Notorious for having their eyes constantly glued to a screen, their fingers continually tapping out a text message and their ears forever covered by headphones, the Millennial generation can seem like an almost impossible group of people to reach. But seemingly impossible or not, the reality is that Millennials are getting older and starting to make their own healthcare decisions – so marketing to this group should by now be a “must” on every healthcare marketer’s to-do list.
Follow these tips to best capture the attention – and trust – of the infamous Generation Y.
1. Engage in social media.
Use Facebook and Twitter to post industry news, health tips, staff updates and more. Millennials will appreciate your willingness to communicate with them on their level. Plus, if you use social media to consistently post helpful information, over time Millennials will come to view your healthcare organization as one that genuinely cares about their health and well-being – a crucial image that will likely translate to more Millennials choosing your healthcare organization over the competition.
2. Ditch the hard sell.
Of course you want consumers to choose your healthcare organization for all their medical needs – but don’t be too obvious about it. Millennials are especially adverse to blatant advertising attempts and tend to react negatively toward pushy sales tactics.
Instead, try positioning your organization as a friendly and compassionate healthcare partner. Opt for an educational tone with your marketing materials. Millennials place special importance on the advice of friends, so use that knowledge to your advantage. Informal, conversational messaging on your marketing pieces emulates the style of a friend advising a close confidante, and will likely elicit a more positive response from Millennials than more traditional styles of messaging.
3. Remember that communication is a two-way street.
Millennials, in general, are extremely confident. So eager are they to share their thoughts and opinions that they’re often dubbed an inherently narcissistic generation. Whether narcissists or not, there is some truth to the idea that Millennials want – and expect – organizations to listen to their opinions and cater to their needs.
Keep this in mind and give Millennials the opportunity to provide feedback or ask questions about your healthcare organization. Just be sure to do your due diligence by following through and listening to their comments. Asking for their thoughts but failing to give credence to their observations will be viewed as a snub, which may prompt Millennials to write you off as an untrustworthy healthcare organization.
So there you have it – our top three tips for marketing to Millennials. Do you have Millennial marketing tips you’d like to share? We want to hear from you! Drop us a line in the “Comments” section below and let us know how your healthcare organization is targeting Generation Y.