Key takeaways
- Millennials are tech‑savvy, email‑saturated and only respond when an email clearly delivers value.
- Digital channels, not traditional formats, are where millennials search for businesses, so adapt your marketing accordingly.
- Emails that tell a genuine brand story and show substance/personal touch perform better with millennials.
- Use email and social media to solicit and share reviews, millennials trust stranger reviews more than company claims.
- Share positive reviews but be cautious: a single negative review can have outsized impact.
Introduction
Marketing is different for every generation and it has never been more different than it is for millennials. Most millennials have grown up with the Internet constantly at their fingertips and they are an inherently tech-savvy generation. The majority of them have had an email address from a young age, which means that they have been saturated with huge amounts of emails over their lifetimes. They are used to seeing all types of email marketing tricks and they are only responsive when there is a high value exchange with the content that they are engaging with.
Even if your company has been around for years, it may be necessary to make some tweaks to your marketing strategy in order to appeal to a new generation of consumers. Here are a few tips to help your email marketing have a greater impact with millennials.
Embrace the New Millennium
The first step to learning to connect with millennials is to accept the fact that many traditional marketing formats simply do not have the same effect on the new generation of internet-obsessed readers.
“People, specifically millennials, don’t look in the Yellow Pages anymore to find a business. The Internet and other forms of digital media are where all the action is taking place,” says Hana LaRock, contributor to Business2Community. “We understand if you want to hold on to some traditional aspects of your business. But, if you can’t accept the change, you’ll lose a whole generation of customers.”
Millennials are used to seeing all types of content, so if your email marketing strategy does not present them with something that can hold their fleeting attention, it will be very difficult for your business to gain any conversions, regardless of how many emails are sent out.
Stand Behind Your Brand
Millennials are obsessed with finding something that contains substance and possesses a personal touch. They desire content, products and services that don’t feel like it just fell off of the assembly line. If you can build a story into your product and present it in a way that shows its significance, it is nearly guaranteed that you will get a good response from the elusive generation of the internet.
“If you believe in your business, nowadays, that might just be enough to attract millennials,” recommends LaRock. “Millennials want something unique; a company that stands out from the rest and has something different to offer. Utilizing avenues like social media and email marketing will help spread the word of your business.”
A successful email campaign for millennials will bring your brand’s story to life, which will help them connect with the product. Although it may be intangible, they want to know that what they are purchasing has some meaning behind it.
Positive Reviews Really Do Matter
Millennials will almost always read about a product or service before they make any type of purchase. This means that it is vital to garner as many positive reviews as possible.
“Millennials are much more likely to believe what a stranger says about a company than actually looking up the company themselves,” says LaRock.
Try to use your email marketing as an opportunity to gather as many reviews as possible. If someone purchases a product, use your next email as an opportunity to find out what they think about your business. Don’t be afraid to share the positive reviews, but always be wary about the impact that even one negative review can have.
FAQ
Accept that many traditional formats no longer work and shift emphasis to digital channels. Deliver emails that offer clear value, hold fleeting attention and bring your brand story to life with substance and a personal touch. Use email alongside social media to spread your message.
Content that provides a high value exchange, feels unique and substantive and conveys a personal or meaningful brand story. Millennial readers expect something that stands out and isn’t just mass‑produced.
Send a follow‑up email after purchase asking for feedback or a review. Treat email marketing as an opportunity to gather reviews and then share positive feedback to build trust among prospective millennial buyers.
Millennials typically read about a product or service before buying and are more likely to trust what strangers say about a company than the company’s own claims. Positive reviews therefore carry strong influence.
Yes. Even long‑standing companies may need to tweak their strategies to focus on internet and digital media channels. If you resist the change, you risk losing that generation of customers.
Share positive reviews to build trust, but be wary of the potential impact of even a single negative review and manage how reviews are presented in your emails.
