(By Georgia Beasley) Our industry is having conversations down every day about how to attract Millennials to choose radio for entertainment and employment. The best in the radio business have been trying to figure out the “secret Millennial sauce,” yet are they inviting us to the table when trying to figure it out? What would a young adult sitting at the table point out they may not have noticed? Are there actions GM’s can take that will help move the needle? I believe there are.
When recently talking to a broadcast group CEO, the subject of Millennials came up and he pointed out that some of our staple segments are causing less and less Millennials to tune in every day. We’ve all heard those funny segments, usually played on morning shows that feature prank callers, right? Well, how relatable is that for younger generations listening? Let me explain, I only have a cell phone, which means I always know who’s calling me. In fact, younger generations usually screen numbers they don’t know and wait for them to text if something is needed. While very funny, how realistic is it for someone under 30 to relate to ever experiencing a prank call like that? Not very. But this is a great opportunity to task a few members of your team that are Millennial or Gen Z to develop a few outside-of-the-box ideas with a more modern approach. These small adjustments can make all the difference in appealing to younger generations.
Like many Millennials, I’m both passionate and direct when it comes to what I choose to invest time and energy in for my future. Consider whether an approach is appealing to new generations or simply the same listeners that already tune in. If there is opportunity, then each GM can grow his or her share of Millennials as listeners and employees just by adopting this simple rule: Conversations about the future should have the future in the conversation.
It doesn’t matter what the product, all most Millennials care about is about is how relatable a product or service is to our lives. While I admit my generation may have an inflated sense of importance, we refuse to buy sub-par products or accept poor customer service. We’ve grown up with just too many options to settle for anything less, so now businesses are faced with changing their bad habits and elevating their approach.
Winning over the Millennial consumers, listeners, and advertisers has become a central focus for all industries. We are forcing companies to re-evaluate their strategy and relate to our tech-savvy lifestyle. Here’s a suggestion: Many industries have changed the way payment is accepted, and radio should do the same. Having payment options through apps such as CASH and Venmo may help all parties involved. Some companies have changed the way they market to Millennials by featuring the social benefits of a product before they market the features or real-life applications. Those companies are successful with Millennials because they are having conversations about the future, by inviting the future to the table.
Georgia Beasley is Director of Digital Sales for the Beasley Media Group and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]
