February 2017 - Media Partners Worldwide

6 WAYS TO BOOST MORALE IN THE OFFICE

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

Since employee morale can quickly make or break a company’s success, it is important for business leaders to keep spirits high. After all, low morale can lead to low productivity, poor teamwork and an increase in turnover. An effective leader will keep a close eye on the general morale in the office with simple and creative approaches.

Here are a few of the ways we at Media Partners Worldwide boost morale.

1. Show You Care

At Media Partners, we recognize every single employee’s birthday with a special lunch and themed decor. If someone is getting married or having a baby or celebrating a significant time in their life, we make sure to send gifts in acknowledgment. CEO, Natalie Hale, believes that being involved in employees lives let them feel loved and valued. Not just as employees, but also as family members and human beings.

“When people are loved, they will give more than you can imagine they could for you and your cause,” Hale said. “My employees are the lifeblood of the agency and I want them to know that they matter.”

2. Get Employees Involved

“Whenever possible, I try to get my employees involved with office decisions. Recently, we were looking for a new buyer and several of the employees were involved in the interview process,” said Hale.

Delegating as a team to make decisions for the office on things like new software or new companies to work with can definitely boost the morale. Involving employees in the conversation, makes each person feel they are a valued member of the company. Everyone has their own individual thoughts and suggestions and it’s important for everyone to feel engaged and that their feedback makes a difference.

3. Create a Comfortable Environment

Currently, we are in the process of rearranging the office to make it more comfortable for the staff and more welcoming to visitors. As I mentioned above, this is a collaborative effort. We are bouncing ideas off one another and giving our suggestions to our CEO. Comfort in the office is important because we spend the majority of our week in this building. People are more productive when their environments are healthy and happy.

4. Provide Lunches and Snacks

Food is always a great morale booster. Our CEO provides lunch on a weekly basis which the entire staff greatly appreciates. It is a way of showing us that we matter as well as a special treat to look forward to. Rewards such as these, or snacks, significantly improve the morale, as well as bond the entire office more closely together. In addition, outings like lunch at restaurants or a company happy hour are fun ideas to switch up the day to day routine.

5. Be Flexible About Time Off When Necessary

Your employees shouldn’t have to dread asking for time off. As dedicated as each staff member is to the business, they do have a personal life outside of the office. Necessary requests for family or health purposes require business leaders to be flexible and giving. This improves morale because employees know that if something comes up in their life, they won’t be penalized for it at work. Getting rid of any sense of dread, if possible, will allow your staff to actually be happy coming to work! And that is what every company wants. Happy employees!

6. Find Ways to Give Back to the Community

Everyone feels great when they give back. During Christmas time, our office sponsored a family with the Long Beach Women’s Shelter. Our entire staff contributed generously and we eventually had bags and boxes full of presents to give to the family in need. Finding ways to contribute to your community will not only develop notoriety within your city, but it will also boost the attitude in the office.

How Direct Response Can Work For Your Business

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

However, if you are a small or new business, this approach is not always feasible. This brings us to the second type of marketing: Direct Response. Direct response marketing is all about giving your prospective customer a specific action, such a picking up the phone and calling for more information, following a link to a web address or joining your email list. Here are some of the main benefits of creating a direct response ad:

Tracking

With direct response, you are able to keep track of what ad or which media compelled your customer to pick up the phone, visit your website or place an order. This tracking information will show you would advertisement is actually working for your business, which can save you a lot of time and money in the future.

Targeting

Because you are able to measure just how effective your ad is, you can also get your hands on value information such as specific niche markets, geographic zones, and demographics based on the clicks and calls you receive. Marketing is extremely effective when it can appeal to a narrow target market.

Special Offer

Usually, direct response marketing contains a special offer decided to get prospects to engage in your call to action. It doesn’t necessarily have to sell something; it is merely a device to get more traffic to your call centers or website. The offer focuses on the prospect rather than on the advertiser. It speaks of the prospect’s interests, desires, fears, and frustrations.

Demands a Response

Instead of simply presenting information, like advertising a 50-percent off sale, direct response marketing requires the customer to respond to receive the offer. Therefore interested prospects have an easy way to respond and learn more about your products. Whether it’s calling a toll-free number to hear more information or visiting your website, your customer is obliged to respond directly to you.

