By Alex McEachern, Customer Loyalty Specialist at Sweet Tooth Rewards
Through a special arrangement, what follows is a summary of an article from COLLOQUY, provider of loyalty marketing publishing, education and research since 1990.
I have heard every stereotype under the sun for my generation. We are lazy, have no work ethic and the attention span of a peanut. We are entitled and can’t disconnect from our phones.
These perceptions are not necessarily all false, just embellished. You may think my generation will only bounce between brands, but a well-tailored loyalty program can attract — and retain — Millennials.
- Don’t tell us, show us: In-your-face advertising is completely lost on Millennials. We all have ad blockers, we don’t watch traditional media and we hate being told what to do. Don’t try to ram your program down customers’ throats. Don’t try to chase us around the internet with retargeting and paid ads. Make your program visible, present the benefits and make it compelling enough for us to want to join.
- We are social and proud of it: We share every aspect of our lives on social media. We don’t just use social media to share what we are up to; we use it to consume information and news. So first, promote the loyalty program via social media and then use it to expand your program’s reach. Millennials love to share; we just need a reason.
- We have short attention spans: Millennials are not lazy. But growing up with computers, the internet and mobile apps means we have little patience to learn something new. Make your program visual. Keep visuals at the forefront of design and use them to explain your program. Outline the benefits, as well as how members earn points and what rewards they can get. Simply saying “sign up for bonus points” is going to be lost on Millennials. We like to be informed.
- We value status rewards: Some might call us entitled and this is semi-true. As a generation, we strive to do better and have more than our peers and our parents. A tiered program taking advantage of gamification can move customers into different tiers based on objectives or milestones — for example, awarding members “silver” status when they purchase $500 in a year and “gold” at $1,000. Playing on our desire to be the best can encourage extra spending and engagement.