Millennials have been a marketing target for years. Now, there’s a growing subset of this popular segment: millennial moms (estimated at more than 17 million according to the Pew Research Center). I joined that group in August of 2018 and it’s changed how I make purchase decisions (Instagram brands have gotten way too much of my money) but especially when making healthcare decisions for my family.
Overall, according to the US Department of Labor, women are the primary decision makers when it comes to healthcare. That, combined with the growing number of millennial moms, makes targeting and engaging with this audience vital for a healthcare provider to remain relevant and competitive.
So, what should healthcare organizations do to capture this audience’s attention? Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Be a resource and accessible. A few weeks ago, I picked my son up from daycare and noticed he was wheezing. I called our pediatrician and since it was after hours, their recommendation was to take him somewhere to be evaluated. Without thinking twice, I immediately located the closest PM Pediatrics. They’re constantly posting educational content relevant to moms, so they were top-of-mind and already a trusted pediatric authority. I was also able to make an appointment online and waited only a few minutes upon arrival (key to a successful visit since it was past bedtime).
- Maintain a prominent social presence and understand the power of social media. I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve spent scrolling through social media with a napping baby. That, combined with overall millennial activity on social media (estimated at up to four hours daily by Nielsen Scarborough for 50% of millennials), means an active presence on social media is critical. Post educational blogs, share pertinent news articles, create and maintain groups for topics relevant to parents—and reach out to them to encourage reviews.
- Develop a multichannel marketing plan. Yes, millennials spend a lot of their time in the digital space (an estimated 20+ hours per week according to Nielsen Scarborough for nearly 40% of all millennials) so it’s key to a successful marketing strategy; however, integrating other tactics is important too. Television is still heavily consumed by millennials and direct mail can be valuable when promoting specific offers and classes.
- Speak directly. Execute targeted campaigns that speak to a millennial mom’s life cycle, but do not ignore the value of sharing insights on what you can provide in the future. Looking to reach a pregnant woman? Speak to your offerings for her as an expecting mom but hint at what you can provide once she transitions to being the mother of a newborn.
The bottom line: The millennial mom audience is strong and growing. To reach this audience, ensure you’re accessible and providing valuable insight while maintaining an active presence on social media and targeting with segmented content in a variety of formats that’s relevant, relatable and engaging.
