Pulse November 2016 | Page 32

SOCIAL MEDIA SECRETS FOR ATTRACTING MILLENNIALS
( CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 )
4 . EMPOWER PERSONALIZATION . Entitle us to our personal style . We all think we are different , unique , one-of-akind . Blame it on the everyone-gets-a-trophy disaster of the 80s and 90s . Regardless , ask us to co-create with you . We like to feel that we play a leading role in our own experiences . Even if we can add our own flavors , ingredients or names in a small way , it helps the moment to resonate deeper with us . We love the sound of our own names . I ’ ll never forget checking into the Montage Beverly Hills for a spa weekend and my pillows had “ G ” on them for Gargan . They let me choose from five different essential oils to complement my massage , and allowed me to choose whatever ingredients I wanted for my facial . It was so unique , of course I posted it on Instagram and tagged Montage in a matter of minutes ! Even if you can ’ t have monogrammed robes , towels or pillowcases with all 26 letters of the alphabet , integrating some kind of personalized touch or allowing us to be a part of the creative process works wonders to organically incentivize the social share .
churning out every single day .
Social media is very time-consuming and takes immense effort and energy to properly harness and convert into revenue . Unfortunately ( or fortunately ), what are your other options ? Today ’ s digital buyer does not respond to interruptive advertising , prefers exclusive quality over a deal , and values opinions of friends and even online strangers over anything a business ever says about itself . Today ’ s shift from the power of paid media to the power of earned media is called “ earned ” for a reason . Like improving your health or developing friendships , it takes time . Focus on aligning your strategy to deliver against these key foundational social success secrets and watch your business grow faster than you could ever imagine . n
Millennials , who are social media savvy , can help amplify your brand through their online influence .
5 . AMPLIFY INFLUENCERS . Tastemakers and trendsetters — every business has at least a handful of these “ cool kid ” customers . Shower them with unforgettable experiences . Change their lives in your own special way . Capture them ( with hyper-flattering creative polish ) enjoying those moments and make it turnkey for them to share with their followers and friends . Sometimes your influencers are unexpected — the book club mom , the college athlete , the executive — all of these types of buyers have a multitude of connections on social media that follow their every move . Equip them with powerful stories to tell about you and your business . Degrees of separation have rapidly shrunk in today ’ s digital networks , so you never know who knows who . Research your buyers ’ social footprints to ensure you never miss a golden opportunity for brand endorsements . Use them to put a microphone and a spotlight around all the magic your business is
ERIN GARGAN is a national speaker , author and Founder of Socialite Agency ( socialite . agency ), a social media marketing firm that provides consulting , training and support for various industries . Erin ’ s clients include The Oscars , VISA ,
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week , Nelson
Mandela ’ s Legacy of Hope Foundation , wedding . com and others . She was named one of Orange County Business Journal ’ s “ Women in Business ” and has been featured in Forbes Magazine .
TO DOWNLOAD a PDF of Gargan ’ s Professional Development Session presentation at this year ’ s ISPA Conference & Expo , click here . Plus , to know more about millennial preferences , download the seventh volume of the Consumer Snapshot Initiative Research , launched at this year ’ s ISPA Conference . The report is available at experienceispa . com .
30 PULSE ■ November 2016