Blog Post

Creating a B2B Marketing Plan That Targets Millennials

  • By Mark Baker
  • 28 Sep, 2015
If you've been in the B2B industry for a long time, you've probably had a marketing plan in place that targeted Baby Boomers or Generation X. These generations have likely been your key buyers since you first opened your doors. However, as Baby Boomers begin to retire and Generation X becomes middle aged, creating a B2B marketing plan that targets Millennials is imperative, as they are becoming adults, starting businesses, and are in need of the products that you offer.

If you need definitive proof that Millennials are usurping the older buyer demographics, recent evidence shows that half of all B2B searchers are of the younger generation. This may surprise you, especially if you've done things the same way for more than a couple of decades.

The question now is how you can effectively approach this younger generation and capture their attention. Here’s the bottom line: while Millennials still want information about your items, they've already done research on you and want further info through more vibrant and entertaining formats.


INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING BLOGS

The standard blog never goes away when it comes to content marketing, especially for B2B businesses. Millennials can find information about your products through the blog venue, as long as you craft your posts without any hard-sell tactics.

One thing the younger generation doesn't like is spam bombardment. You can see why, when you consider that they've grown up with the Internet intertwined into their lives.

Make your blogs worth their time with information that combines a style of writing that mimics a personal note to a friend. There isn't any need to write in an overly formal way just because you sell industrial products to companies, for example.

It's also important to address typical problems your young buyers face. You can do this easily with guest blogs from your star employees who have industry expertise to pass on.


MORE VISUAL CONTENT

Let's face it: Those who've grown up in the last 20 to 25 years have seen more visual content become the norm on social media and other online formats. These 20-somethings have assimilated the video culture and understand that videos provide quicker ways to absorb information when time is short.

With careers being busier for the younger generation, they'll prefer videos from you about behind-the-scenes information related to your products. Provide them a short series of videos that show how you make your products, a personal tour of your company, or that tell stories about where you came from.

All of these video elements can incorporate the personal elements that Millennials prefer, while also educating them about how your products are made. This helps them make quicker decisions about whom they really want to buy from.

MAKING YOURSELF MOBILE

There is nothing more important in capturing a younger demographic than making your B2B business as mobile friendly as possible. Despite all ages using mobile devices now to communicate or find information, Millennials are more adapted to it since they've used them their entire lives.

As with all mobile users, they want information fast without delays. Make sure your B2B website uses responsive design so it fits mobile screens. All of your marketing content ultimately needs to be designed so that it's easy to consume on a mobile screen. Millennials need info in seconds rather than minutes, which is why videos work so well.

Ultimately, many of your buyers are possibly young business people from the Millennial generation. They process marketing content differently from past generations, and they require different marketing approaches from their generational predecessors.
Mark Baker

Mark Baker is a natural artist. Since starting his first business hand painting graphics onto vehicles in high school, Mark gained experience in the entertainment, sports, and retail industries before founding this company in 1993. Honest and pragmatic, Mark knows that anything can be accomplished with a great communication plan and creative thinking. 

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