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Since the emergence of the Internet in the late 1980s, the world as we know it has changed radically. People around the world are able to connect and communicate easier, messages are sent and received quicker and businesses offer online and offline services to meet customers’ demands overseas.
The most influenced individuals, who grew up around that time of transition, are Generation Y, also known as Millennials. The generation born between the 1980s and 2000s is seen as the early adopters of the Internet and the people who have played a huge role in the evolvement of the digital world.
Being a Millennial myself, I know that they are attached to their smartphones, laptops and the Internet as a whole. They do everything on our devices: working, shopping and watching movies. They wake up and check our phones. Millennials cannot go to bed until checking our news feed on Facebook or mailbox.
Generation Y challenges businesses and marketers when it comes to what and when they want to know something and through which channels. Millennials compare prices before making a decision what to buy. They look both online and offline before making a purchase. They do not trust TV adverts, banners or leaflets. Millennials look for reviews, ask friends and then make up our minds of which brand to buy and from where.
Therefore, marketers need to be careful with the messages they send and the channels they use when targeting Generation Y. They are the individuals that have spent most of our lives being exposed to a huge amount of competing digital messages at every turn. So naturally, Millennials are more selective about the types of messages they trust and the types of messages they want to receive. They ignore most emails, spams and irrelevant offers. In order for marketers to grab Millennials’ attention, they have to provide us with relevant content.
As consumers, they also want a more honest and direct dialogue with brands. To do that, marketers need to interact with Millennials and to create real conversations. With 84% of Millennials acting on push notifications [1], marketers need to think of the best ways to send relevant and useful information in real-time.
Location technology can help marketers deliver messages that contain the right content, at the right time and at the right place. By knowing where Millennials are and what they are looking at, marketers can communicate with them and provide them with interactive, two-way conversations. By delivering this experience, marketers have a better chance of retaining them as customers and keeping them engaged.
Last week, I visited John Lewis and I received a personalised welcome message on my phone. The retailer knew I was in the store and wanted to engage me with ongoing offers. This type of communication was much more valuable to me at that time and place.
Millennials, who are seen as tech savvies, are most likely to interact with brands that provide a personalised experience. To keep up with the needs of the generation, marketers can rely on location technology.
[1] Andrew Corselli, October 2015, 84 Percent of Millennials Act on Push Notifications, http://www.dmnews.com/marketing-strategy/84-percent-of-millennials-act-on-push-notifications/article/448580/