In the same way that consumer marketers are looking toward younger generations, many membership marketers are also looking to convert these up and coming professionals into loyal members.
A new study presented at the Vivid Ideas Exchange in Sydney last week, A Gender for Change survey* of 2315 young Australians from both Gen Z (16 to 24 years old) and Gen Y/Millennials (25 to 35 years old), found 75 per cent agree one of the important aspects of a brand is supporting a cause they believe in.
This is good news for associations and industry bodies, as their “cause” is the profession itself, with programs developed to meet the needs of the membership. The question then becomes: how to translate your activities and values to be a “cause” for potential members?
Step one
Translate your activities into benefits for the profession and the individual. What are your achievements? How have you moved the dial within the field that you are working? Does this relate to the interests and concerns of potential members?
Step two
Communicate these outcomes and benefits for Gen Y and Z through the channels in which they are familiar, and in ways that resonate.
The Gender for Change study goes further to reveal that acting ethically and with integrity was almost as equally important to those young people surveyed. Brands should demonstrate their integrity through their brand stories and content.
Some of the other key findings include:
- 75% of young Australians say that one of the important aspects of a brand is that they support a cause they believe in.
- 72% of Millennials feel lost without their phone, compared to only 59% of Gen Z.
- Over a third of young Australians feel stressed most or all of the time.
- 56% of Gen Y check Facebook at least ten times a day, compared to 47% of Gen Z.
- 47% of Gen Z has had a digital detox, compared to just 37% of Gen Y.
Key takeaways
Gen Y and Z support brands that are honest and display integrity.
A successful membership strategy will address potential members where they are already spending time.
Content should be created specific to the audience and demonstrate the “cause” of the Association
* Published by Pollinate Research on behalf of Junkee Media and oOh!media.
