i3 - March/April 2017 - 46

Business

By Scott Steinberg

FO RWA R D ST R AT EG I E S

Connecting With Gen Y

he 75.4 million millennials (a.k.a. Gen Y, aged 19-35)
have now surpassed baby boomers as America's
largest generation. Many have never experienced
a world without 24/7 online access, social media,
or streaming digital content, making the way they process and
share information far different than their predecessors.
Researching my book, Millennial Marketing: How to Bridge
the Generation Gap, I discovered that brands that want to engage
with millennials must communicate in different ways. Following
are several tips when designing products or promotional campaigns to speak to this tech-savvy generation - which can help
more effectively motivate them and move the bottom line.

rather practical applications, how these
solutions improve users' daily lives, and
the stories and people behind them.
To capture Gen Y audiences' attention,
share a message with millennials that they
can connect with on a personal level and
demonstrate to them how they can create
positive change by engaging with your
solution in a meaningful way.

Keep Communications Short,
Sweet and Simple
You have three to five seconds to connect. With Microsoft reporting that the
average human's attention span is shorter
than a goldfish, and Gen Y growing up
in a world drowning in digital stimuli,
standing out is key. To capture attention,
lead with a strong, differentiated message
(hint: humor and offbeat approaches are
a good start), and quickly convey only
three unique selling points (read: your
one-of-a-kind benefits) right off the bat.
Today's consumer audiences are also
visual: Infographics, animations and
30-second videos will take you further
than an elegantly worded sales pitch.

Millennials Hail from
a Range of Age Groups
Familiar references and cultural
touchpoints are different for millennials.
As you design solutions or craft promotional campaigns, remember you could
be speaking to young parents who grew
up alongside home computing or collegeaged individuals who were raised on
mobile devices and social media. To more
effectively connect, look for common
themes. One size may not fit all either:
You may also consider introducing
46

MARCH/APRIL 2017

different solutions designed to speak
to different members of the Gen Y set,
e.g. mobile professionals vs. students.

Don't Sell Products, Tell Stories
Research shows that millennials aren't
responding to canned messages or ads.
Rather, they connect with genuine stories
that resonate and causes they can rally
behind (think: the huge upsurge in interest
behind local, organic, and DIY products).
When promoting high-tech products or
services, don't focus on tech specs, but

Millennials live in an on-demand world
where anything is a click or call away,
making most products and services commodities. To escape this trap, quickly convey
why other solutions can't be substituted.
Focus on the key pain points or problems
you can solve for millennials while saving
them time, money and effort. The good
news: millennials account for $1 trillion
in consumer spending, and are expected
to outspend boomers by next year,
according to market researchers Berglass
+ Associates. There's growing incentive
to connect with them, as they've got more
money to burn than some might think.
Millennials are a force to be reckoned
with. Luckily, with a few shifts in focus
and tactics, high-tech business leaders
can effectively connect, communicate and
engage in conversations with Gen Y and
quickly get their message across. n
Scott Steinberg is the author of
Millennial Marketing: Bridging the Generation Gap.
His website is AKeynoteSpeaker.com.
I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

AILA IMAGES/STOCKSY

Position your
Solution as Essential

http://www.AKeynoteSpeaker.com

i3 - March/April 2017

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