Corporations, retailers, and universities have been trying to understand Millennials for years. They were born in the early 1980s and their technological wizardry mystifies the world. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, there is, “an even more puzzling generation on the horizon — and they’re going to change everything.” This is the iGeneration, also referred to as Generation Z which includes people born in 1994 or later who grew up with a smartphone in hand.
There are nearly 2 billion iGens globally. While Millennials and iGens both thrive on constant connectivity and communication, iGens are digital natives that are hyper independent about their decision making. They are the most connected, educated and sophisticated generation ever born. They are early adopters, brand influencers and social media drivers.
Today, Generation Z is comprised of tweens, teens and young adults of our global society. Tomorrow, they will be the future leaders, however they do not merely represent the future—they are actively involved in creating it. Organizations are clamoring to figure out how to capitalize on both “me” generations.
Here are three tips on how to reach both Millennials and iGens.
- Personalize! Dale Carnegie’s 6th Human Relations principle is, ‘Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.’ This applies more to generations Y and Z than all others because they expect personalized communication. Rather than a name or number, they want brands to recognize them as individuals. Any data that you have permission to use such as hobbies, music, sports, etc. that they willingly share on social media is a good place to start this level of personalization.
- Advertise strategically. While brands should not entirely abandon the traditional marketing mix, it is critical to create a new strategy to target iGens. Only 44% of them first learn about products from TV commercials, so include social media and mobile campaigns destined to reach both generations Y and Z. If no research is readily available regarding from which platforms they get information about products and services within your industry, consider investing in research because the return will be well worth it.
- Compel with content. Both generations Y and Z are inundated and stimulated with content from a barrage of sources. You see them scrolling through waves of news feeds, photos, videos, tweets, messages, etc. while in line in Starbucks. Brands must offer content that not only piques their interest, but compels them to the point of engaging them and returning for more contextually relevant content. Almost 50% of iGens who participated in the 2014 MMNPL survey switch to YouTube to learn about new products, compared to only 25% who read emails from brands. Millennials and iGens live life online, so to reach them, you’ll have to set up strategic camp in the same outlets.
Dale Carnegie Training partnered with MSW/ARS Research to ascertain the key drivers of engagement within millennials in the workplace. View key findings by downloading our free whitepaper.
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