They’re glued to their cellphones, speak a language that didn’t exist twenty years ago and lose interest in trends before they even start.

With their increasing earning potential, this generation is becoming the target market for many businesses. The thing is that you can’t market to these individuals like you used to with previous generations. They’re continuously changing the marketing landscape. So, how do you market to millennials?

Well, here’s how not to …

Don’t try to speak their language

No, not all millennials communicate in acronyms and incomplete sentences. They don’t all say “on fleek” and nobody says “YOLO” anymore. Even those who use these terms can tell when someone who doesn’t get them is using them. They understand real words and if you communicate with them in an honest way, they’ll appreciate it.

Don’t shove advertising in their faces

Millennials don’t like being bombarded with advertising and it’s getting harder and harder to reach them with traditional advertising. They’re ditching their TV sets at a record rate so they simply aren’t responding to TV commercials, which used to be the best way to target the youth. Another thing about this generation is that they’ve learned to tune out the advertising that gets shoved in their face.

If you want to reach this audience, you’re going to have to take a different approach.

Don’t try to trick them

You can’t confuse them with special offers and limited editions, they will do their research. When making a big purchase millennials will often consult blogs and reviews before deciding on a product or a brand. If you’re dishonest in your marketing they won’t trust your brand and you’ll have lost their business (probably for good).

Don’t talk down to them

A “We’re the experts and you’re not” attitude will not get you very far with millennials. Never try to tell them that you know what they need more than they do. They live in an online world where they can become an expert on any topic with a few a clicks and the right websites.

You’ve gone through all the research, you’ve gotten your asset finance and you’ve developed a product that deserves to be bought. So, don’t waste all that hard work and money by missing the mark with marketing.

For more information on Rogerwilco, visit www.rogerwilco.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.