Strategic Partners Marketing founder, Amber Swenor, was sponsored by the Madison Chapter Women Council of Realtors to present at the Sheraton Madison, covering the top shifts that real estate professionals should understand and embrace in order to more effectively market to Millennials. Amber outlined that Millennials were born from 1983 to 2000 and are anywhere from 18 to 34 years old. She also shared that there are currently 80 million Millennials in the U.S. and that they will comprise 50% of the workforce by 2020.

The top lessons from Amber’s talk included the following:

• Understanding that not all Millennials are the same. Millennials grew up with technology, and they use and embrace technology as their norm; however, not all Millennials are “the same.”
• They live in a fast-paced world and quickly consume a lot of information.
• They research.
• They seek experiences.
• They value advice from peers.
• They use social media heavily.

Based on the lessons outlined about Millennial habits, Amber provided several examples of marketing tactics that real estate professionals can use to engage with Millennials. Several of these recommendations included:

1. Being accessible: This means developing content online that Millennials can consume on their own time. In today’s world, your website is your 24/7 storefront. We have an amazing opportunity to teach what we know and we draw in leads through our websites.
2. Create memorable experiences: Millennials want experiences. Amber presented multiple ideas on how to create more memorable experiences, including having fun and engaging activities at business events that make Millennials want to take a picture and share the experience on social media. Pose in a photo booth, dress up, pose on a cool motorcycle or in a hot rod. Paint or create a take-home item.
3. Use social media: Be sure to take pics of your customers and ask permission to post the “Home Sold” sign, and make your Millennial customer feel celebrated. They may even share the post with their friends, thus increasing your reach! Give creative closing gifts such as a stamping kit with the new homebuyer’s name and address, a new homebuyer’s emergency repair kit, or a tree to plant in their yard.

Personal relationships still matter, but to today’s millennial audience, they build those relationships in different ways, by using and engaging with technology, researching on their own terms and using social media.

Strategic Partners Marketing is proud to help guide business owners through the changes in marketing, including providing consulting services to help you market more effectively to Millennials.