helpful , inspired , jealous , amused or excited do warrant a share every single time . Are you cultivating content and experiences with share-ability in mind ?
So how can your spa business adapt to this reality and “ earn ” millennial attention and revenue more effectively using social media ?
The obvious answer you already know is to provide them with a dynamic experience that vastly exceeds their expectations so they will naturally share it with friends and family . Ideally , they will take this action independent of you begging , bugging or incentivizing them . For viral share insurance , make sure you understand and implement these five cornerstones of social media success for marketing to millennials :
1 . TECH YEAH ! Experiment with every crazy new network out there to find what works for you . Yes ! Snapchat ! Even if you don ’ t know what you are doing , it contributes to your first-mover brand persona , which impacts your technology , products and staff being perceived as the latest and the best in your field . The landscape in these new social channels is not crowded yet so you also gain an edge in the undersaturation from competitors .
According to data from Deloitte , we check our mobile phones 74 times a day on average . From on-demand transportation to taco delivery and money transfers , we are accustomed to frictionless , mobile experiences every day of our lives . Ensure that ordering your products , booking your treatments , and paying for transactions is simple , shareable and designed for mobile interaction . Also make sure that any visual content you create is optimized for consumption on a tiny five-inch screen . What looks stunning on television or desktop does not translate onto smaller viewing devices like tablets and smartphones .
The irony of living with our phones glued to our hands is that we hate actually talking on them . In today ’ s world , calling your millennial customers and clients is viewed as intrusive , presumptuous and prioritizing your needs over ours . We don ’ t want to call you because small talk is inefficient . We just want to browse , book and pay seamlessly using apps . The MindBody booking app might be the greatest app of all time . No , the DryBar ’ s app is . Ah , actually I love them all ! Calling a spa to make three appointments which takes an average of seven minutes on the phone ? Grrrrr .
2 . SHOW , DON ’ T TELL . The length of this sentence is 24 words , the average number of words a millennial can read during his or her eight-second-long attention span . With all of the notifications we get , we switch digital platforms an average of 27 times an hour . We are “ lean forward , add , click-awayfrom-YouTube-videos-in-2.2 seconds and non-reading ” moving targets . We are obsessed with videos more than any other
Millennials value companies that do social good .
media . Look at the rise of emoticons , GIFs , memes , infographics and video-streaming and sharing ! We are circling back to the caveman or hieroglyphic days when pictures tell every story . It takes all of our brains much longer time to process texts over images , so keep this in mind the next time you are creating long brochures , pamphlets , postcards or textheavy web pages . Whatever you are trying to communicate to us , remember to replace words with images whenever possible . Descriptions , processes and instructions should be short , simple , shareable and packed with visual imagery to educate us most effectively .
3 . SOCIAL GOOD RULES . Recruit us to your purpose as an organization . Communicate your mission in an emotional way . As the “ change the world ” generation , we need to understand the “ why ” behind you and your cause . ( Thank you , Simon Sinek !) We gravitate toward brands that are part of something bigger than themselves . Actions you ’ d like us to take should be simple and straightforward . TOMS , Warby Parker , Ethos Water — we cannot get enough of the idea that what we are purchasing and experiencing is helping someone less fortunate somewhere . Communicate your mission clearly , deliver on your promises authentically , and we will be your customers for life .
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28 PULSE ■ November 2016