4 Unconventional Ways Millennials Promote Their Business

Millennials—people born from 1981 to 1996— often get a bad rap. The term itself functions as a shorthand in the media for entitled, narcissistic, selfie-obsessed young people.

Millennials are poor because they won’t stop buying avocado toast! Millennials are tanking the national birth rate and destroying the traditional family because they’re too busy taking care of their cats! Millennials are tearing at the very fabric of society by expecting to be treated fairly in the workplace!

These and other silly, alarmist headlines are unfortunately too common in the media today. While previous generations have had their fair share of stereotypes, it seems that millennials are the easiest to lampoon because of how sincere they are about making the world a better place.

But while these stereotypes are good for a laugh, they obscure the fact that millennials are actually a powerful force for good in the world.

Millennials are the most educated generation in history. They’re passionate about social and environmental causes.

And not only are they entrepreneurial, but they’re also extremely good at navigating today’s ever-changing marketing landscape to promote their businesses.

Let’s take a look at our top four ways in which millennials have changed the game when it comes to marketing, as well as how you can use these strategies to promote your own business.

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Personal

Unlike earlier generations, millennials are much more open to sharing personal information online. This, of course, aligns with the trend of increasing transparency in business.

Customers today aren’t satisfied buying a good value product from faceless corporations; they want to know that the businesses they support share their values.

Boomers, for example, would have conniptions at the mere thought of using their personal stories to weave a marketing narrative.

Millennials, on the other hand, are quite comfortable sharing details about their lives— from their politics to their love lives— online.

This willingness to be open and vulnerable has led to some of the most successful marketing campaigns in recent memory.

Take Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, for example. The company took a stand on a controversial issue and came out on the other side with its reputation intact.

Now, with Kaepernick’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement gaining traction, Nike’s support looks even more prescient.

Of course, not every business is going to be able to take such a bold stance on an issue without alienating some of its customer base.

Being on the right side of history is just one way to get personal in your marketing, but it’s not the only way. You can also use your personal story to connect with your customers on a more human level.

Businesses that can tap into this trend by sharing their own stories—whether it’s through a blog, social media, or even just a well-crafted About Us page—are more likely to resonate with millennials.

2. Don’t Network; Collaborate

While previous generations have tended to focus on business networking as a way to get ahead, millennials are more interested in collaboration.

This is likely because millennials are the most diverse and inclusive generation in history. They’re also more likely to be focused on their personal brand— that is, how they are perceived by others— than their resume.

You can see this in the way millennial marketers collaborate with influencers on platforms such as Twitch or YouTube.

They might look like they’re just blowing off some steam streaming games, but they’re actually building valuable relationships with other content creators. These relationships can then be leveraged to promote their business.

For example, a small business owner who makes and sells artisanal soap might collaborate with a beauty YouTuber with a large following.

The soap-maker could send the YouTuber some of their products to review on their channel. In return, the YouTuber would give the soap-maker valuable exposure to their audience.

This type of collaboration is a win-win for both parties involved. The influencer gets content for their channel and the small business owner gets valuable exposure for their product.

3. Build Experiences Instead of Ads

As we’ve mentioned, millennials are the most educated generation in history. They’re also the most curious. And this combination of factors has led them to seek out experiences over material possessions.

This trend is directly reflected in the way they consume content. Rather than passively watching commercials, millennials want to be actively engaged in the content they’re consuming. They want to be able to explore, interact, and learn.

For instance, if a millennial business owner is promoting a new product, they’re more likely to host an event or create an interactive pop-up shop than run a traditional ad campaign.

They’ll sync up with a relevant cause or charity, and they’ll make sure their branding tells a story that their target market can connect with.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that their social media will be full of behind-the-scenes content that gives their followers a glimpse into what goes into running a business!

This is why experiential marketing has become so popular with millennials. Businesses that can create an immersive experience— whether it’s a pop-up shop, a virtual reality campaign, or even just a well-designed website— are more likely to capture the attention of this generation.

4. Be Genuinely Interested in Your Customer

If there’s one thing that millennials can’t stand, it’s inauthenticity. Millennials came of age barraged by marketing and advertising. As a result, they’re extremely adept at seeing through the BS.

Marketing to millennials means taking the time to understand their needs, desires, and pain points. It also means creating content that’s relevant to them— not just content that’s designed to sell them something.

Despite the touchy-feely vibe of this tip, it’s actually rooted in cold, hard data. Millennial marketers balance qualitative research (i.e. talking to their target market) with quantitative data (i.e. using analytics to track customer behavior).

This allows them to create marketing campaigns based on a holistic understanding of their target market, not just guesswork.

Love them or hate them—or if you’re part of this cohort, likely both—it’s hard to argue with the fact that the innovations millennials have brought to the world of marketing are here to stay.

However unconventional they might seem to older generations, these marketing strategies are perfectly suited to the way millennials think, consume content, and make decisions.

So, if you’re looking to reach this all-important demographic, ditch the traditional marketing playbook and try out these millennial-approved methods instead!

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