Millennials make up one of the largest generations in history, and that’s why they are a top priority for marketers today. But let’s don’t lose sight of what’s next. Generation Z, born between 1996 and 2000, already exerts buying power of $44 billion and will soon represent 40% of consumers. And like the Millennials before them, marketers must know and understand what makes this age group tick to be successful in reaching them and getting engagement from their (even shorter) attention spans.

Here are 7 tips for B2B email marketers in targeting Generation Z:

1.     Email still rules: While social networks have emerged in the last decade, they often cast too wide a net when compared to the immediacy and relevancy of email. After all, Gen Z demands to be catered to as individuals as opposed to generic groups, and the ability to personalize email and deliver valuable content keeps it the singular most important medium for communicating to this demographic.

2.     Enable customization: To bolster email personalization, marketers should offer multiple opt-in choices in terms of frequency, timing and content so that Gen Z subscribers can customize exactly how they receive communication.

3.     Fresh content needed: While marketers know the importance of delivering relevant content, they must also realize that Gen Z is used to being served vast amounts of information and are experts in quickly sorting through it. So, in addition to being pertinent and interesting, content should be consistently new and fresh, or Gen Z will lose interest and potentially unsubscribe. As a result, B2B marketers should avoid resending previous content (or perhaps re-writing it so it seems new), and break up larger, more detailed content into more easily digestible chunks. 

4.     Minimize text; maximize images: If you’ve ever read a Gen Z text message string, you may think they have created their very own language – one in which the concept of “grammar” is obsolete. But this is really in the interest of communicating more quickly and with fewer words or even letters themselves. (e.g. “ppl” short for “people”) Indeed, for Gen Z communications, long text has been replaced by short, impactful text, imagery and videos. For that reason, marketers should minimize text and leverage images in their messages whenever possible, as Gen Z will scan the images to quickly filter content. Adding video makes messages even more scannable – and sharable on other visual platforms.

5.     Get personal: Gen Z doesn’t want to engage with a faceless company; they want to connect with a real person like themselves. So be willing to showcase the personality of your brand, and opt for spontaneous, “behind the scenes” looks over staid “presentations.” Show how your product or service makes life easier – or even fun – through a relatable person who is real and authentic.

6.     Market cross-platform: Gen Z not only consumes content on more devices and screens, it makes purchasing decisions via these multiple devices as well. And that’s why B2B marketers should craft cross-platform strategies spanning multiple devices and platforms. Emails must look perfect on desktops, tablets and smart phones and provide a seamless shopping or CTA (call-to-action) experience on all of them.

7.     Partner with social media: Using email campaigns to encourage targets to interact with your brand on social media is another way to generate cross-channel engagement. Adding an email sign-up button on your social media sites will also help generate new subscribers.

If Generation Z is not your customer or influencer now, they soon will be. And just like with Millennials, marketers need to understand how to genuinely connect with them in order to earn their trust and loyalty. And that time has just about arrived.

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Outward Media’s accurate, targeted email data can help you achieve better email marketing ROI, and convert more prospects into customers. Ask us how. Also, take a look at our complimentary new e-book on building a successful B2B email marketing database.