There are a lot of easy, foolproof ways to get on the radar for young professionals - so easy any organization can do it. Let’s go over 3 tried and true methods your association can use to attract and recruit a younger audience.
If you’re looking to attract and engage with young professionals in order to bring them on board as association members, you may want to reconsider the way you market to them. The search for younger association members is not one that’s new- and there’s no shortage of young professionals out there ready to become apart of your organization. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Department for Professional Employees, Millennials now make up close to 30% of the entire workforce. And Generation Z isn’t far behind; Forbes predicts Gen Z will make up 75% of the workforce in the next 10 years or so.
But the same marketing and engagement techniques that you use with your general target audience may not work the same on younger audiences. These are individuals who grew up in the era of tech, who expect things to be instantaneous, and who just don’t have the same attention span as those looking to hone in on your association’s long-form content. So, how can you reshape the way you market to your younger association audience?
Reaching those younger audiences can seem like quite a challenge, but it doesn’t have to keep you up at night. In fact, there are a lot of easy, foolproof ways to get on the radar for young professionals- so easy any organization can do it. Let’s go over 3 tried and true methods your association can use to attract and recruit a younger audience.
Are you noticing that there are some brands out there that just market to younger audiences the right way? If so, why not take a few tips from their success?
Studying brands and organizations that have a great marketing strategy can help any association figure out what younger audiences respond well to, and therefore figure out what materials and methods you can incorporate into your own marketing strategy. Learning from the experts is a great way to take note of what’s working and what isn’t going to make the cut with your target audience. Try to focus in on a few brands, companies, and organizations that market to a majority of young individuals. Study the moves they make, the platforms they use to market, the materials and content forms they prefer, and the reaction that they receive on their marketing materials.
All of this will help you figure out what may work for your own association. Similarly, you’ll want to note specific things you may be able to borrow from these brands. Do they have a specific content template you like that seems to be working well? Do they use a tone in writing you enjoy? Taking tips from the things you find effective can help you build a marketing voice of your own that younger audiences will take notice in.
With social media platforms now allowing users to stream live video footage and connect with their followers, there’s no reason why your association shouldn’t hop on board with this trend. Why should you be using livestream features? Well, because they work.
Posting on your association’s Instagram Story or hosting a Facebook Live session is a surefire way to get your social media followers to interact with what you have to say. And with so many young individuals scouring the social media world, you’ll have a lot of room to engage with those you’re trying to target. If your association is more comfortable using a social media platform like Facebook, you can try using a livestream as a way to dip your toes in the water. Consider livestreaming something informative like a professional workshop or webinar. You can even host a question and answer session on your Facebook Live, inviting your younger audiences to ask questions about whatever they find interesting.
If you’d like to use a platform that’s a little more geared towards a younger crowd, using Instagram to post instant posts on the Stories feature or to livestream video content can really get you out into the eyes and ears of your target audience.
With more and more young people getting into the professional world, it makes perfect sense that a young professionals committee would bode well for any organization looking to get in with Millennials and Generation Z individuals entering the workforce. Having a young professionals committee ensures your younger audiences that they’ll have a team backing them with every step of their career if they become a member of your association.
This is comforting for many young individuals who want more guidance as they enter the industry of their choice. It’s also a great way to get closer to your younger audience as an association. Consider incorporating a young professionals committee into your association’s Millennial/Gen Z recruitment strategy. Advertise your committee on social media platforms and on your website to inform members and prospects that this is guidance you’re offering to those entering the workforce.
Attracting a younger group of members is easy if you study what’s working from others and implement the right tools and tricks into your recruitment strategy. Try these three tips and see how your association’s membership grows from there.
