As a communications major entering my senior year at Stockton University, I understand the value that marketing brings to any company that’s seeking to further promote themselves. Without marketing, how would anything be heard? How would important dates be known?
In today’s world, the importance of marketing is evident for almost anything: associations, companies, events, etc., and it’s important to mold your marketing techniques in ways that can reach people of all ages, such as the use of social media marketing.
Specifically speaking about associations, the younger generation (specifically my generation Z) can be harder to reach, making it hard for organizations to target new members for the years ahead. Here are some ways to capture my attention, a 21-year-old college student, through various marketing techniques and social media outlets.
If you’d ask me how often I check my social media sources per day, I would almost be too embarrassed to answer. I seem to be constantly refreshing my Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook accounts all over again. You name it, I have it.
Social media outlets catch my attention in various formats. If I am on Twitter, photo retweets catch my attention first and foremost; I love photography, and I always think a message is delivered in a much stronger fashion when a photo is in the mix, rather than simply using text.
Twitter is the number one social media outlet I try first when I am searching for exciting content, and the number one outlet I believe would be the most beneficial for an association to utilize to capture the younger audience.
I think it’s the minimal use of strong words that really gets me: I’d much rather catch the synopsis of an interesting topic in 140 characters or less, rather than reading lengthy paragraphs the first time around. With this in mind, it is important for associations to make marketing decisions based off the habits of the younger generations. The goal is to establish a personal connection between the viewer and the content that is being delivered, and this can be accomplished with photos, promotional events, and with exclusive content that helps young adults understand that organizations can relate to their lives.
With this, associations would gain many younger members. They could even further establish a relationship by offering digital webinars for more learning opportunities, or even offer student discounts. It is these kinds of marketing tactics that can help associations reach the younger generation and it’s important for them to do so. Why? Because everyone today is utilizing at least one form of social media, with younger adults taking the prize for using them most.
I recently learned that my three-year-old cousin and his little brother share an iPad. Ridiculous, I know, but it proves my point. Associations would reach new heights if their content were delivered in ways that are attention-grabbing and, for lack of a better term, fun.
By keeping this in mind, any association should have no problem capturing the attention of the younger generation, and in return, become a stronger organization.
Read our blog from a member of Generation Y on the best ways he feels that he is reached through marketing.
