Jan 29, 2015 By Josiane Feigon

10 Ways to Sell to Your Millennial Decision-Maker

in Featured, Sales

This is an excerpt from the 15 in 2015 Inside Sales Trend Report.

Meet your new decision-makers with power: People born between 1981 to1996 will be the majority of the workforce by 2025. This ambitious and driven group simply doesn’t see any boundaries when it comes to moving into management roles — in fact, almost 30% of them have already climbed to management positions. And they have SERIOUS spending power — they are expected to outspend Baby Boomers annually within five years, and their spending will climb to $200 billion by 2017.

These are your customers: Now what? These digitally savvy natives are motivated for success, and on track to be our future leaders. They’re socially connected, have extremely high expectations of themselves and of you, and they want it all NOW.

Here are 10 ways to sell to #millennials with power:

1. You’re selling to the committee

They have managed to collapse the corporate hierarchical boundaries, and they’re fearless. More decisions are made by committee, and collectively they make better decisions than any other generation.

2. Be a collaborator in real time

Collaboration is the only way they get things done for this group, and a validation they actually need. So even though they might seem aloof and independent, when they finally do show interest they like to discuss, share, compare and collaborate.

3. “Text me”

The average Millennial checks their phone 43 times per day, and they have stopped reading the papers and watching TV. They will respond faster to a text than to a phone call.

4. They like technology

They are technologically adept, and comfortable learning new tools and using them. They are open to emerging fields and simply won’t put up with bad user experiences that get in the way of accomplishing their tasks.

5. It’s Gotta Happen NOW

They are inventing what it means to be successful in a technology-driven world where workdays are infinite, needs change on a dime, and independence and flexibility are at a premium. So when they want something to happen, they are impatient and want it all to happen NOW.

6. Make it meaningful

They crave meaning in their jobs and want purpose-driven work. They believe that collective action can change the world and tend to become actively involved in large social movements. They want to feel connected to their company and their company’s mission.

7. Looking out for #1

The majority of Millennials expect to stay in their jobs for less than three years, and are more focused on money and themselves than security and a future. Many of them would rather work for themselves and control their own destiny than defy or question authority. \

8. Social media rules

They are socially wired and value working with someone who has a strong social graph. They will respond faster through social networks than through regular email communications.

9. They love swag

This is the perfect time of year to send shiny bling their way. They will probably wear it if it has a logo and use happily it if it’s truly useful.

10. The fun factor!

These busy leaders love to be entertained, so give them funny, edgy product videos and other fun informational visuals.

About the Author:

Josiane Feigon is the CEO of TeleSmart, a provider of inside sales training and coaching. She has trained 20-thousand-plus salespeople and still counting. Consistently recognized among The Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals, Feigon is one of the world’s leading experts on inside sales team and management talent. She is also a #1 Rated Inside Sales Training Bestselling author, speaker, and sales futurist. Follow her on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, and join the conversation on Inside Sales 2.0 Trends Talk LinkedIn Group. If you want epic inside sales training for teams and managers, contact TeleSmart.