Young professionals – Who are they? How do we reach them? How do we keep them engaged? This group of hardworking philanthropic 20 and 30 somethings continues to perplex nonprofit and for-profit organizations alike.
This time last year, I wrote a Teak Talk blog post about direct-to-consumer summer marketing tactics targeting this age group, including meeting young people where they are by hosting free outdoor pop up classes and events and making things more accessible to them by offering reduced priced packages and kits. But, what happens after you activate them through a one-day fundraiser or purchase?
Here are three tips for keeping young professionals engaged with your brand:
1. Spend less to reach more.
Gone are the days where the companies that make the largest ad buys have the loudest voices. In today’s world, it’s not about having the most blanketed ad campaigns or location of ads placed. Rather, it’s about authenticity and constant direct peer-to-peer communication with consumers.
According to a consumer report on millennial trends, only one percent of millennials say they are influenced by traditional advertising. How brands position and talk about themselves has little influence. The same report indicates 62 percent of millennials are more loyal to brands that engage directly with customers on social media and 43.5 percent of millennials reportedly use social media to learn and talk about products or services, meaning their biggest influences and those they inspire are their friends and followers.
The lesson: Spend less on advertising by leveraging your organization’s social media channels, so that you have more time and money to invest in your mission, products and those served.
2. Talk about your impact.
Charitable and social missions are now ingrained in company cultures and nonprofits are often involved in more events and programming that extend beyond their core programs. However, both entities are less apt to toot their own horns in this department. But, you should!
A millennial CSR study revealed 91 percent of millennials are likely to switch brands to one that is associated with a good cause, given similar price and quality and 85 percent of American adults are willing to switch brands to one of similar price and quality that supports a good cause.
The lesson: Don’t be afraid to talk about your organization’s values and impact within communities as this work authentically sets you apart from your competitors and entices millennials to try your brand.
3. Always say thank you.
Despite ugly monikers like the “selfie generation” or “me, me, me” generation, millennials are very manners-minded. Sending a personalized thank you after young professionals attend an event or purchase a product can go a long way with cultivating customer/donor retention and brand loyalty. However, this does not mean sending snail mail thank you letters or flooding email inboxes.
A donor engagement study reports approximately 55 percent of millennial donors, ages 18 to 34, say that text messages from charities are desirable or acceptable. Young donors also indicated that specific types of communications – personal stories, updates and thank-you notes – enhance feelings of connection and involvement with organizations.
