Guest post by Marcus Jensen:

Millennials (The Generation Y) are the largest segment of population to appear since the baby boomers, and they are not here to mess around. This generation creates big waves, and is behind the rising tide lifting many corporate boats that were prepared for this momentous occurrence. This article discusses how b2b marketers need to up their game in this new age of digital natives, who were raised in an environment of high-tech devices, proliferation of social media, and an ongoing cyber revolution.

87% of millennials keep their smartphones with them at all times.

Marketing to millennials: Get mobile

Millennials and their precious gadgets are seldom separated. In fact, 87% of them claim that their smartphones never leave their side. It is thus small wonder that mobile searches have managed to surpass desktop ones. People do not just use devices as a means of diving in the immense social media ocean, but also as a way to interact with businesses and discover new offerings. So, it has become clear that achieving sales mobility represents the key for unlocking the great potential of B2B marketing.

Just as generation Y tends to work from anywhere and anytime, marketing and sales teams must display an advanced level of mobile marketing competence and versatility. On top of that, bear in mind that transparency and openness are virtues Millennials hold in high regard, which is a lesson customer service staff has to learn. The holy business grail is a swell user experience, a small piece of a better lifestyle, something beyond practical needs.

Furthermore, it is estimated that Millennials will comprise 50% of the workforce by 2020. This calls for some serious modifications when trying to sell to enterprises that employ, or are headed by Millennials. Not only that, business owners with teams populated by them must come up with new ways of motivating, instructing and rewarding them. These young professionals are ambitious and ready to climb the career ladder, but they cannot thrive in companies that stick to outdated business models and B2B marketing strategies.

Marketing to millennials: Get to grips with their digital body language

As a result of these developments, sales and marketing teams are figuring out new ways of engaging customers and trying to grasp the shifting buying patterns. Until recently, these currents had been fairly linear, but now the tech-savvy buyers like to conduct their own research. Hence, by the time they come in contact with a vendor, millennial buyers are actually well on their way through the buying process. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to first identify the position of the potential buyer and avoid traditional sales pitches.

The art of listening is just as effective as the practice of asking the right questions. B2B marketers have to learn a digital body language and treat real consumer needs as the sun around which the conversations gravitate. Still, winning the attention of a millennial buyer is a daunting task. Social communities in the league of LinkedIn and Twitter are perfect places for customers to evaluate value propositions and consume branded content.

The majority of millennials trust the info they find on social networks the most. Keep this in mind as you design how millennials will move through your sales funnel.

Marketing to millennials: Get social

This kind of interaction is unparalleled in terms of driving loyalty and nurturing relations. Interestingly enough, the majority of Millennials trust the info they find on social networks the most, and prefer these hubs over other sources. When content marketing is done right, it brings forth the educational value and opens the sturdy doors that traditional marketing cannot. Just remember that it is advisable to take advantage of innovative software solutions, and consider expanding to the mobile app market, one of the fastest growing markets in recent memory.

Marketing to millennials: Get an app

Here, the legions of Millennials crave to find the next best thing. Consequently, this booming frontier is also a great marketing platform for reaching out numerous B2B clients. If you lack IT capacity, you can partner up with a trusted white label mobile app reseller and deliver the latest solutions to consumers across the globe. While at it, seek to retain full brand control and take advantage of bulk pricing and employee training services. With the app market expected to skyrocket in 2016 and beyond, this is not a boat you want to miss.

Marketing to millennials: Get back to the future

Millennials are a new blood in workforce, and a breath of fresh air in the business arena. As more and more of them move into key positions, they produce a profound impact on business organizations and B2B vendors. Marketers and sellers who want to stay competitive must get their brands in front of users on social media and mobile platforms, and succeed in publishing compelling content. The most effective marketing efforts are aligned with the prevailing consumer preferences and are capable of building bridges to the bright future of the B2B marketing.

About the Author:

Marcus Jensen is an IT professional. He is Editor-in-Chief of technivorz.com, and writes about technology, business and marketing.