Personal

Overall, direct response is the best form of advertisement when it comes to establishing a relationship with prospective customers. If you want your business to excel, there needs to be some form of connection between you and the rest of the world. You need a personal touch to make a lasting impression. For more information on direct response and how to market your business, visit us at mediapartnersworldwide.com or give us a call at (562)439-3900. ]]>

How Being a Good Listener Can Help Your Business

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

25% efficiency. While most people agree that listening is a very important skill, most don’t take the time to improve their own skill set. We might focus on the mechanics such as nodding or eye contact, but a truly good listener goes beyond that. Since the purpose of marketing and advertising is to influence peoples’ perceptions and behavior, good listening should be at the forefront of business skills to master.

Why Listening is Important

Most companies try to listen to their customers as they are invested in their customer’s satisfaction. But are they understanding their customers? Listening is more than the ability to hear what people say. It’s about being curious and contemplating someone’s desires and motivations. Empathy plays a huge role here. In order to truly get a grasp of what your customers want, you need to able to put yourself in their shoes and be able to narrow down their incentives. Recognize that your customer has human feeling and emotions. This capability is essential for marketing professionals who want to create messages people will notice, like, care about and remember when making a purchasing decision. You can notice the ones that miss the mark. The ads feel strained or fake or the message fails to engage the audience. Don’t let an ad fail due to simple miscommunication. Listen with full attention and implement your ability to understand. Listening contributes to a personal connection between you and your customer. It also creates openness. If you are focused on listening to your customer instead of speaking as much as you can, there will be room for new ideas and brainstorming. Their authentic brand or ideas will be able to shine through. So what is your next step? Here is a list of 10 Tips for Being a Better Listener by Gianfanga Marketing Strategy that we found particularly helpful, and hopefully you will too: 1. Take the time. Marketing is a fast-paced business and there’s huge pressure to create campaigns and strategies quickly. But if you really want to succeed, you need to build in the time and budget up front to gather input from the client, customer, and prospect 2. Listen to the right people. Talk with the people you’re actually targeting with marketing – customers and prospects – not just your marketing colleagues or people like you. 3. Learn the lingo. If you want prospects to relate to your marketing messages, you need to know the terms and phrases they use when talking about their needs and your product. 4. Delve deeper. Go beyond the obvious questions (“Are you satisfied with our product or service?”) to more probing queries that help you understand the motivations that drive behavior. Make questions open-ended so people can use their own words. 5. Feel the emotion. How do people feel about your company and themselves when they use the products or services you provide? Do they feel confident, happy, pretty, smart, safe? Listen for the emotions underlying the purchasing decision. 6. Listen with your eyes and ears. People reveal a great deal with their body language when they talk. They lean in, make direct eye contact, and use their hands to emphasize their points. Watch carefully and notice the details; see what makes their eyes light up. 7. Don’t be judgmental. Be impartial and neutral when listening. Remove your own biases. It’s not about what you think – it’s about what they think. 8. Avoid stereotypes. Don’t assume you know what someone is thinking because they are young, old, male, female, married, single, a high school dropout, or a Ph.D. Making assumptions based on stereotypes or demographics is a common mistake. 9. Take careful notes. Relying on your memory can be dangerous, even if you’re under 30. It’s too easy to remember what you think someone said, not what they actually said. Record and transcribe the discussions. Focus groups always should be recorded for the marketing team. 10. Reflect on what you’ve heard. Think about the totality of the discussion afterward. What was the customer or prospect really telling you? What stands out most in your mind? What do they truly care about? This is what you need to know to create marketing campaigns and content that engage people on a human level.]]>

U.S. Presidents Who Started as Entrepreneurs

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

1. Harry Truman After serving in World War I, Turman opened a men’s clothing store with friend Eddie Johnson upon returning home to Kansas City. It is said that the saying “clothes make the man” could have been coined by Truman. The store was open from 1919 to 1922 but eventually fell victim to the post-war recession. Truman found himself just barely escaping bankruptcy, however, he managed to eventually pay off all his debts.

2. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Roosevelt founded the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in 1927. As a sufferer of polio, he raised funds to turn a spa into a for-profit healing center for victims of polio. Still operating today, the Warm Springs, the Georgia-based institute serves about 4,000 people with all types of disabilities each year.

3. Abraham Lincoln

The only U.S. president to receive a patent, Lincoln invented a device to lift riverboats over sandbars. In 1833, he opened a general store with partner William, Berry. Even though the business folded within a year and Lincoln’s possessions seized by the sheriff, Lincoln didn’t quit. He went on to own a law practice, becoming a symbol of perseverance, for his resilience even in hard times.

