The Secret to Marketing to Millennials

Marketers across all industries are reinventing the wheel, so to speak, as they learn how to communicate effectively with millennials. The term millennial refers to those who reached young adulthood around the year 2000, who were born between 1980 and 1995. These young consumers were raised in the “MTV era”. Their look at the world, and notoriously short attention span, has changed the marketing game in many ways. Millennials are quickly becoming the most influential generation of consumers today. They are savvy and expect immediacy when seeking information. If your dealership hopes to engage this demographic, it’s time to rethink how you’re speaking to them.

How to Speak to Millennials

Provide Detailed VDP’s

As we discuss regularly here on the Speed Shift Media blog, thorough Vehicle Detail Pages (VDP) are essential; this is even more true when speaking to millennials. These young professionals want to envision themselves in a vehicle, not their parents. Be sure and highlight the items that will be of interest to the millennial demographic. Not sure what to highlight? Ask your staff to share the features that are often impressive to millennials on your lot. Also be sure and avoid industry jargon. This generation, in particular, is sensitive to language that seems to speak over them or leave them feeling confused.

No Stock Photography!

If you currently use stock photography on your VDPs, stop! This is especially important when targeting millennials. These savvy, young consumers recognize a live image versus a manufacturer stock image immediately. They want to know what the exact vehicle looks like before they will ever be willing to make a trip to your lot. This is applicable to new and used inventory, so get out there and start snapping live images! These days all it takes is a smartphone – and I’ll bet it’s in your pocket or on your desk right now.

Highlight Eco-Friendliness

Millennials were raised during the green movement. Many of these young consumers consider eco-friendliness during the car buying process. Even those who are less consumed with the environmental impact of an automobile can be swayed by fuel efficiency. Be sure and highlight any, and all, eco-friendly features a vehicle may have.

Leverage Social Media, Video and Chat

Millennials want details fast, and they are very visual; this is why it’s important to use digital media to capture their interest. As social media becomes more and more ingrained in our lives, research tells us that consumers of all ages take to social media before making a buying decision. Be sure and include a social media strategy as part of your overarching marketing strategy. You can leverage your social channels to share news and updates on your inventory, create hype around new models, and so much more. Video is a great way to tell a story. Test including video of your inventory on your VDP. Finally, chat provides a great opportunity to connect with millennials in real time. As the first generation to grow up with chat capabilities, it is often a millennial’s preferred method of communication.

Engage Through Targeted Display Advertising

Millennials will do their homework when selecting a car. Take advantage of the opportunity to connect with them during the research phase! At Speed Shift Media, we are proud to offer highly targeted display advertising through our Auto Audience™ Network. Imagine having the ability to display an ad, featuring a vehicle in your inventory, at the very moment a consumer is researching the same make and model. With our targeted display advertising model, you can!

At Speed Shift Media, we are committed to bringing car buyers and car dealers together through contextually relevant, highly targeted display advertising. We proudly partner with leading dealerships throughout the US and Canada to help make their digital marketing strategies a success. If you’re ready to learn more about our targeted display advertising platform, schedule your demo today!  Allow us to show you how this cutting-edge technology is changing the way dealerships approach digital advertising.