Are you prepared for the next generation (the Millennials)?

Yesterday I stopped at McDonald’s. A new item called the McWrap was on the drive-through menu. It is basically a chicken burrito. It made me wonder, “Why would McDonald’s add this new item to their menu?” A company the size of McDonald’s doesn’t make this kind of change on a whim. I decided to do some digging, and found that McDonald’s designed the McWrap to appeal to Millennials.

Who or what are Millennials?

Millennials are today’s generation of young adults. They go by many names: Generation Y, the Net Generation, Echo Boomers and Millennials. They span from high-school seniors to 30-somethings (18-34). This generation has roughly the same number of people as the Baby Boomers.

As a group, Millennials are hyper-connected and incredibly social. They tend to want to personalize everything. They interact with the world using technology. They’re young adults, many of whom are now in their earning prime. Now is the ideal time to bring them into your dealership and start a lifelong relationship.

Ready or not, here they come!

To keep your business strong, make adjustments now to connect with the next generation of powersports buyers. A few modifications may help nudge Millennials into your dealership and away from your competition.

• Make your website mobile friendly. Millennials are mobile. According to comScore, Millennials make up 51 percent of total unique retail website visitors who use smartphones to view retail websites. In order to stay competitive and engage with the next generation of powersports buyers, it is imperative that you have a mobile-friendly website. The site needs to be easy to navigate, as well as provide fast and accurate information for on-the-go browsers.
• Find them on social media. Millennials hang out on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. According to a report from Scarborough Research, this age group is 53 percent more likely than all U.S. adults to feel that social media sites are very important for finding information, including information about your business. If you haven’t already, use social media to connect with your Millennial customers. Each social media site provides plenty of help to set up a business account.
• Use radio. Wait, What? You read that right. Use radio. The first music video on MTV was Video Killed the Radio Star. Well, the radio star appears to be back from the dead, at least for Millennials. In any given week, 67 million Millennials listen to the radio (RADAR 115 National Radio Listening Report). Make sure part of your advertising and marketing mix includes spots on your local radio station. Consider using the station’s Facebook page as a forum to communicate with your potential customers, or maybe co-sponsor an event with the station. 

Winning Tip: Combine all three. On a radio spot, tell folks to look you up on their smartphone and “like” you on Facebook.

Long-term business success depends on new customers. Learning to attract Millennials will keep your business running strong for years to come.

Like all members of 50 Below, an ARI company, Ben Borchert wants to help powersports dealers help their customers. Ben uses his skills as a Marketing Analyst and Writer to empower, educate, and advise dealers in the ever-changing realm of online marketing. To view more of Ben’s articles visit www.50below.com/knowledge.

Website: www.50below.com