4. Warren G. Harding

In 1884, when Harding was 19, he and several partners purchased a small, struggling newspaper in Ohio called The Marion Star. The newspaper became quite profitable, thanks to his wife Florence who helped manage the business operations of the newspaper. The newspaper eventually provided Harding with the income needed to fund his campaigns for public office.

5. Herbert Hoover

Hoover launched his own mine engineering business in 1908. His company employed 175,000 workers and specialized in reorganizing failing companies, as well as sought new mining prospects and finding investors to pay for developing the best mines.

6. Jimmy Carter

After Carter’s father died in 1953, the family farm was in danger of being lost. Carter ended up leaving the Navy that same year and returned to Plains, GA to run the peanut farm. With hard work and dedication, he eventually expanded the Golden Peanut Company by 1959, into an international business with multiple warehouses and a peanut-shelling plant.

7. George Bush

In 1951, Bush started the Bush-Overby Oil Development company with his neighbor John Overby, after graduating Yale. By 1953, Bush-Overby had merged with another independent oil company to form Zapata Petroleum, which would later make him a millionaire. By 1959, Bush moved to Houston to become the president of Zapata Offshore.

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Healthy Habits in the Workplace

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

Here are some of the ways we at Media Partners Worldwide bring healthy habits to the workplace:

Snack Choices

We all like to snack throughout the day. However, donuts, soda and other types of junk food are strongly discouraged. Instead, we stock up on Pop chips, healthy granola nut bars, and fresh fruit. We have plenty of organic teas in our kitchen cabinets and we encourage everyone to stay hydrated with plenty of water.

Essential Oils

We frequently use Doterra Essential Oils to promote better health. Essential oils can make a huge difference in the energy of the workplace environment. We have a couple diffusers in the office and we frequently will diffuse oils for balance such as peppermint, lemon, rosemary and ginger. These oils provide stimulation to the senses resulting in mental clarity. If we need an extra boost, oils like grapefruit, lime, and lemon promote inspiration. I will also diffuse OnGuard oil when people are sick. With an emphasis on healing naturally through essential oils, tempers can be soothed, clarity can replace confusion and sick days lessen.

Music

We are fortunate to have Wholetones as our client. Wholetones: The Healing Frequency Music Project believes in the power of healing through the vibrations of music. By playing these CDs, we can increase the energy flow in the office and create a relaxing, yet creative environment. If you want to learn more about the using music to promote healing, relieve stress and break negative cycles, visit wholetones.com.

Sitting on Yoga Balls/Ball Chairs

Recently, I bought my staff yoga ball chairs as an alternative to sitting in an office chair all day. A stability ball can help burn more calories and tone core muscles. It can also help you elevate back pain since sitting this way requires you to maintain good posture. According to the American Fitness Professionals and Associates, “For best results, switch back and forth between using a chair and a stability ball. And, don’t forget to stand up throughout the work day to mitigate any possible health concerns associated with sitting for a long period of time.” We find that by having an option to switch to the stability ball throughout the day increases our productivity.

Take Short Walks

I also encourage everyone to take short walks and leave the office. Fresh air is so critical to maintaining overall health. A regular supply of fresh air is very important. “Fresh air provides you with a steady supply of oxygen which is needed by your brain and every single cell of your body…Every function carried on by the body is directly related to the life of the cells. Cells need four things to live and function properly such as oxygen, water, nutrition, and cleansing. Without oxygen, the cells die in three minutes as it is one chemical essential for the cells to create energy,” according to Your Standard Life. Fresh air can provide energy and increase productivity.]]>

Why We Love Long Beach

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

Diversity

The city of Long Beach is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States!

Green community

There are an incredible number of parks, hiking paths, greenways, community gardens, skate parks and bike paths. The LBC Parks, Rec & Marine department covers a wide range of activities and clubs available in the city. There is also a Farmer’s Markets running pretty much every day somewhere in Long Beach. I live only a short walk from the Tuesday and Saturday market in Bixby Park (also famous for its skate park). As an East Coast native and newcomer to Long Beach, I found the accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis to be a welcomed surprise!

Entertainment

Our CEO, Natalie Hale, loves the many different restaurants Long Beach has to offer. “I love all the variety…from Tantalums to Brix, Panama Joe’s to Gladstones.” Long Beach also houses a beautiful Aquarium of the Pacific, as well as many museums and historic landmarks. The Pike, conveniently located next to the Long Beach Convention Center, is full of restaurants, shops and more activities like a Ferris wheel, arcade and comedy club. And since Long Beach is so walk and bike friendly, it is easy to get around and see all the beautiful beaches throughout the city. “The beach area has so much to offer from family fun time to a great place for fitness activities, to a great variety of foods and drinks. You can even just relax listening to the waves and watching the birds fly around,” said one of media strategist. Many people live without a car with ease, including myself. Between the various bike paths and bike-friendly street lanes, I find getting around fun and easy. I actually ride my bike to and from work daily.

