The Most Effective Way to Reach Millennial Customers? SMS Marketing

In order to reach millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996), you need to use SMS marketing. Texting is the most popular way that millennials communicate, so it's the best way to reach them with your marketing messages.

In this article, we will address how to use SMS texts to market to millennials effectively. Plus, we'll give you tips on creating effective SMS campaigns that will engage and convert millennials into customers.

Try To Find a Millennial Without Their Smartphone

We're willing to bet that you won't be able to find many millennials without their smartphones literally glued to the palms of their hands. Seriously, millennials spend an average of 33% of their day texting!

That info should perk up your ears because the millennial market is staggeringly huge. In fact, millennials are the biggest generation in the workforce today.

To tap into this market, you must understand the habits and preferences of millennial smartphone users.

Millennial Spending Habits

Millennials are often stereotyped as being irresponsible with their money. But in reality, millennials are often very savvy when spending their money.

They're also very engaged with the brands they purchase from and are always looking for ways to save. So, how can businesses market to millennials effectively?

It all starts with understanding how this generation spends its money. With that in mind, here's some quick data to which you should pay attention.

• Millennials' average yearly income is around $56,099 before taxes
• Millennials' average yearly expenditures totals around $47,112
• 34% of millennials have a bachelor's degree or higher
• 88% of millennials live in metropolitan areas
• Over 40% of millennials are parents

Trends in Millennial Spending

Millennials are more likely than any other age-group to research a purchase before they make it. They're also very price-conscious and are always looking for ways to get the best deals.

When marketing to millennials, businesses need to be transparent about pricing and offer competitive prices.

Millennials are also substantially more likely than other generations to shop online (85.9% of millennials regularly shop online), so if you run a business and don't have an online presence, you need to build one ASAP.

Finally, millennials care about social and environmental issues, so businesses need to be conscious of these issues when marketing to this generation. By understanding how millennials spend their money, you can better market to this important demographic.

SMS is the Most Effective Way to Reach Millennial Customers

All right, so all the yada, yada, yada above is why you should emphasize reaching millennials with your marketing efforts. However, what's the most effective way to reach them?

Glad you asked. Consider the following.

If you want to reach millennials, text messaging and social media are the way to go. A whopping 44% of millennials said they prefer to communicate with businesses via text, while 38% said they prefer social media.

Moreover, according to a recent survey, 70% of respondents aged 25-34 said they prefer to use their phone to redeem coupons and rebates. And when it comes to using coupons, millennials are even more likely to take advantage of them, with 94% of millennials saying they use coupons regularly.

Using an SMS marketing platform like Shout can help your millennial customers achieve a frictionless shopping experience while providing them with the deals they crave.

Personalize Everything

Millennials watched technology evolve first-hand, giving them an acute perception of what's possible online. They appreciate when brands make an effort to understand their unique needs and preferences. All of that begins with personalizing your marketing texts.

Personalization is not only powerful, but it is also becoming increasingly necessary in order to compete in today's market.

Indeed, as personalization becomes more and more commonplace, brands, small businesses, micro-entrepreneurs, and side-hustlers that don't adopt this strategy will likely be left behind. (Note that pretty much covers everybody doing business!)

However, fear of being left behind isn't the only factor that should galvanize you into taking action on the personalization front. Data shows that those who have implemented personalization tactics in their SMS marketing efforts are already seeing quantifiable improvements in ROI.

Customize Your SMS Content

Millennials also prefer branded content that is relevant and authentic, which is where your texting program comes in. By tailoring your messages to a millennial audience, you can create customized content that will resonate with this generation.

Indeed, text marketing that's all about "keeping it real" allows you to create more engaging, one-on-one relationships. That's especially true if you open it up to allow for responses.

By simply responding to a millennial's text, you can show them that you're listening and care about their feedback.

Provide Social Proof

A common sight on many business websites is testimonials. They're a form of social proof, and companies place them on their digital assets because they effectively sway customers' opinions.

Various forms of social proof also work in SMS marketing campaigns, particularly on millennial shoppers. Take reviews, for example. Statistics show that 91 percent of millennials trust reviews as much as endorsements from friends and family.

Simple ways to include social proof in your SMS marketing campaigns include the following methods. Invite your customers to view reviews, testimonials, and case studies and then link to them in your text.

You can also mention relevant milestones or data in your texts, such as, "Just reached our first 1K followers on Instagram. Come follow us for daily fashion posts if you haven't already!"

Be Transparent

Millennials are looking for transparency. They want to know where their cash is going and how it is being used. They also want to know whether a business's values align with theirs.

In response to this, many companies are becoming more transparent in their business practices. They are providing millennials with the information they crave. As a result, millennials are increasingly spending their time and money with companies they feel good about supporting.

One way you can be transparent in your SMS marketing is to send out texts that highlight any efforts you make at helping your local community. You can also provide actual data explaining why your prices have increased or how customers can see "behind the scenes" in your business.

Takeaways

In today's competitive business world, every edge counts. And SMS could be the edge that you need to take your business to the next level. SMS enables you to reach out to your millennial customers directly, fostering better communication and stronger relationships.

Successfully marketing to millennials requires understanding what they respond to and crafting unique experiences that add value. It's also important to be transparent and personalize their journey by ensuring you tailor every touchpoint to their specific needs.

Finally, remember that 70% of all mobile activity by millennials is spent texting and scrolling through social media. This means that if you want your communications to be seen, you need to deliver them where Millenials are spending their time—on their phones.