Capture His Gen Y Interest.
According to Luxury Society, “Gen Y’s annual spending power exceeds $200 billion and they also influence another $50 billion in purchases. By 2017, Gen Y will eclipse Boomers in spending power.”
When creating a plan for marketing to Generation Y (1977- 1994), remember one important fact—we’re completely wired in to technology. Whether checking Facebook on cell phones or playing video games, members of Generation Y are much more tech-savvy at a younger age than previous generations. Generation Y was born with cell phones in hand, so it’s a natural progression that we essentially only communicate by way of cell phone. The population of Generation Y is also very accustomed to instant gratification. We are a generation that gets what we want when we want it. If you keep these factors in mind when you put together a plan for marketing a product to Generation Y men, you’ll be off to a good start.
Gen Y Men Appreciate Brevity
Generation Y men are masters of multi-tasking and many have short attention spans. One Generation Y male said, “If you can’t tell me what you’re selling and why I need it in fifteen seconds, you’ve lost my attention.” In his article, “We Aren’t Sissies”, Josip Petrusa acknowledges that most Gen Y men are guilty of break ups via text. He comments, One thing is for sure, it definitely saves you hours and hours of your time.”
Marketing needs to reach men fast and be easy to understand. If you choose to market via Facebook or email, create a quick read. Write a two-to-three sentence description and add a picture. Make it easy to look at and understand, and even better, make it easy to forward to others.
Gen Y Peers Hold the Keys
Generation Y men will often ask friends’ opinions before purchasing big ticket items like computers or vehicles. Because everyone has access to social networks, such as Facebook, through their cell phones, it’s easy to quickly ask for friends’ opinions of certain products and to have the feedback at your fingertips. The majority of information any one person hears about a subject comes from friends. If friends like the product, the Gen Y male will be more likely to purchase the same product.
Overall, there are a few simple things to remember when marketing to Generation Y men:
1. Gen Y men have technology at their fingertips.
2. Gen Y men respond better when the advertisements are short and to-the-point.
3. Gen Y men rely on the recommendations of friends.
If you remember these factors, you’ll be able to put together an effective advertising campaign to market your product to the men of Generation Y.
~Holly
