With each passing day, millennials are becoming the important section of the society. In the U.S., as of 2016, millennials have already surpassed the baby boomers as the largest living generation. And by 2017 it is believed that they will form the bulk of the B2B transactions. And why only B2B? Millennials make up 35% of the workforce. As these trend setters evolve and mature, they continue to influence purchasing decisions, brand loyalty, ROI and of course, B2C relationships!
Almost 73% of millennials are involved in directing the product/service purchases at their companies, everything from paper clips to professional services. No one can ignore this enormous mass while chalking out any marketing strategy. So, the question is, what changes are you making in your marketing strategy to put up with this millennial behaviours?
2017 has just begun. While you make the changes in your marketing game plan for 2017, keep these often overlooked visual strategies up your sleeves.
Keep It Visual
41% of millennials struggle with information overload, as opposed to just 31% of baby boomers and Gen-Xers. Does this stat haunt you? Well yes, the time has come to shun text-dominant information and shift totally to a more visual communication. Manifest yourself as a trendsetter in your field by offering total clear visual communication that stimulates the visual minds of the millennials. Consider creating a pack of visual nuggets to convey your message and distribute the visuals across multiple social platforms.
With the rise of Instagram, Pinterest, and Vine, consumers are letting pictures and videos do all the talking. This is because visuals are more concise and efficient modes of communication.
Be Genuine
Today, before buying a product online, a young person carefully goes through the comments and feedback section, they skim through everything and then come to a decision. Such is their technological upbringing. Millennials do not believe whatever they see on the Internet. It is hard to be-fool or deceive them with shams and hoaxes. Only 6% of millennials in the US consider online advertising to be credible. They are highly skeptical owing to the tremendous exposure to digital world; they research everything before believing.
So stock images, for example, are a bad idea now! Rather than boosting your business , these clichéd elements would downplay upon your brand name and credibility. So turn to original and customized graphics, which focuses more on why you are selling a product and not how you are selling.
Visual Language for Millennials
Young folks between 17-34 are expected to spend more than $200 billion annually starting in 2017 and $10 trillion in their lifetimes. This massive demographic is setting new marketing standards globally. So if you want them to invest in your business, give them more value. Much more than the yesteryears. Highlight the “Why” of your product, rather than the “What.” And this can only be done through visual contents. If you want to keep up with the pace of the millennials, then stop thinking, “How many people I can reach to with my message.” Rather focus on, “How to create the right content for the right audience?”. Only then you’ll sustain in the minds of these millennials.
Use Visuals—and Humor
Who doesn’t love amusement in our hectic daily life? We all do. So why feed your audience with only bright colours, fuzzy fonts, and dazzling illustrations? Dude, why so serious? Add some fun to it!
This hip and happening people, love fun and humour. Add humour to your visuals. Put pun and sarcasm in them. But yes, do not go for cheap gimmicks. Those are not going to work for sure. Remember, humour gets people engaged. Dull and drab visuals repel them.
Don’t underestimate the “Instagram Effect.”
“Instagram Effect” – The new buzzword of the town. Where does the success of Instagram lie? It lies in the homegrown aspect of Instagram. Instead of fake, staged and edited photography, Instagram offers users to showcase their organic moments. A user can take a snap of his/her new shoe or jacket and instantly upload it to their Instagram account. These natural photos not only makes the brand more authentic but also opens up a form of a dialogue between users and the brand. The millennials have turned Instagram into a sort of a lingo – through instant emojis, memes and real time videos.
Not to forget, this new colloquialism influenced mainly by the millennials, is giving companies endless marketing opportunities and potential to grow audiences. So come what may, ensure you have a proper Instagram account where you can create stronger relationships with your consumers.
The Mobile+Visual Combo
Now this one is a hit couple for market researchers and Internet marketers. Statistics about mobile marketing and mobile usage have been around on the Internet for eons. So I am not going to preach them again. It just cannot be nullified, that millions of millennials profuse use visual to communicate on a personal level. And these days mobiles and smartphones stand for personal assets.
If you are not using this successful combo of Mobile & Visuals, then you are missing out to reach the crux of this gigantic demography. Speak in their preferred language. Be on their preferred platform. Only then you can truly understand the millennials.
By the way, the visual and mobile combo also have another enthralling benefit – high data at great scale and speed!
So, you see, understanding the millennials is not a difficult task. It’s only that whatever marketing tools you were applying in the last year or the year before, continue with the same, but focus more on visuals. Because visuals communication is the best form of communication since the days of cave paintings. To reach out to the millennials, embrace “Visual” as the new language.
Let InfographicDesignTeam be the mediator
By now you probably should have understood the immense power of infographics. Connecting with the audience, which words alone cannot do. With dynamic, colourful graphics and less text, these all-in-one infographics are an exciting way to tell your target something important in just a few words. So, buckle up and let InfographicDesignTeam.com do the talking. With a fabulous team of experienced professionals in this field, we deliver incredible results. Just call us up and chat with us. And soon you’ll realize that was the worthiest call you ever made in a long time. We are InfographicDesignTeam, we are SOLID!
