It wasn’t long ago that body shops, like many businesses looking to advertise their services, would utilize newspapers, radio, television or even outdoor billboards to get their message out to customers. Although these traditional forms of advertising can be costly, they are also well-established and very measurable in terms of who is viewing your ad. They have helped companies build their brand and identity throughout the years, and were especially effective with the Baby Boomer generation.
Now there is another generation of customers that companies need to pay close attention to—the Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2000. This is especially important since Millennials have surpassed the Baby Boomer generation. According to the United States Census Bureau, there were an estimated 75.4 million Millennials compared to 74.9 million Baby Boomers in 2015.
No longer can you rely on a one-size-fits-all marketing campaign at your body shop. Whereas you might send a coupon through the mail to appeal to a Baby Boomer, you might want to use video or what is known as “influencer” marketing for someone in their 20s or 30s.
Millennials, unlike the previous generations, grew up with technology and are very “tech-savvy.” They have never known the world without computers and had cell phones when they were teenagers, in many cases. As a result, they are used to obtaining their information from the Internet.
Smart marketers need to look at new ways to appeal to this generation. If you want to gain their loyalty, it’s important to understand what matters to this generation and what motivates them, so your marketing efforts don’t fall flat.
Here are five tips to start attracting Millennials to your business:
Speak their language
If you want to engage Millennials, it’s essential to use social media. If your company doesn’t use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or the other platforms available, it’s time to get online and learn how. There are many experts available to answer questions and YouTube videos can assist you with every form of social media. Sites like AutoBody-Review.com can even push content for you.
Connect with them through user-generated content
Millennials are comfortable being connected day and night and often using various devices simultaneously. This generation values authenticity and needs to trust the information being shared with them before making a purchasing decision. This is where user-generated content becomes relevant. Roughly 95% of your shop's business comes from referrals, which is from people who are already fans of your business and share information through testimonials, blog posts, pictures or videos. This is important because 70% of consumers trust third-party claims more than friends and family.
Mobile friendly
According to Nielsen, 98 percent of Millennials ages 18-24; own smartphones and those who are 25-34 have a 97 percent ownership rate. Make sure to optimize your website for mobile devices. For example, before adding large graphics, check to see they don’t take too long to load. This generation is spending more time on their mobile device compared to a desktop with the stats averaging mobile at 51% and Desktop at 42%. So, if you are not able to reach your audience on their mobile device chances are you competitors will.
Power of Influencers
An influencer might be a friend on social media or a well-known expert in the industry. Millennials are influenced by their peers and value their recommendations. More and more Millennials check review sites like AutoBody-Review.com, even before looking at your website so ensure your online reviews are up to par!
Video
Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach Millennials. Periscope, Snapchat and other video channels appeal to this generation because of its real-time nature. No longer is video for just entertainment. Instead, Millennials rely on it to learn about companies and what they stand for. With video marketing you want recognize relevant key words that will entice to your audience and then provide them with the content that will educate them based off those key words. You can also use your YouTube page to drive traffic to your website or other social media profiles since many people will find your YouTube page first.
Before you throw your old marketing strategies out the window, take the time to evaluate your audience and start gravitating more toward the Millennial market. By tailoring your efforts in that direction, it will bring the biggest benefit to your business and start raising that bottom line.
Sources: Smart Insights and Social Media Examiner
Stacey Phillips
Contributor, AutoBody-Review.com
A professional writer and editor for more than 20 years who specializes in creating content for a wide range of businesses and industries including automotive, engineering and healthand wellness.