Millennials present tech, social media challenges for businesses

LAS VEGAS — Tire dealerships and auto repair shops that are reluctant to adopt the latest technology and social media soon will be forced into it by their growing population of Millennial customers and employees.

The Millennial generation, considered to be those ages 19-35, now outnumber Baby Boomers (ages 52-70) and Generation X ( ages 36-51) in the workplace.

They also are a growing force in the consumer population, according to Ryan Jenkins, a researcher, columnist and blogger who specializes in helping businesses hire and market to Millennials.

Last year was the first year Millennials outnumbered Baby Boomers and GenX in the workplace, representing 35 percent of the workforce vs. GenX at 33 percent and Baby Boomers at 29 percent, he said.

Millennials also are the largest generation in the U.S. and globally. And for the first time, there are five generations in the marketplace and workplace because people are working and living longer, Mr. Jenkins said. In the future, there may be even more generations working together.

"So the tension that you and I experience leading, communicating, selling across generations will only intensify moving forward," he told attendees at the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo in Las Vegas last November.

Each generation takes a different approach to buying products and services, he noted.

"One of the best ways to build a bridge across generations and to alleviate some of the friction that happens when you are trying to sell across generations, is to have a better understanding of that generation," Mr. Jenkins said.

Millennials who grew up with the Internet, social media and mobile devices, for example, expect to communicate and buy through these media.

He said there are three keys to marketing to the younger generation: Know and understand the needs and demands of the Millennial generation; provide proof of the quality of the product or service; and engage in swift communication across digital platforms.

Millennials grew up playing video games; researching and buying items on the Internet; communicating with people around the world in chat rooms, Facebook and Twitter; and doing multiple tasks on their cellphones.

They consider the Internet the authority and thus think and approach problems differently — so the sales cycle should be different, he said.

Their communication has and will continue to be shaped by technology, especially on iPhones.

"If you're trying to communicate with this generation, if you're trying to sell to them, if you're trying to get their attention, you've got to think mobile, and you got to think swift and faster communications," Mr. Jenkins said.

Millennials are persuaded by their peers, and they demand transparency from their leaders, employers and brands, he said. They want more transparency in sales and in what a product does, where it comes from and whether it is socially responsible.

Mr. Jenkins advised businesses to survey their Millennial customers and create a detailed buyer profile.

On the business-to-business side of sales, about 73 percent of Millennial workers are involved in decisions to purchase products or services for their company or business, and 34 percent of Millennials are the sole decision-maker regarding purchases, according to Mr. Jenkins.

He also noted that 36 percent of Millennials will weigh the opinions of friends and family before deciding to buy B2B products and services.

This behavior extends to their personal purchases, as well.

"They have very robust social networks so, of course, they are going to lean into that to figure out the products or services they should buy," Mr. Jenkins said.

About 84 percent of Millennials claim user-generated content on company websites has at least some influence on what they buy, Mr. Jenkins said, especially if it involves images and customer success stories.

He noted that the preferred channel or format for Millennials to research products and businesses is video, such as on YouTube.

"So use video whenever and wherever possible," he advised. YouTube is a great platform and a familiar platform, he added.

He suggested dealers ask their Millennial customers to create proof-packed testimonials for the company website and social media platforms.

He noted that 70 percent of Millennials are willing to create some type of review if they have a good or bad experience with a business.

Mr. Jenkins noted that more than four out of five Millennial B2B buyers claim mobile devices are important when researching new products and services

"Millennials cannot remember a time where a mobile device has been out of arm's reach. This is with them all the time, and it is how they experience their world," Mr. Jenkins said.

The average open rate for SMS messages is 98 percent vs. 22 percent for emails. About 62 percent of all email is first opened on mobile devices, he said.

When it comes to websites, 70 percent of consumers will wait only five seconds for a website to load on their mobile device before abandoning the site, he said. Nearly half of visitors said they won't return to a website that doesn't load properly on their mobile device.

"If your website isn't mobile-responsive and I have to pinch and zoom and swipe, that's a terrible experience, and you're not going to have me there long," Mr. Jenkins warned.

He encouraged businesses to "ensure mobility throughout the sales process and that all communications are mobile-friendly."

"So any sales copy, any collateral you send, anything, make sure to hack it yourself," Mr. Jenkins suggested. "Send an email to yourself, look it up on your own device, and hack it. Is it a good experience? Am I scrolling too much?... Is it too small? Is it not visual enough? Those are all things that are going to tick off the Millennial generation."

Continued from page

Technology and social media