stylish way. The tried and true promo items – t-shirts, hats, bags, water bottles – are still the best way to go with this generation. However, you want to use a bold graphic, a better cut of shirt, a more earth friendly bag option to make the impact you’re looking for.
Keeping fun, style and most of all the overall experience in mind, you can reach the Millennial market without alienating them.