SMS Marketing

How SMS Marketing Engages Both Millennials and Gen Z

sms marketing and millennials

We can think that SMS marketing is particularly effective with millennials and Gen Z mostly because of their habits on mobile device usage. And although that would be correct, it’s also a quite shallow way to understand the phenomenon. If your target audience is any of these generations (or both), and if you intend to use text messaging for marketing reasons, you need a more in-depth insight.

In this article, we’ll go over how each generation particularly engages with SMS marketing; effective strategies, and some numeric data you may find useful.

If you have any specific questions about how to use texting to engage any specific audience, you can also rely on Trumpia.  Call or text 1-888-707-3030 or book a consultation here. Our Account Executives will be glad to provide you with the answers you need.

SMS Marketing and Millennials

According to recent SMS marketing statistics, this is the focus group that uses mobile the most in the US. They’re the first generation growing up using text messaging and that is heavily impacted in the way they communicate in general. So having conversations via text messaging is a good way to kickstart any marketing engagement with them. 

For that reason, two way messaging becomes an invaluable tool. Not only because you’re giving them the opportunity to participate in the marketing conversation (and clarify any of their concerns) but also because two-way texting allows you to capture useful data that you can use to refine any future campaigns.

Trumpia’s texting software not only includes two-way texting as one of its main features but also offers unique advantages over other competitors’ products. With Trumpia, you get:

  • Pre-built messaging templates
  • Smart targeting: which allows you to collect data like region, behavior, interests, and other much more complex information than just age, gender, etc.
  • Threaded Conversations: meaning you can have multiple text engagements at the same time and get to keep their records.
  • MMS messaging enabled: you can include images in the conversation for better understanding and engagement.
sms marketing and millennials

Extra Considerations for the Millennial Audience

Millennials are the largest living generation in the USA , which means they have a massive  impact on the country’s economics. There are two main traits that distinguish their consumer habits:

Custom Experiences = Brand Loyalty

Having a personalized experience makes millennials especially loyal to certain brands. In order to gain that loyalty, it’s essential to provide custom experiences that align with their needs and values. For this matter, a tool like Trumpia’s Smart Targeting can be an ace in the hole. 

You can send targeted SMS messages with your latest products or services; sales discounts, special prices, or brand updates. Since these messages can be filtered you can provide very specific information to very specific audiences; reduce customer support time, and lead customers into what they want faster and more accurately. Which they will love and make them choose your brand over others.

Online Shopping

In December 2022, Digital Solutions published an article in which they said 20.2% of online customers in the US are millennials between 25 and 34 years old. Considering how SMS marketing works with eCommerce, texting brings multiple opportunities for online stores of all sizes. 

According to Statista, millennials are also the leading generation when it comes to online grocery shopping. That saves them money because they only buy what they need, with little to no influence from what they could have around in a traditional store. This is another indicator on the level of personalization and time management millennials demand.

SMS Marketing and Gen Z

Gen Z are the people born between 1997 and 2012; meaning they are between the ages of 26 and 11 at the moment of this article’s publication. They were born in the digital age and if millennials are ‘mobile first’, Gen Zers and ‘mobile only’. They look for immediate gratification and appreciate content that serves a purpose. They need something that cuts through the noise, so standard promotional messages will not work with them.

SMS marketing for GenZ should be oriented to solve specific problems. Text appointment reminders are one good example for that. These messages not only will provide them with something useful but at the same time can easily be set to be replied with a Yes/No answer; which can help your young clients respond on the fly.

Just like with Two-Way Texting, Trumpia’s SMS appointment reminders also feature Smart Targeting, plus unique features like:

  • Automation: featuring our drag-and-drop workflow builder called Workbench, and the ability to easily run drip campaigns.
  • Lifecycle Engagement software: an automated engagement platform that allows you to create intelligent messages, which reduces opt-outs and delights your audiences.
  • Omnichannel Messaging: integrate other channels like email, send voice messages, and more to your text messaging campaign.
  • API: includes integration with existing scheduling software or via Zapier.
sms marketing and millennials

Extra Considerations for the Gen Z Audience

Just like Millennials, Gen Zers prefer texting as a means of communication. But unlike them and older generations, GenZ consumers check their text messages faster: 44% of them look at notifications within a minute of getting a text. 

That gives us an idea on the need of instant gratification we mentioned before. And here are some ideas on how that can be satisfied with SMS Marketing:

Text Messaging in the Hiring Process

Many Gen Zers are part of the sales force nowadays. Text messaging for recruiting satisfies their need not only to receive good (or not so good) news while applying for a job but also to make them actively participate in it. Among other things, two-way texting enables text interviews. This is a useful pre-screening tool that allows recruiters to verify candidates’ skills, experience, cultural fit, and other traits that can determine if they’re a good fit or not.

Other texting benefits that Gen Zers will definitely appreciate during the whole hiring process are:

  • Text-to-apply – via QR Codes or text keywords.
  • Interview Reminders
  • Interview Follow ups
  • Onboarding text messages

Turn Your Gen Z Audience into Brand Ambassadors

Gen Z and millennials are very similar in many ways. One of them is the level of involvement they intend to have with brands, which is much deeper than older generations. They don’t want to just be passive consumers: they want to be an active part of your company. You can do that, and text messaging can help.

When you send a text message, you can openly ask your audience to share it with their friends; spread the word. Sharing a screenshot of that message on social media can also help. You can encourage your amateur band ambassadors by rewarding their loyalty. You can automate your text messages to send SMS coupons with discounts, special promo codes, early access to new products, and more. 

Having the Right Texting Software Makes a Difference

You can bring these ideas and many others into reality by using the right texting software. We believe that you will find a valuable ally in Trumpia. Our intelligent software is developed to offer both variety and value. So you get the widest range of features in the industry that, at the same time, are actually useful for you. 

Trumpia does even more. Our Advanced Automation goes beyond mere autoresponders. You can set complex, comprehensive workflows without needing a coder or having coding knowledge yourself. Enrich your automated text messaging campaign with appointment reminders, auto responses, recurring messages, and many other tools that will help you win in your industry.
Each Trumpia plan includes onboarding and training so you can clarify any doubts during your journey using our software. Explore our text message software pricing plans and start taking advantage of using the most powerful SMS marketing tool today.