What The Millennial Buyer Wants From Your Beauty Brand
Ready to capture the attention of those oh-so fickle* millennial buyers? Grab your iPhone, take a sip of your Starbucks, and get ready to make some notes.
First things first, I’ll start by defining exactly what a millennial is to clear up any misconceptions before we dive in. Per a study made by Pew Research, The Millennial generation encompasses a broad span of adults born between 1981 to 1997.
Ready for a truth bomb? In 2017, Forbes estimated that the purchasing power of millennials in the U.S. alone was $200 billion. This year, they believe millennials ‘have the most spending power of any generation’.
That’s a direct quote.
Which means reaching, connecting and wooing millennials is essential. But creating a brand that meets their emotional needs isn’t as easy as throwing together a website and posting on social media occasionally.
Millennial buyers are intelligent, aware, tuned in and more educated than ever. They don’t just want beauty – they want brains too.
If you’re sitting there like ‘OMG, wtf does that even mean?!’
Don’t panic.
Today I’m going to be walking you through how you can create a captivating beauty brand that appeals to millennials.
This checklist has been curated not only from my experience as a millennial beauty buyer (you should see my bathroom shelves), but also as a branding pro that specializes in crafting visual identities that make millennials swoon. #brandingonpoint
It’s my job to make beauty brands not only beautiful … but captivating too. And I do it by understanding what millennial buyers really want from beauty brand.
Let’s get started!
Six things the millennial buyer needs from your beauty brand:
1. Millennial buyers want your beauty brand to be relatable
If your beauty brand doesn’t have a face – i.e. a person that your buyers can relate to – yet, then stop everything and go rewrite your ‘about’ page right now.
Millennial buyers don’t want to buy from businesses. They want to buy from people. Real people. Real people they like. Which means showing them you. Yep, lovable, irresistible YOU. In all your glory, girlfriend!
Pro tip: Share (relevant) real-life stories on social and in your content marketing to ensure sure your audience knows the ‘who’ and ‘why’ behind your beauty brand.
2. Millennial buyers want to engage with you
Millennial buyers use social media for socializing, sure, but they also use it for researching, reviewing and interacting with businesses. When they want to know what eyelash curler to get, they post a comment on their favorite beauty blogger’s Instagram. When they’re over the moon with a facemask, they don’t call their bestie, they post about it on social. And when they want to find YOU, they don’t scour the streets, they turn to social media—where you (and your kickass brand) will be waiting with fresh, engaging and consistently valuable content!
Pro tip: Don’t upload content ONCE and then consider it done forever. Stay top of mind and create a sense of urgency with millennial buyers by regularly creating new must-see content. Bonus points for an irresistible Pinterest account to push your content across platforms as well.
3. Millennial buyers want to know your brand is socially conscious
Now, more than ever, it’s important to show that you have ethical processes, organic ingredients and an involvement with charitable causes. Millennial buyers are conscious, and they CARE – about themselves, the environment and the impact of their purchasing behavior.
Pro tip: Ensure your website copy mentions your ethical assets and then create stand-alone social media campaigns to remind your audience of your mindful intentions.
4. Millennial buyers want modern, elevated aesthetics
Okay, so you’re a pro at making people look good. But that doesn’t mean you necessarily know how to make your business and brand look good. Which is fine. You’re not expected to become a brand strategist or designer overnight.
Simply keep in mind that whatever you create needs to visually appeal to your millennials. Take cult-adored brand, Glossier, for instance They get the millennial buyer and their approachable take on modern packaging, visuals and messaging show this.
Pro tip: Not sure what modern aesthetics even look like? You don’t have to figure it out all by yourself. I just happen to know somebody that specializes in beauty branding, too. Wink wink.
5. Millennial buyers want to to feel informed
They’re not waiting around; they’re ready, and willing, to learn. Now. And heaven help any beauty brand that tries to offer them sub-par information! The truth is —the best way you can sell to millennial buyers it to give them the tools, information and resources they need to educate themselves about your brand accordingly.
A punchy product description that kinda-sorta explains what you do? Meh. An in-depth article detailing the purpose, process and methodology behind your products? Better. An entire series devoted to walking your buyers through the ins and outs of everything they need to know to become beauty pros? Perfection.
Pro tip: There is no such thing as too much information. Your millennial buyers will skim-read and search for the content relevant to them. Just offer it all in a way that’s easy to digest and they’ll do the rest.
6. Millennial buyers want you to be totally accessible
Cool, so you listed a phone number on your site. But … don’t expect a millennial buyer to ever use it. Instead, they’ll be hitting you up on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and via email. They want you to be totally accessible and they want ordering with you to be ridiculously clear and easy. Communication and user-friendliness is KEY! It’s even THE key!
Oh, and if your beauty brand offers a service, your millennial buyer will want to book online. Like, without having to interact with anyone. #phoneanxietyisreal
Psst. Read this article on the subway while somebody was elbowing you and everything kinda smelled like tuna and you only half-focused so now you have no clue what to do next?
I gotchu, girlfriend. Download this free checklist to grab an on-the-go cheat sheet to ensuring your beauty brand has everything it needs to win over your millennial buyers.