Dog-Friendly

Long Beach is extremely dog-friendly. Dog are allowed on many restaurant patios and you will often find water bowls for dogs outside of many storefronts. There are several dog parks and a dog beach, including popular Rosie’s Dog Park. LBC also has dog parades and fashion shows throughout the year.

Home

Many of us here at Media Partners, not only work in Long Beach, but we call it home too. “It’s close to the water, yet still affordable and growing more beautiful each year,” said Natalie Hale. Betty Long in Accounting says she loves the Long Beach Transit System. “I can get all around town without a car. No fuss …take the bus!” We are fortunate that we love the city that we work in! From all of us at Media Partners, have a Happy Valentines Day! ]]>

Q&A with MPW CEO Natalie Hale

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

Media Partners Worldwide, a women-owned business, was founded in 1997, by Natalie Hale and a small team of radio veterans working out of a garage. In honor of the 20th anniversary of Media Partners Worldwide, we asked Natalie to answer a few questions about entrepreneurship and starting a successful business on her own.

1. What three pieces of advice would you give to those who want to become entrepreneurs?

Don’t give up on having a family or put it aside too long. You can still have children and run a company. It just takes coordination with your partner. Sacrifices will be made, but it is worth having the fulfillment of a family and having your own business. One of my biggest regrets is putting a family on hold and thinking that it was selfish or impossible to do both. Through the years, I have met many successful female entrepreneurs that manage to do both and make it work! Don’t think that you have to have a lot of capital to get started. I started with some money in the bank, however, I really didn’t need it and was, fortunately, able to have immediate cash flow. You just have to think smaller at first and know that if you don’t have capital you can still have your own business. Although it will grow more slowly and not have all the bells and whistles at first, you can still succeed. Get a support group to help you. Without my ex-husband who was a mentor to me in business, I would not have been brave enough to move forward. After being in business for a few years, I got involved with some different CEO groups that helped me with different ideas and problems. These groups were invaluable and helped me so much with all the different decisions. From employee legal decisions, motivating and keeping employees, balancing and figuring out my profit and loss, to dealing with the everyday emotional struggles that can come up day to day, I learned so much from my CEO groups. I recommend that all entrepreneurs try to join a good group asap. It will help you make fewer mistakes, feel more confident and grow your business quicker with this invaluable support group.

2. What inspired you to start a new business venture? How did the idea for your business come about?

After working for CBS for almost 10 years, I was getting burnt out with the corporate stress and changes. I decided to take a break and do my own thing temporarily, while I figured out what I wanted to do. A client asked me to develop and place a NATIONAL radio campaign with 20k per week budget. Luckily, it successfully took off and that was the beginning of my business. I never worried about looking for a job again. I remember I agonized about the name of the company. I wanted it to sound bigger than life!

3. What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?

I sacrificed not having a child of my own for a long time. I was terrified that if I had a baby, everything would fall apart and that I would not be able to manage my business. It was when I was 40, that I finally accepted that with the help of my partner, I could really do both.

4. If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?

Probably would have done more traveling when I was younger, and more networking in college. Many of my old college associates became entrepreneurs and I wish I would have kept better in touch with them, as there might have been more synergy and support to work together, Also, I do wish I would have gone to school and earned my MBA right after earning my BA. Running my company for 20 years, I feel like I have been through a rigorous MBA program now, but it would have been helpful and given me more confidence to grow the business bigger and more quickly if I had that structured information sooner.]]>

Q&A with MPW CEO Natalie Hale

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

1. What three pieces of advice would you give to those who want to become entrepreneurs?

2. What inspired you to start a new business venture? How did the idea for your business come about?

3. What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?

4. If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?

6 Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

While we are not all born geniuses or extroverts or overachievers, that does not mean we are doomed to mediocrity. Some of the most famous of entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates, didn’t even make it through college. So while there is no foolproof guide to entrepreneurial greatness, here are six common personality traits that entrepreneurs possess.

1. Passion

First things first, entrepreneurs have a clear visual of what they want. Not just a fainted hearted wish, but an unshakable sense of purpose. They are driven by their heart, not by the chase for the dollar. No matter how bad it gets, it’s their passion that motivates them between ups and downs and all the times when everyone else tells them to quit. Envision your end goal, see yourself in the position you want to be and do it with passion.

