How to target millennials with your digital signage campaign

Next-Gen Digital Signage

How to Cater Your Digital Signage Campaign Towards Millennials

Millennials are a very special demographic. They came of age just as the Internet and mobile technology came into global prominence. While they may have spent their childhood using landline phones, VHS recorders and walkmans, these inventions are now like ancient artifacts to them. Wireless technology is now a part of their everyday life. For marketers, it would make all the sense in the world to cater their digital signage marketing towards this demographic.

Why Millennials Matter

There are roughly 80 million American Millennials; this demographic was in their teens or early adults just as the Internet was getting off the ground. They also make up a large sector when it comes to spending, accounting for roughly $600 billion in annual revenue for businesses.

Millennials are also the trendsetters, meaning that they dictate what technology or practice becomes the next big thing and which fades into obscurity. This is where they differ from the generation that came before them. With tools of convenience like smartphones and tablets, they are more likely to shop online or use their mobile devices to compare prices even while at a brick-and-mortar store.

The Buying Behavior of Millennials

While it may be true that millennials have a bigger taste for online shopping, this doesn’t mean that in-store shopping is falling out of favor. On the contrary, many millennials attest that they still crave the in-store experience simply because there is no substitute for the feeling of actually being able to touch, feel, and look at merchandise in person. Millennials simply make use of the diverse array of shopping options available at their disposal.

How to Market to Millennials

With this generation, static signs and posters simply aren’t going to work. Digital signage employment is the best option, though it has to be done right. The following are some general facts about millennials and how digital signage provides a solution compatible with their buying behavior.

• Product Research is a Must– For this generation, being well informed is almost a prerequisite before buying anything. This is why digital signage should partly be used to showcase product specifications. Use touchscreen features to allow customers to navigate the screen and look up the details at their own leisure. This is especially useful for promoting a product launch or to boost sales of a product that is underselling.
• Provide Freebies– Millennials are always on the move and will hardly stop for anything unless there is something in it for them. To actually get this demographic to stop and look at a digital signage ad, provide something free in return for 10 seconds of their time. Freebies could include exclusive downloadable content or coupon codes that can be accessed by scanning a QR code, answering a few questions, or playing an interactive game using the screen’s touchscreen feature.
• Incorporate Social Media– This demographic is all about tweets, selfies and anything social media. How can this be incorporated into digital signage? One creative way is to use the digital signage display as a photo booth with background templates related to the business industry. Once the photo is taken, allow customers to access the downloaded photo by agreeing to “like” the company’s Facebook page.
• Incorporate Loyalty Programs – There is a myth out there that millennials have very little interest in loyalty programs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. This group very much enjoys incentives awarded for continued patronage. Heavily advertise your loyalty programs on your digital displays. Use videos, visual stills, and texts to outline the program details. This should include how they can sign up, the benefits, and the requirements in order to take full advantage of those benefits.

Millennials make up a huge chunk of the spending demographic. This is the group most privy to online technology and taking advantage of its perks. Cater heavily to them, and they will respond in kind.