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Marketing to Millennials

Understanding millennials is vital if you want to help them understand the value of massage therapy.

According to a 2012 American Psychological Association (APA) survey titled “Stress in America,” millennials were among those who reported the highest levels of stress, with an average of 5.4 (a 10-point rating scale was used). When it comes to what exactly is stressing them out, the survey reported that 76 percent believed it was because of work, 53 percent reported job stability as the cause, while 51 percent noted it was because of personal health concerns. Additionally, 52 percent of the participants reported lying awake at night, while 44 percent reported that stress has them feeling more irritable and angry throughout the week.

So, these consumers have a very real need for massage therapy and may find real benefit from your services—you have to be sure, though, you know how to reach them with the message.

Reaching Out

Unlike their parents and grandparents, millennials aren’t watching as many of their favorite television shows on TV. They’re more likely to watch shows and videos via services like Netflix and YouTube, for example, where reviewing and sharing their opinions with others is easy.

If you want to expand your clientele and get in touch with a generation of people who could potentially be loyal customers for the next 10 to 20 years, try promoting your business on social platforms where you can share photos, such as Instagram, Tumblr or Pinterest. Having a website is one thing, but having a blog or profile on a photo sharing site can draw in users who aren’t on Facebook. The chances of your profile generating a lot of likes can increase the number of people who hear about your services.

Additionally, if you already have a Twitter account, try starting a conversation about topics in the news regarding health and wellness that would be of interest to people between the ages of 18 and 34. Further, update your accounts regularly, post photos that demonstrate your massage technique and include interesting and descriptive captions—try engaging consumers with things they can relate to and know what trends are most popular amongst them.

Quality Matters

Millennials enjoy shopping online and finding good value for their money. Even though many of them don’t have as much financial freedom as their parents and grandparents, they still make purchases.

In 2012, American Express Business Insights shared information about the spending habits of millennials. They found that 33 percent of millennials spent their money on high-quality clothing in 2011, those numbers grew by 31 percent from 2010.