If the 16-24 year old crowd is your target, you already know you need to use the social networks. Knowing HOW to address this group is much harder. As highlighted by the San Clara panel the Next Generation is always on, always connected and always communicating with friends. To get inside this inner circle you need to be invited or endorsed by someone already in the circle. Banging on the door unannounced will result in resentment, tuning out, and potentially long-term damage to your brand.
How can you get invited into the circle?
One way is to engage consumers where they play…concerts, festivals or school events. Create an environment where the audience can test, play and interact with your product and you will be surprised at how many “influencer makers” will recommend you to members of their circle.
Another successful marketing strategy is to turn your product into a “friend.” Herbal Essence has infiltrated social networking sites like MySpace and YouTube with its “clubs,” where customers can declare their affinity for the brand and share ideas. The brand has also created conversations on teen discussion boards, like Aimgirl and Veggieboard.
The bottom line when marketing to the Next Generation is that finding them is not hard. The hard part is talking to them without offending them. Discover the “influence makers” within your target market and focus on how to best interact with them. Then let the “influence makers’ become the evangelists for your product or service within their circle.
{ 0 comments… add one now }