Is your personal brand Millennial enough? Top 5 Personal Branding Tips to make your brand appeal to Millennials
by Designer Maxwell Alexander, Personal Branding Coach, Duncan Avenue Group
The millennial generation has become a leading economic force behind many of the current business and cultural trends with generation Z following its footsteps. Millennials currently spend over $600 billion per year and the number is growing, so any brand, business or product can count on unprecedented numbers of Millennials flooding its target audience. Millennials see the world through a completely different lens than any of the previous generations. They grew up with high-end design, global culture, and values at their fingertips, they are the most educated and sophisticated generation of human beings in the history of civilization. They are raising the bar in every aspect of our lives and they expect the same high standards from the brands (personal and corporate) they surround themselves with.
Tip #1: Be Social
Even though your brand probably already has a website and a blog with some sort of relevant content, which is great for SEO purposes and conversions, Millennials will validate your brand’s existence through your presence on the social networks they are on. Facebook might be fading away, but instagram is on the rise, twitter might sound “old”, but snapchat is there to pick up the wave of technology trends. Your brand should learn how to ride those waves and deliver your content in a platform-appropriate way. Make it look natural and authentic, ask questions, start conversations. Ditch your sales pitch, it won’t help you to win Millennial’s trust. Instead, get in a habit of taking selfies with people you are trying to connect with – that will get you at least one new follower for sure!
Tip #2: Be Relevant
The era of pushy advertising and obnoxious salesmen is officially over – try one of those tricks on Millennials and they will run for the hills from you and your personal brand. The solution is for your brand to come across as more transparent, honest, and authentic. If you are in one of those salesy and pushy industries like car dealerships or real estate, you might need to work twice harder and distance your personal brand from the negative perception that is automatically bestowed upon you by the brand association. Be truthful and humble, use your own words and tell your personal story, rather than professionally written scripts read from a teleprompter. Please do not ever wear a suit with the purpose of making yourself look more professional, Millennials would think you are late for a funeral or a wedding. Definition of professional attire and what it means to dress for success has evolved quite dramatically in recent decades, so definitely get yourself up to speed, Millennials will appreciate it!
Tip #3: Have a Mission
Being highly educated and globally cultured generation, Millennials are very socially responsible beings who dislike many superficial values that were relevant to their parents. Climate change is the real deal, and solving poverty by giving away free shoes isn’t going to cut it for Millennials. If you want them to join your cause, make it real and make it less about you and more about them. Simply saying that you are here to make money is not the way to go.
Tip #4: Develop Your Own Voice and Style
You are Your Brand and you already are unique and have got a lot to offer, so find your own ways to deliver your message, find your own style in presenting yourself. Use humor and positive psychology, come across as vibrant and dynamic.
Tip #5: Build a Team
Millennials love being a part of something larger than themselves, so give them an opportunity! Collaborate with influencers in your niche and establish mutually beneficial relationships. Exchange blog posts and social media shout outs, tag other personal brands in your posts and generate content that overlaps with other brand’s strategies.
If the thought of branding your own self is still overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, it might be a good time for some training! Personal Branding Training to be exact, yes it is a skill that everyone can learn and master in just a few coaching sessions. Maxwell Alexander has branded hundreds of big and small (corporate and personal) brands all around the world, starting from fitness and technology startups to Fortune 500 companies and the world’s largest NGOs. With more than a decade of corporate and personal branding experience, Maxwell is ready to take your personal brand to the whole new level. Reach out today for your free 15-minute consultation.