As the wheel turns and Millennials become more populous in the workplace, we are no doubt finding that the communication styles in the office are being affected. True, we will probably never accept that “gud” or “K” are suitable responses to – well – anything, but there are key elements of this communication style that we can use effectively when engaging in marketing to Millennials.
With so many messaging platforms available, it’s interesting to know that even our tech-savvy and spoilt-for-choice Millennials prefer communication via SMS, especially when it comes to ‘business’. It seems that this cost-effective and instant communication choice isn’t going out of fashion at any point in the near future.
Why Choose SMS When Marketing to Millennials?
Throw-away & cheap
Most mobile service providers offer contracts which provide for a limited amount of airtime, a set amount of data … and then throw in a gazillion SMS messages. Our young professionals (as with the rest of us) are happy to use these free messages and find them especially useful when they have run out of data or are outside a wi-fi zone.
Always On
We’ve all had that moment where we’re waiting for an important message and we see that we’re out of data. This is one of the key reasons that SMS marketing continues its meteoric rise to success because no matter what – as a business, your message will be delivered. There are no ‘subject to’ clause here, which makes your marketing just that much more effective.
Reminders & offers
An SMS is a brilliantly effective way of sending appointment reminders, special offers, discounts or statements. As a rule, these messages are concise – a very real positive in our fast-paced and communication-laden world. Millennials love to keep it simple, and an SMS does just that.
Compatible with all networks
It doesn’t matter which network your audience is subscribed to, all you need is their number to communicate your product or service with them. So, whether they are in the middle of suburbia, or out on the farm, your message will come through loud and clear.
They don’t like to talk
Have you noticed how often Millennials will text rather than talk? It’s not just your imagination, it’s a real thing. In fact, findings have shown that using their phone to make actual calls only ranks fifth on their list of most-used activities. Perhaps growing up in an instant messaging environment is the reason behind this, or maybe it’s just what they find most comfortable. Either way, if you are targeting Millennials in your marketing then know that they will be more inclined to engage with you via SMS than if you were to call them.
Paper trail
Okay, so an SMS isn’t exactly paper, but you can see where we’re going. If you are making an appointment, confirming details, sending links, authorising via OTP, it’s good practice to have it all down in writing – with a time stamp. That way everyone is on the same page, and our young folk can double check instead of second guess.
It’s clear that SMS is a great way to communicate with Millennials, create engaging marketing messages, and remind them of important events.
SMS is for Everyone
However, the benefits of reaching your audience via SMS does not stop with anyone under the age of 25. Not a chance.
For all the reasons listed above, everyone who has a cellphone (and not even a smartphone!) can be safely included in your next SMS marketing campaign. Whoever we are targeting, our SMS should be polite, concise, and easy to follow – as should be the case with any communication channel.
Indeed, the fundamentals of good communication will remain, and the SMS will remain a channel of choice – whether we’re marketing to Millennials or any other demographic.
