1. Get Ready to Personalize
Cookie-cutter sales, marketing and promotional product campaigns aren’t going to work with this group of buyers. Both millennials and Gen Zers increasingly want cost-effective, built-from-scratch branded merchandise. Indeed, some suppliers, including Pop! Promos (asi/45657), are focusing on providing fully custom products from overseas in 30 days or less. “We think ‘rapid import’ is the future,” says Sterling Wilson, the firm’s president.

2. Pitch Apparel & Tech
ASI’s 2018 End-Buyer Study asked respondents what promo products they’re most excited to receive. Among buyers under 40 years old, the top four items fit into just two categories: apparel and tech.

3. Demonstrate Clear ROI
While younger buyers crave creativity, they’re also savvy purchasers. ASI data shows the premium this group places on getting what they pay for.

4. Be a Cause Company
If your only goal as a brand is to make money, you won’t be looked upon favorably by prospects in their 20s and 30s. Issues of social justice, corporate responsibility, environmental protection and ethical sourcing matter to younger buyers – which is why they should matter to you, too. Taking a stand on these topics in a public forum, like social media, will get you noticed. In particular, Gen Z “wants to purchase from and partner with companies that are contributing positively to the world,” says Nina Shatz, brand development director at Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000).

“Trust the young people. Trust this generation’s innovation.”— Jack Ma

5. Invest in Digital
Studies show that about 95% of Gen Zers and 90% of millennials have smartphones. If prospects from these groups find you on mobile, but your webpage is slow to load, they’ll move on. If your home page is plain with no calls to action, your bounce rate – defined by Google as a single-page session on your site – is destined to be high. Using analytics to track and test what users want to see will give you a considerable edge.

6. Market Through Video
According to a Defy Media survey, YouTube is a “must-have” service for 67% of consumers between the ages of 13-24. As this group gets older and gains buying power, they’ll be watching fewer traditional ads – like those on TV – than older generations. It’s critical your company embraces consistent video marketing, positioning your message as part entertainment and part information.

7. Connect Like Them
With the internet and smartphones at their fingertips in their formative years, it’s little surprise that millennials and Gen Zers often prefer to talk digitally. “They don’t want to pick up the phone to discuss a product, they’d rather text or email,” says Tony Poston, president of College Hill Custom Threads (asi/164578). It’s up to you to adapt.