Marketing to Gen Y: Why is it important?

By: Mike Milligan, President Legato Marketing and Communications

We see them every day. Hoodies up. Heads down. Eyes glued to whatever electronic device they have in their hand. To some, they’re known as Gen Y. Others call them Millennials.

We in rural healthcare marketing call them “Opportunity”—or at least we should. Here’s why.

It’s estimated that Millennials make up more than 70 million Americans born 1977 to 2002. As they get older, most will become parents. And as their families grow, so will their healthcare needs.

That said, the importance of marketing to this generation is obvious.

What may not be as obvious is how to get the attention of this younger generation. The answer? Hit them where they live.

Millennials cut their proverbial “I” teeth on Ipads, Ipods and the Internet. Today, most Millennials “live” on their cell phones and on the Internet.

A recent study indicates that 83% of Millennials are part of a social network. Studies also show that a majority of Millennials get their information from trusted resources—their friends.

The fact of the matter is this: Millennials have the ability to build momentum around brands, organizations and initiatives they believe in more quickly than any previous generation.

This spells o-p-p-o-r-t-u-n-i-t-y for healthcare organizations that are ready to communicate with Gen Y on their terms. Engage Millennials through your website, blogs, emails, YouTube and other social media. Gain the trust of one Millennial and watch that loyalty spread. One little tweet can be worth a thousand words—to potentially thousands of people—on their Friends and email lists.