How Do Millennial Marketers Score and Turn Singles to Home Runs?

Out With The Old and In With The New 

Reverse mentoring or reaching down for ideas was introduced by Jack Welch a decade ago. The trend is now catching up in companies across the world. Venkatesh Rangachari, vice-president, sales and marketing, Bharti Airtel, has enrolled into a Young Leaders Mentor programme in the company. He believes that “Reverse mentoring programme facilitates faster exchange of ideas to create a future-ready environment.

The Young Leaders in this company mentor members of the management board and functional heads on topics related to branding, technological trends, latest apps for mobile technology. They have success stories to share too, like the case of Bharti Airtel’s association with Manchester United for a campaign as a result of a mentor’s suggestion that Gen Y had moved on to football unlike Gen X who were glued to cricket in India.

Internet – The Tool of Change Net (New) Gen Marketers Adore

The Internet has changed the fabric of life and the new generation marketer has embraced the digital age with gusto. They are not just a lost generation who have been completely swayed by technology and simply accepted the virtual life without any thought. On the other hand, they are a group of multi-taskers, handling great levels of complexity. They are accustomed to rapid change and are likely to reinvent their skills continually over time. Aren’t they ever so willing to use multifunction cell phones and web based productivity applications?

Marketing itself has moved on from being development of boring collateral and analysis to depending more on the mindset of a marketing ninja. One who is accustomed to social media culture with the above characteristics of the net gen is an ideal candidate to run social media campaigns for small and big businesses alike. Research has also revealed that the millennial value social media freedom, work mobility and device flexibility drives them to a job as opposed to the salary.

This millennial group is also well-versed with the ideal technology to be used to develop, implement, monitor and measure activities on the social web, and how they can successfully act on feedback as a result of customer engagement.  At a time when information overload is the main bane of most businesses, these young minds are capable of infusing fresh life into marketing strategies, utilizing business opportunities and steering businesses away from potential threats. It’s mission critical for businesses to adapt to this shift today and net gen marketers can help companies move on from considering social media as a marketing tool to an acquisition tool. Born and raised in the digital marketing era, they can help brands hook up with audience’s passion by handling today’s complex marketing needs. With a global perspective of the marketing landscape, this ambitious group is keen on social good and diversity, thus adapting to customer requirements at their convenience.

It’s no surprise that there is a techie in these marketers too, who has a deep understanding of anything digital and prefers to stay on top of the digital trend which is driving the new world marketing order. Their propensity towards adoption of technology makes these tech savvy multi-taskers the social media megaphone which your company so badly needs. This group values social communication and have no qualms about sharing information on social sites and in fact, updating one’s Facebook or Twitter profile is second nature to this generation. Hence, a good marketing plan for a company is actually second nature to this new breed of marketers who use the Internet to be more connected. 

Social Media – New Age Communication Tool 

The days of print media advertising and yellow page ads are long gone. Interactive social media enables effective profiling of businesses and spreads any marketing message instantly. While companies envision a transparent and direct line of open communication, millennial are the safest bet to strengthen this relationship between the business and the consumer as they can embrace multiple modes of self-expression. For anyone reflecting on the new age of marketing, it is not hard to conclude that social media is here to stay. Creation of a space for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas and engaging with the customer with the help of the net gen marketer who is an information seeker, transformer and learner will aid your marketing strategy like never before. As social media mushrooms into newer and interesting dimensions, you can trust the net gen marketer to effectively integrate social media into your organization. With some key metrics in place, you have a winning combination for optimizing your web presence.

Photo Credit: Flickr as08j