“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.”  - Buddha

2. Self-Confidence

There are going to many, many moments in your journey where not a single person will believe in you or your mission. Therefore, you have to believe in yourself. Self-confidence is key if you want to achieve success. Entrepreneurs don’t think that their idea could be good. They know it’s good. While they also understand that they can’t do everything on their own, they realize that they are the only ones to make their idea a reality.

“It is only necessary to have courage, for strength without self-confidence is useless.” – Giacomo Casanova

3. Resilience

As an entrepreneur, there are going to be many failures. That is inevitable. While most people give up, an entrepreneur has the extraordinary ability to bounce back. Instead of giving up, an entrepreneur will learn from their failures. They will as themselves what went wrong, or how can they learn from their mistakes. If you understand that failure is part of being an entrepreneur, you will take those failures and use them as learning experiences. Entrepreneurs don’t stay down for long. They’re resilient and thrive off the chance to do better.

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

4. An Appetite for Knowledge

In the world of business, there will always be competition. Entrepreneurs know they need to say ahead and constantly be learning about what is new in their field. You will always have competitors breathing down your neck trying to surpass you. There will always be someone claiming to be the next greatest thing. Staying up to date and sharp, through constant learning, enable them to stay ahead and avoid getting passed. Do everything you can to keep learning and absorb new information, whether it be getting up early to read industry news or making a point to read in your spare time. Remember, knowledge is power!

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself”. -John Dewy

5. Vision

In a way, entrepreneurs can see the future before it happens. They have the vision, clear as day, in their mind. They see opportunity everywhere and are constantly on the look out to develop or improve new or existing ideas. This is what makes them leaders of their industry. Chances are they started their business because they noticed something that could be better and formed their ideas into action. Have a clear image of what you want to achieve and make it happen.

“In order to carry a positive action, we must develop here a positive vision.” -Dalai Lama

6. Adaptability/Flexibility

There are surprises at every corner in business, and in everyday life. Even with a well-thought out plan or strategy, things don’t always go according to plan. Entrepreneurs are adaptable, giving them the ability to respond quickly in any situation. This allows them to make decisions that can navigate them out of potential trouble. Having this level of flexibility is crucial for any business. In fact, most entrepreneurs will tell you that their idea or business plan is drastically different than when it began. Sometimes the reality of a great idea isn’t effective. Entrepreneurs are flexible enough to understand this. They are prepared to make changes to their plan when necessary.

“You must always be able to predict what’s next and then have the flexibility to evolve.” – Marc Benioff

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Tips for Marketing to the Millennial Generation

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Media Partners Worldwide

Therefore, every marketer should be making this generation a priority. As a millennial myself, born in 1990, I can attest to understanding our habits, likes, and dislikes. We may be particular and at time unconventional but we are still loyal to brands we love. According to a Forbes.com and Elite Daily (the voice of Generation Y) collective study, “millennials are highly educated, career-driven, politically progressive and–despite popular belief–do indeed develop strong brand loyalty when presented with quality products and actively engaged by brands.” With millennials as a driving force in the marketing place, here are a few key tactics geared towards engaging with this super power generation.

1. Authenticity is Essential

According to AdAge, “Millennials are spending an average of 25 hours per week online – and they’re craving content-driven media.” Between searching blogs, websites, YouTube channels and other social media platforms, we are also sharing, liking, tweeting, snapping, forwarding, pinning and commenting our findings, resulting in a huge online community. The content that strongly resounds with millennials is based on what we see value in and trust. Millennials connect best with people over logos. For example, blogs. 33% of millennials rely on blogs before they make a purchase, compared to the fewer than 3% who use TV news, magazines, and books. While the older generations rely on traditional media, millennials look to social media for an authentic look at what’s going on in the world, especially content written by their peers. Despite the fact that blogs are usually run by an individual rather than corporations, millennials trust the blogger’s opinions. We use bloggers as a kind of adviser to help us make a purchasing decision. Same with social media platforms like YouTube. I know for myself if I am interested in buying any new product or experimenting with a new brand, I first seek out reviews on YouTube. I have access to these reviews anywhere I go on my smartphone and I like the casualness of hearing someone speak candidly about something they do or do not like. Just like you would seek advice from a friend or family member, I can do that with strangers who share my interests on my social networks. 84 percent of Millennials say user-generated content has at least some influence on what they buy, and 73 percent say it’s important to read others’ opinions before purchasing. Advertisers, therefore, need to find a way to incorporate this information into their campaigns. For brands that want to successfully reach Gen Y-ers, they need to speak our language. Meaning, they need to create content that we will proudly share, like, pin, tweet, snap, and forward to others. That way the can build a real, authentic brand-customer relationship.

