Cracking the Millennial Code: How to Sell to the Largest Working Generation

There is no doubt that millennials wield a profound influence over the market.

Their preference, values, and spending power has led the change for how brands are marketing their products.

However, as more businesses seek to fine tune their products, services, and brand messaging, it begs the question of whether we truly understand how to effectively engage with the largest working generation of our time.

This was the central topic that ignited a lively exchange during our recent Being, Human fireside chat.

Helmed by marketing powerhouses Vivek Iyyani, author of Marketing to Millennials, and Razy Shah, co-founder of the 2Stallions Digital Marketing Agency, they delved into key lessons from Vivek’s latest publication and shared nuggets of wisdoms born from research and experience to an eager audience.

Define the Millennial Generation

“What is a millennial?” The Oxford dictionary defines a millennial (also generation Y) as a person who was born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s.

But as they kicked off the discussion, Vivek and Razy peeled back more layers of the definition within a business context, emphasising millennials’ consumption habits.

“The most defining characteristics of millennials are their passion, purpose, and commitment to a greater good.

“They are comfortable with technology; they speak out about what they want, and they are driven by altruistic motives of a company,” shared Vivek.

**Some other ages of generations – Boomer generation, born 1955 to 1964; generation x (Gen X), born 1965 to 1980; Xennials – Late 1970s to mid 1980s; generation z years (Gen Z), those born 1997 to 2012.

Connecting with Millennials

“How can business create impactful moments that will speak to millennials?”

Once you know the characteristics of your target audience, Vivek says a key is to identify the platform where they are most active.

“Brands and services should create opportunities for people to relate to them as they sell the products, give them a chance to share and talk about their experience.

“It’s one of the ways they can leverage, to get one of the most vocal generations to share to their circle of people and the word spreads,” he said.

Razy chimed in with examples of viral stories, including the Australian woman that was fined at the immigration for her half-eaten Subway sandwich, and the more recent humbling Charles & Keith story of a teenager who was gifted a handbag by her father.

“What we need to learn from these is that these brands came in with their support, and the narratives resonated with a lot of people, the same people who will constantly be reminded of this.”

Businesses with Smaller Social Following

Shifting the discussion to companies with smaller band of followers, Vivek highlighted various tiers of influencers that businesses should consider in their marketing strategy.

Depending on the audience their brand or product is aiming to reach, he said businesses can collaborate with influencers that genuinely use their products and can provide a more personalised connection to their niche.

He challenged the notion that a high follower count is essential, noting that many brand work with nano influencers with lower following but higher natural engagement.

This is not to say macro influencers are irrelevant in smm marketing, but rather, they serve different objectives such as expanding outreach.

Razy also noted the same principle can apply to social accounts of B2B businesses or professional service providers.

Using lawyers as an example, he explained how followers can benefit from knowledge and entertainment quality by showcasing the day-to-day routine of lawyers, providing insights into their profession.

The content need not solely cater to those seeking legal services, but also those aspiring to join the profession.

The Relevance of Social Media Marketing in Building Real Connections

While some may argue that the rise of AI tools and platforms may diminish interpersonal connections, Vivek presents a contrary perspective.

He pointed out that, while Dunbar’s number suggests that humans are limited to maintaining about 150 relationships, social media has the potential to break down this barrier.

Vivek emphasised the scalability of social media and its ability to create content that resonates with a broad audience that extends beyond geographical borders.

Without negating the importance of face-to-face interactions, he said that digital tools complement and enhance connections rather than curtailing it.

“Digital content is accessible beyond borders and people always have a way to come back and see it; it is more than what a 1-hour coffee session can do.”

Marketing to Millennials

In addition to the points discussed at the event, Vivek and Razy also underscored the importance of strategy behind the right pieces of content.

“You want to be able to do something simple enough, and trigger an action in response,” said Vivek.

He reiterated the need for business to tap on the right platform for their product, citing that many people no longer “Google” for answers, but relying on platforms like TikTok for answers.

To unpack more insights from the book, Marketing to Millennials is available online or at major bookstores.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of Being, Human—a signature fireside chat by Arcc Spaces that features leading entrepreneurs and changemakers in the region. For events and speaking opportunities at Arcc Spaces, reach out to our team at www.arccspaces.com.

About Arcc Spaces

Arcc Spaces is a shared workspace brand with a network of hospitality and design-led spaces in Asia’s gateway cities – Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. We bring the world’s businesses together – Arcc Spaces works with a community of changemakers and doers to drive innovation, learning, collaboration, and opportunities. Arcc Spaces is a part of Arcc Holdings, a transformative real estate and hospitality group that develops and operates concepts to create “Places that people love”. For more information, please visit www.arccspaces.com.