Are you looking for new and innovative ways to promote your business? If so, you are not alone.
The truth is that promotion methods have evolved a lot since the advent of the internet and social media channels.
Traditional methods like billboards, which were quite effective, expensive, and only available to blue chips, have taken a backseat as modern technology-driven promotional techniques burst onto the marketing scene.
That’s to say, what worked in yesteryears may not be effective today. So how do you stay ahead and attract new generations of consumers?
In this post, we highlight four strategies to do so. Remember that some promotional strategies require extra cash, and you may need to learn how to apply for a microloan to avail of this budget.
Use social media platforms
Social media has grown big. According to Statista, there are roughly 223 million social media users in the US as of 2020, and the lion’s share of these are young people.
According to SproutSocial data, the population of the young generation on social media channels come is as follows:
- Facebook: 31.1% of users are aged 25-34, spending 33 minutes per day on the platform
- Instagram: 31% of users are aged 18-24, while 31.5% are aged 25-34, with the average user spending 29 minutes per day on the platform.
- TikTok: 25% of users are aged 10-19. The average user spends 89 minutes per day on the platform.
- Twitter: 42% of users are between 18-29, and the average user spends 31 minutes on the platform.
These stats show that young people are highly engaged on social media channels. That makes platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and others great places to meet young people where they spend their leisure time, promote your brand, showcase your products, and drive brand engagement.
And with 40% of Gen Z saying that they are influenced by products they see on social media platforms like TikTok, you’ll be losing big if your enterprise doesn’t have a solid social media presence.
Make use of influencers who have a large following among young people
For a long time, brands and savvy entrepreneurs have known the role of celebrities, like athletes, musicians, and actors, in spreading the word about their business and promoting their products and services.
With the rise of the internet and social media, a new class of “celebrities” is called influencers.
These people have a large following on social media channels and are sometimes called thought leaders because their followers trust them and buy their ideas.
To reach millennials and Gen Z, you need to understand the influencers they resonate with. They may be YouTubers, Instagrammers, or TikTok and Snapchat influencers who appeal to this demographic group.
You can start with a micro-influencer with 1k to 100k social media followers. They are almost 7x more cost-effective but drive more engagement and conversions than celebrities and influencers with a more significant following.
Sponsor events or activities that are popular among young people
Giving back to the community is a great way to reach out to young people and promote your brand. That involves engaging in community activities and sponsoring events and causes in line with your company values.
And since you want to appeal to the young generation, you want to engage them with fun activities that they love, and there are so many events and activities that are popular among young people, including:
- Parties
- Computer gaming competitions
- Hiking & rock climbing events
- Games and sports activities during weekends
- Music festivals
- Toy Drives
You can also take this a notch higher with workshops for young people, running a mentorship program to help the young generation in your area navigate the challenge of youth, donating branded school supplies that carry your business logo and messaging, and running a scholarship program, and more.
All these help to show that you care about the community’s wellbeing, and as word spreads around about what you’re doing for the people, they will reward you with increased foot traffic and more sales.
Appeal to the sense of adventure and curiosity of young people with your marketing messages
You won’t make a sale if you try to reach the young generation with a pure advertisement message. That’s what they see on TV and online all the time.
To grab their attention, you need to create fresh, unique, and interactive content that they can relate to. For instance, you can take a video or dynamic photos of user-generated content that shows your products in use or action, then post them on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.
Let your messaging be creative, highlighting the specific problem your product or service is trying to solve and how it will help make their everyday lives easier.
How to apply for a microloan
It takes money to sponsor community events, partner with influencers, and hire a digital marketer to promote your brand online.
A Microloan can help you top up your marketing budget and fund such activities without creating a cash flow crisis in your business.
Visit the link in the intro to learn how to apply for a microloan