2. We Want an Experience

We millennials prefer experiences over possessions. We are more interested in brands that can show us how to improve our lives, rather than brands that are pushy with selling to us. In an age of growing minimalist and the environmentally conscience, this is particularly important. To us, possessions come and go, but experiences can resonate forever. Advertisers need to ask themselves how their brand can contribute to an overall experience for millennials. This is where inbound marketing strategies come into play. Millennials want e-books, blog posts, videos, and other how-to information. This is your company’s chance to provide content that ranks high in Google and shows us you know what you are talking about. Millennials are 44% more likely to trust experts. But they are 247% more likely to be influenced by blogs or social networking sites. Home Depot is an example of a company who is currently killing it with this marketing strategy. Here is their YouTube channel.

As you can see, there are a number of how-to videos and home improvement DIYs. Not only can you buy all that you need at Home Depot, but you can learn how to install, build and be inspired all the while they are marketing themselves. Their brand and videos will continuously pop up in web searches. With over 100,000 subscribers, Home Depot’s YouTube channel is clearly ranking on Google searches with inquiries about home and garden projects. By utilizing millennials favorite social media platforms, you can create shareable content and keep up your authenticity and trust.

3. Stay Relevant

Trends come and go. We all know that. However, staying on top of what is trending can help your brand, significantly, especially with hashtags and ranking in Google. Another great brand that is reaching out perfectly to Millennials is Netflix. “While Netflix has a lot of different customers spanning different generations, Millennials are vital to this company. One way that Netflix reaches out to this generation is by having great social media campaigns and linking up Netflix accounts with Facebook. Netflix is constantly on the watch when it comes to this generation because they want to make sure they keep reaching out perfectly. Studies show 75% of millennials with connected televisions are using them to watch Netflix.” Here is an example of on of their past advertisements.

They took a popular hashtag about their company, used for more comedic purposes and meme creation, to target their younger generation audience. Now they are part of the trending conversation and staying relevant.

4. Collaboration

Along with wanting an experience, millennials are interested in having a say. In fact, 42 percent said they are interested in helping companies develop future products and services. They want to be more involved with how products get created. According to aforementioned Forbes.com and Elite Daily (the voice of Generation Y) collective study, “companies that enable them to be part of the product development process will be more successful. Marketers need to focus on building relationships with consumers by fueling their self-expression and helping them establish their own personal brand.” Here is an example provided by Hub Spot writer Meaghan Moras: “Coca-Cola used online co-creation to gather expressions of its brand promise “Energizing refreshment.” They prompted their audience to unleash their creativity by interpreting Coca-Cola as an energizing refreshment in whatever style or format they wished. Coca-Cola gathered these videos, animations, illustrations, and photographs to use in its marketing campaigns worldwide. This method was mutually beneficially in that Millennials all over the world got to pour a bit of themselves into a product made for them while helping Coca-Cola bring fresh authenticity to the market.”

5. Communication and Connection

Staying engaged with the millennial generation is very important. This includes commenting on social media posts, posting consistently, and giving us the impression that each customer is important. A great example of how to do this is through giveaways, special discounts, contests, and loyalty programs. A platform we haven’t discussed much yet is Instagram. According to the Huffington Post, “The visual platform has been rapidly growing and now boasts 300 million monthly active users, with 41% being aged 16-24 and at 35% are in their 24-34s.” These numbers show that your brand needs to be engaging with us through this app. The most successful of brands that use Instagram feature photos regularly (have I mentioned how important consistency is?)and dedicate hashtags. They post pictures on their page that their followers have tagged them in. They invite popular Instagrammers to take over their page to keep their brand fresh and new. We millennials are definitely flattered when a brand we love acknowledges us. I know for myself, I have tagged brands in some of my personal Instagram posts and even a “like” back makes me feel special. Finding ways to boost engagement will do nothing but improve your chances as being noticed by the trendsetting generation.

Wrap Up

Find the authenticity of your brand and run with it. Stop screaming “buy!” and start yelling” We have an experience for you!” Stay up to date on trends and use them to your advantage. Get us involved in your products. Consistency. Engagement. Connection.]]>