How To Reach & Connect to a Younger Audience

By Jim Hollis 

Whether you’re expanding your workforce to include younger employees, or you notice your clients are in a younger age group, it’s important to know how to reach and connect with this demographic. The way you appeal to and communicate with baby boomers is not going to work with Gen Z, and vice versa. We’ll dive into everything you need to know to work with and sell to a younger audience.

Benefits of Hiring Younger Demographics

One of the best reasons to seek out and hire younger workers is to gain different perspectives. It helps to have fresh eyes (and fresh eyes who’ve had different experiences) on processes you may have been doing for a decade. Every business falls into the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” trap at some point, and having a younger person review what you do is a great way to step out of your comfort zone and see if maybe there is a new and better way to do something.

Another great reason is younger demographics tend to be better with technology, and that includes knowing what social media trends are hot at the moment. Your social media marketing is more likely to be on trend if you have a younger person tackle it. Even just adding a popular hashtag or commenting on an influencer’s video can increase your social engagement.

The Appeal of Eco-Friendly & Healthy Options

Younger demographics care about the environment. This is so crucial when it comes to selling promotional products. If your end-buyer is in a younger demographic, you’ll want to point out features like recycled materials and suppliers who donate back to environmental nonprofits. Do your best to only pitch reusable promo, as a one-and-done item is not going to be a fit. Think about reusable drinkware, journals with recycled paper, clothing with recycled materials, items with bamboo features, etc. Young consumers will pay more for a product or service solely because it is a sustainable good or contributes to environmental efforts. Don’t be afraid to pitch a product that has a slightly higher price tag as long as it has an environmental benefit.

Similarly, this age group cares deeply about their health and what they are doing to their bodies. When you’re pitching promo, look for products that are organic, all-natural or chemical-free. Promoting ingredients or health benefits can bolster your relationship, establish trust and credibility and improve your reputation. Look for suppliers who tout using natural products when you’re pitching to younger audiences.

Tap Into Emotions With Social Media

To connect with younger audiences, make sure you’re posting content that’s engaging and personable. Then, you’ll make the viewer want to be a part of your company’s culture. Many businesses have been successful in creating and posting materials that are engaging, relatable, interesting and humorous. Tapping into a viewer’s emotions, whether it be something they are passionate about or using humor to attract them, creates a connection between the business and the consumer. It helps level two parties and seems to remove any hierarchical opinions one might have of the company. The top platforms to use are Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Since social media plays such a large role in communicating with consumers, keeping up with viral videos and trends reaches current and potential customers. Adding a touch of humor and your own spin on these trends resonates well with viewers. Finding an influencer or celebrity to promote your business gives viewers an admired figure whose opinions and recommendations they trust. These influencers have built a reputation and accumulated a following that they, simply put, influence. This is great for brand awareness and allows you to more accurately target viewers.

Outside of selling and connecting with customers, you can use social media to attract employees too. A current trend in the business world is taking advantage of employee programs. For younger employees, it’s very important for their employer to have a welcoming and comfortable environment, which might include perks, discounts or ways to build relationships with coworkers. Similarly, a company that is environmentally conscious or has community service opportunities is well-perceived by this age group. At ASI, some employee benefits include gym reimbursement, Verizon discounts, and events like ice cream socials where employees can get together and chat over a little indulgence. ASI also has multiple prearranged community service opportunities that employees can take advantage of during the workday. Many employees appreciate this opportunity to give back.

It may seem a little daunting to try to appeal to younger customers and hire younger employees, but there are many benefits to doing so. Remember that the best way to connect with anyone is to show you’ve listened and you understand what they care about. Once your audience knows that, growing a relationship from there is easy.

Read our e-book, Marketing Your New Promotional Products to Existing Clients, to learn more about incorporating social media into your marketing plan.