“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.”
– Walt Disney
This quote from Walt Disney should ring true for every company, but specifically those with customers that are part of the millennial generation (currently 18-34 year olds).
According to a recent study from Bazaarvoice and this article at emarketer.com, millennials rely almost equally on anonymous information and recommendations as they do on friends and family when it comes to purchasing decisions. Being able to “Google” anything and everything has allowed millennials to make decisions based not only on reviews from people they speak with on a regular basis, but the vast pool of people from all age groups, countries, similar and different tastes that is the Internet.
More importantly, millennials are more apt to share their own experiences with brands and products via the Internet. If your customer is unhappy with your service, it’s a good bet that they’ll tell everyone they know via Facebook, Twitter, or a host of other social networks.
Social media is so pervasive for millennials that it’s second-nature to share everything. Therefore, whether you want to or not, you have to “listen” for your company’s name so you’re able to react to comments in a timely manner.
SocialMediaExaminer.com has a simple list of 4 simple (and free!) ways to create a social listening strategy for your company here.
But remember that listening is just the first step…it’s what you do with the information you find that will either leave customers with a bad impression or make them want to bring their friends!